Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1878-09-10
The Growing Rage for Archery.
New York Commercial Advertiser

New York Commercial Advertiser
Within q very short time compare
lively, the Americans have taken the
old English sport of archery, which
at one time was so peculiar feature
Of English sport aud practice as TO
make the names of Robin HO d and
Little John, the noted foresters of q
by-gone age, and Maid Marian famous
ia history. Since the sport was in
trodueed here, it has sogrown in favor,
especially among the ladies who have
timid horror Of touching any explo-
sive weapon, that it has almost driven
out the former popular game of Gro
quet.
Archery clubs are springing up in all
parts of the United States with such
raeidjty that tke importers of English
bows and arrows find it impossible TO
supply the deGsand, as the English
Rt,akers cannot manufacture the weap-
ems fast enough to meet the wants of
Clubs and private individuals. One
importing firm i'm this vicinity has or
ders on hand for over 5000 worth
that 1t is impossible to supply in con-
sentence CT the inability of the Eng
Iish makers to make and send on the
goods. The English bows are usually
0fade of view and lance woods the or
uatneBtal lows being pieced with fan
cy woods, which would not be elastic
enough ia themselves to be so used,
but which, when united with tough,
apringy wood, make very handsome
looking bow, as we'll as being servicea-
BILE. AS the United States government
has placed 8 very heavy duty on i'm
ported bows and arrows, American |
makers have been stimulated by the |
great demand to attempt the manu- |
facture of bows and arrows out of
American woods. Handsome bows |
are being made in two pieces, after the |
style of the English, from snakewood |
and hickory; the elasticity of the lat |
ter overcoming the brittleness of the |
former. The service bow is mace from /
lsncewoOd imported from Cuba; and |
one firm in this city has set apart a |
portion of their large toy factory at |
Valley Falls for tie purpOre of max
ing these bows.
The arrows are made of Georgia |
pine on account of the wood being /
light and straight. and prize arrows
are being constructed of Georgia pine
fold deal with snake wood points. an
improvement being added by binding
the ends of the feathers in the head
with silk, so that the damp will not re-
move them from their placer-a disa-
greeable result which often happens to
English arrows if left on the grass du-
ring the night. IL Is estimated that
one of the firms in this city has man
ufactured ten thousand arrows since
the sport began to be popular, and has
not in any way been able to supply
the demand made upon it from all
parts Of the country. Orders. often
peremtory, come in daily; and. as the
English bows and arrows are oversOld
a long way ahead, and the American
makers are not yet ready to fill the
demand, many of the would-be arch
ers have to wait for a supply of the
articles they so much need.
The archery clubs are mostly loca-
ted in the country places. where TIE
owners of real estate have room to
spare for archery grounds. The club,
therefore, visit each others residences
and form very pleasant parties in
which the ladies take a very active
part. In this vicinity are archery
clubs, which number from twenty
II 70 TO fifty members each, which '
numbers. however, do not always
show the limit of those who join In
the sport.
These clubs are organized under
certain rules, which are to be found In
the various handbooks published by {
the makers and importers of bows and
arrows, and indicate the methods by ,
which the hits are to be reckoned
when the arrow strikes the straw
stuffed target. the position which arch
ers should assume while engaged in
the sport, how the bow is to be han /
died, and many other interesting facts
which could not be embraced within
the short space Of newspaper article