Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-10-12

THE IMPLEMENTS THAT ARE USED
IN THIS ANCIENT PASTIME.

The implements used in archery as a
pastime are bow. arrows, CULVER.
pouch, belt, tassel and grease pot,
an arm guard. a shooting glove, a tar
get and a scoring cartl.
The bow is usually from five to six
feet in length. the strength being reck-
oned by pounds. varying from twenty
five to eighty, those used by gentlemen
being in strength from fifty to eighty
pounds, those for ladies from twenty
five to forty. The former are made of
a single piece of yew or ash, the latter
of lancewood or hickory. glued back 10
back.
In forming the bow the wood is grad
ually tapered. and at each end is a tip
of horn. the one at the upper end be-
ing longer than the lower end, and one
side of the bow is fiat, called the
s'back.' the other being rounded and
called the belly" Near the center,
where the bow ID held, II IL bound with
velvet, which part is called the han
dle," and in each tip of horn is notch
for the string to rest in, called the
mock"
The string of the bow is manufac-
tured OF hemp or flax. The hemp
strings wear the longest, though they
stretch more at first. but. being more
elastic, bear a harder pull. When it is
necessary to fix fresh string to the
bow care must be taken not to break
the composition The tie should be cut.
the eye worked at one end, held, the
other part allowed to haAg down and
the eye passed over the upper end Of
the bow.
If for a lady 1t may be held from
two to two and half inches below
the mock; II for a gentleman, half an
inch lower varying it according to the
length and strength of the bow. The
hand is then passed along the side Of
the bow ana string to the bottom
mock, round which the string is
turned and fixed by the moose. When
strung a lady's bow will have the
string about five and a half inches
from the belly of the bow, gentle
mans about half an inch more. The
part of the string opposite the handle
is bound round with waxed silk in
order to prevent Its being frayed by
the arrow, which is sent from that
point.
As soon as a string becomes too soft
and the fibers too straight it must be
rubbed with beeswax and a few turns
given to it to shorten it and twist its
strands little tighter. A spare string
should always be provided.
Arrows are variously formed, some
being of uniform thickness through
out, others thicker in the center or
larger at the point than at the feather
end, the last shape being considered
the best form for shooting. Arrows
are made of white pine, having at one
end points Of iron or brass firmly fixed
and usually n piece Of heavy wood
spliced on to the pine between 1t and
the point. by which their flight Is Inn
proved At the other end a piece of
horn is inserted in which is a notch for
the string and they are armed with
three feathers, one of which is of diff
ferent color from the others and is in
tended to mark the proper position Of
the arrow when placed on the string,
this one always pointing from the bow.
To string the bow take 1t by the
handle In the right hand and place the
bottom end upon the ground, resting
against the hollow Of the inside of the
right foot, keeping the fiat side of the
bow called the back toward you.
The left foot should be advanced lit
tie to the right, SO placed that the bow
cannot slip sideways. Place the heel
of the left hand upon the upper limb
OF the bow, below the eye of the string.
Now, while the fingers and thumb of
the left hand slide this eye. toward the
notch IN the horn and the heel pushes
the limb away from the body, the
right hand pulls the handle toward
you, thus resisting the action of the
left, by which the bow is bent, and at
the same time the string Is slipped into
the mock, as the notch Is termed.
Care must be taken to keep the three
outer fingers free from the string, for
IL the bow should slip from the hand
and the string catch them they will be
severely pinched.
IL the bow has been lying by for
some time 1t should be well rubbed
with lnseed oil before using It, To
unstrlng the bow hold II as in string
ing; then press down the upper limb
exactly as before and as IL you wished
to place the eye of the string in a
higher notch. This will loosen the
string and liberate the eye, when 1t
l. - I,.t
forefnger and suffered to slip down
the limb. Before using the bow hold
II In perpendicular direction with the
string toward you and see If the line
Of the string cuts the middle of the |
bow. If not, shift the eye and moose |
of the string TO either side so as to
make the two lines coincide. This |
precaution prevents very common
cause of defective shooting. which is |
the result of an uneven string throw |
Ing the arrow aside. After using the |
bow unstring 1t, and, If n large party Is |
shooting. after every end 1t should |
be freed from It's state of tension. |
Sut In this respect there Is n great DIFF |
ference In different bows, some good |
ones soon getting east from their true |
shape and others, though inferior bows |
In other respects, bearing any ordinary |
amount of tension without damage.
Two points must be attended TO when |
taking alm-the lateral direction and |
the distance-since there Is no bow |
which will drive an arrow many yards |
perfectly point blank, and consequently !
a slight elevation must In all cases be |
made, and for long distances with |
weak bows a very considerable eleva
tion-that IS, the bow must be raised-
above the point aimed at. The arrow |
cannot be shot straight at an object |
because II will, OF course, be subject |
TO the earthS attraction, and IL shot |
straight at a mark will fall below It, |
and IT therefore requires practice to |
manage the elevation properly, and |
muth will depend on the exact strength |
of the bow and the distance Of the shot. |
The lateral direction-that is, the side |
to which the bow should be directed
depends greatly on the wind, If there |
Is any, as the arrow Is materially af- |
fected by the wind. Should II blow |
from the right hand the bow must in |
cline toward IL; to the left, II from tho
Ia