Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-02-07

Besides Bow and Arrows Are q
Culver. Pouch. Belt, Tassel and
Grease Pot. Arm Guard, Glove, Tnr-
get and Score Card-The Rules.
The implements used in archery as q
pastime are bow, arrows, CULVER, a
pouch, belt, tassel md grease pot.
an arm guard, shooting glove, tar
get and scoring card.
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 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
"back," the other being rounded and
called the belly" Near the center,
where the bow is held, it is bound with
velvet, which part is called the "han-
die" and in each tip of horn is q notch
for the string to rest in, called the
mock"
The string Of the bow is manufac-
tured OF hemp or fax. The hemp
strings wear the longest, though they
stretch more at first, but, being more
elastic, bear harder pull. When it ia
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 hang down and
the eye passed over the upper end of
the bow.
If for lady it may be held from
two to two and half inches below
the mock; II for gentleman, half an
inch lower, varying 1t according to the
length and strength of the bow. The
hand is then passed along the side of
the bow and string to the bottom
mock, round which the string is
turned and fixed by the moose. When
strung lady's bow will have the
string about five and 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 Q n or fno
and the fibers too straight it must be
rubbed with beeswax and a few turns
gwen 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 Mt the feather
end, the last shape being considered
the best form for shooting. Arrows
are made of white pine, having ut one
end points Of iron or brass firmly fixed
and usually q piece Of heavy wood
spliced on to the pine between it and
the point, by which their flight is i'm
proved. At the other end 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 it 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 flat 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
If the bow should slip from the hand
and the string catch them they will be
severely pinched.
II the bow has been lying by for
some time it should be well rubbed
with linseed oil before using it. 10
unstring the bow hold 1t us in string
ing; then press down the upper limb
exactly us before and as If you wished
TO place the eye of the string in
higher notch. This will loosen the
string and liberate the eye, when it
must be lifted out Of the mock by the
foretinger and suffered to slip down
the limb. Before using the bow hold
1t in a 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 large party Is
shooting, after every lend" It should
be freed from its state Of tension
But In this respect there is great diff
ference in different bows, some good
ones soon getting cast from their trRs
shape and others. though inferior bows
in other respects, bearing any ordinar,
amount Of tension without damage.
Two points must be attended to wher
tnking aim-the lateral direction aad
the d.stance-since there Is no bow
which will drive an arrow many yards
perfectly point blank. and consequently
a slight elevation must in all cases he
made, and FOR l,us distances with
weak bows 4 very considerable cleva-
tion that Is, the bow must be raised
above the point aimed ut. The arrow
cannot be shot straight at an object
because it will, of course, be subject
to the earth's attraction, and II shot