Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12

which grows along the coral rock keys of our
southernmost State Comparative tests soon
demonstrated that the snakewood was the most
satisfactory wood available IN the New World
for archery purposes. Hill attributes much OF
his success in long flight shooting to his dis
covery of this unusually hard wood which In
tougher than yew, just IS fast and springy, has
less vibration and is not 50 susceptible to tenn
perature changes. This bowman reports from
his tests that snakewood bows will not vary over
pounds in pull due to temperature fluctuations.
while yew bows will vary much as 20 pounds
due to weather changes. The snakewood is q
sister tree to the Florida mahogany and grows
to be from so to 100 feet In height.
Mr.. Hill made several snakewood bows rang
ing from 81 to so inches in length and as big
at the grip as an ordinary banana. He gradu-
ated the pull Of these bows from $50 to ITS
pounds. The ancient records of archery men,
lions several Roman and English archers who
were strong enough so that they could handle
bows OF about $50 pounds pull HILL however,
Is the FIRST man in history, either civilized or
savage, who ever mastered the feat of handling
q 175-pound bow.
The life Of one of these powerful pulling bows
is only SO to go shots. The strain to which
they are subjected is stupendous. Snakewood
Is the only wood which will withstand such
formidable tests. The 175-pound snakewood
bow used by Howard Hill when he set his record
OF 400 yards, without favoring wind on a calm
day, was only 81 inches long. The ability Of
this bow to bend to q full draw and cast n
flight arrow at tremendous speed through the
ether SO that 1t carried almost one fourth of q
mile Is one Of the most spectacular strength
tests OF hardwood ever made. Hill made his
record shots in official competition as q sequel
to the first national archery golf tournaments
held In the United States The following year
ne won the long-hight shooting championship
at the annual tournaments of the National
Archery Association at Rye N H
HIS champion bowman of civilization began
his study Of archery at the age of 4, when
his father also an archery enthusiast made q
bow of hickory and taught his small son how
TO use the weapon. From then until now How
ard Hill has been interested actively in archery.
As an amateur hobby he learned all about the
art and articles Of the bowyer's trade. 1t was
only during the last five years, however, that
he has devoted serious attention to that ancient
sport, which has enjoyed very successful
revival In the United States. AS result of
conscientious training Hin has developed him.
self into q Super-bowman, who pulls the
mightiest bow ever bent.
You can gain some idea of the force of an
arrow shot from this herculean bow by q
historical exhibit in the Tower of London. In
q massive oaken door the metal head Of war
arrow is buried to a depth of inches. Several
centuries ago that particular arrow was fired
by an archer guard at an escaping prisoner.
The missile shot from q war bow of 90, pounds
pun missed its human target and imbedded
itself in the huge door. The door and It's
remarkable relic have been preserved as an
exhibit of the strength Of the ancient English
archers. If Howard Hill had shot the arrow
with his big bow It would have passed entirely
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