HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 271 



To Lay Out a Mile Track. Draw a line through an oblong 

 center four hundred and forty yards in length, setting a stake 

 at each end. Then draw a line on either side of the hrst line, 

 exactly parallel with and four hundred and seventeen feet and 

 two inches from it, setting stakes at either end of them. This 

 will give an oblong square four hundred and forty yards long, 

 and eight hundred and thirty-four feet and four inches wide. 

 At each end of these three lines set stakes. Xext fasten a 

 cord or wire four hundred and seventeen feet and two inches 

 long, to the center stake of this parallelogram, and tlien describe 

 a half-circle, driving stakes as often as it is necessary to set a 

 fence post. When the circle is made at both ends of this par- 

 allelogram there will be two straight sides and two circles 

 which, measured three feet from the fence, will be exactly one 

 mile. The turns should be thrown up one foot in ten feet of 

 width, from the pole to the outside, so that a turn forty feet 

 wide would, at its highest point, be four feet higher at the out- 

 side than at the pole. Tracks should always be built with ref- 

 erence to attaining the highest degree of speed. What is 

 termed a regulation track, strictly speaking, is one on which 

 the stretches and turns are each eighty rods long, (for a mile 

 track); and forty rods long, (for a haJf-mile track). These, 

 however, vary — as on some mile tracks the turns are ninety 

 rods long, and the stretches seventy rods long; and on some 

 half-mile tracks the turns are forty-five, and the stretches 

 thirty-five rods long. The judges' stand should be placed 

 back one hundred and fifty feet from the commencement of 

 the first turn. A track is fast or slow according to its condi- 

 tion. "To the texture of the surface and the thoroughness of 

 its manipulation, much more than to the shape and grades is 

 attributable the wonderful speed records that have been made 

 at Terre Haute." When the track becomes loose, first use a 

 planer, following with a dressing harrow, finishing with a float ; 

 all the time keeping the work back of the teams. To be in 

 the best condition tracks must have a true, hard face, finishing 

 off with a beautiful, elastic cushion. Other conditions being 

 equal half-mile courses are rated from three to five seconds 

 slower than mile courses. The half-mile course is altogether 

 the most popular for spectators as they are enabled to keep the 

 horses in sight with comparative ease during the entire race. 

 In 1893 the National Trotting Association had a membership 

 of 558 ; and the American Trotting Association of 806, making 

 a total of 1364 tracks in the membership of these associations. 

 The national associations have never adopted any special shape 

 for a regulation track — all that is necessary is that it must be 



