Sin, began I have been experimenting with 



tare, and 1 am now thoroughly con- 

 vinced that the natural curvature of the vane of the feather 

 is exactly enough foi the proper rotation of the arrow. 

 Many archers suppose that; their arrows do not turn in their 

 fllgtjtj hut if they will stand near the target, and let another 

 archer shoot the arrows from 100 yards distance over the 

 target, they will notice the beautiful rotary motion of each 

 arrow as it passes. 



Some of your correspondents— notably "N. K. D."— in 

 your issue of April 24 advise the archers who are practicing 

 for the A-nirust Meeting at Chicago to shoot only at short 

 ranges— 40, 50 and 60 yards—" until scores of 200 at 40 yards, 

 175 at 50 yards and 125 at 00 yards can be regularly made," 

 before beginning the longer ranges. I fear if archers should 

 follow thiB advice that very few would get any practice at 

 80 and 100 yards before the meeting, as the attainment of 

 such scores aa the above regularly will be rare, even among 

 the twenty first, shots in the country this season. Here are 

 two propositions which will be doubted by few archers: 

 First, practice at long range will improve one rapidly at 

 short range; second, practice at short range will injure one's 

 shooting at long range. It follows as a corollary that the 

 "greatest good to the greatest number" (of ranges) will re- 

 sult from practice at the long ranges. I might with propri- 

 ety illustrate this by my own experience thiB season. Dunne 

 last summer I averaged in public matches from 170 to 236 

 with 30 arrows at 40 yards ; this year 1 have so far shot only 

 two scores of 30 arrows at 40 yards. The first, which was 

 shot in a contest with Mr. McMeehan, when I had yet done 

 no shooting at long range, yielded me ICG score. The second, 

 ahot on the 2:3d of April, after 1 had been shooting for two 

 months only at the long ranges of 80 and 100 yards, yielded 

 me 228. To one who begins practice at 100 yai'ds for the 

 first time there is something exasperating in the monotony of 

 thirty or forty straight misses; but 1 have yet to find the ar- 

 cher, who clung to the range for a month, who would not 

 rather have the pleasure of one afternoon's shoot with a 

 friend at that distance than a whole week of battering the 

 gold and red at 30 yards. The freedom of movement, the 

 strong draw, the great flight, the exhiliration and matchless 

 joy of archery culminate in the long range shooting. Not 

 only the greater pleasure, but the greater improvement will 

 alwayB be found in the careful attempt upon the distant mark. 

 I do not pretend to be an "authority" on archery, but it re- 

 quires no gift of prescience to foretell that the ten highest 

 scores made at the Chicago tournament will stand opposite 

 the names of ten votaries of long range practice. 

 QrawfordsvUle, Ind. Will H. Thompson. 



Editor Fobusi and Stueam : 



I have tried rifled arrows ; so has my father and my grand- 

 father. Whether Adam after his fall did or not, I don't know, 

 but do know that there are old Indian arrows of fine workman- 

 ship which have on them two spiral feathers, each so placed as to 

 be opposite the other, on opposite sidaa of the arrow, though 

 they may be at different distances from the ends of arrow ; and 

 snob are of more accurato flight than those Of the ordinary feath- 

 ering', precisely in the same way and for the same reason that the 

 rifle ball is more accurate than the straight-bore. The feathers 

 should be small and have a slow twist, as otherwise the flight is 

 retarded ; and two feathers should be used, as one would not an- 

 swer, unless it could pass Beveral times around the arrow, which 

 is not practicable. Three feathers are better than two. Use wing 

 or tail feathers of the yellow-hammer. Start the feather from 

 the quill with a sharp knife, near point, and tear it downward to 

 the large end. This brings off a thin skin, which admits of 

 being nicelv glued or cemented to the arrow. They may then be 

 trimmed to" suit the weight of arrow or strength of bow. I think 

 3-Hjths of an inch is high enough for tho feather to rise from the 

 surface of the heaviest arrows. A good point for the feathers is 

 about or S inches from small end of arrow, and they should be 

 distributed around the arrow as are grooves on a rifle ball. The 

 amount of twist and feather will be learned by a little experiment- 

 ing. There ia more gained in accuracy than Is lost in range by 

 this mode of feathering. H. 



Enfield, a. 0. 



NATIONAL ARCHERY ASSOCIATION. 



The great inaugural meeting of archers, under the control 

 and management of the National Archery Association of the 

 United States of America, ia appointed to take place at Chi- 

 cago, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 12, 13 

 and 14, 1879. Following is a synopsis of the programme of 

 the meeting : 



Fibst Day.— Competition for National Medals. 



Ladies — 48 arrows, 30 yards ; six special prizes for best six 

 scores ; also special prizes for most hits, most golds, most 

 reds, most blues, most blacks, most whites, best end of three 

 arrows, poorest score. 



Gentlemen — 48 arrows, 60 yards ; 96 arrows, 80 yards. 

 For best six gross scores, prizes of $70, $60, $50, $40, $30 

 and $20 ; also special prizes for best score at 00 yards ; best 

 score, 80 yards ; most hits, 60 yards ; most hits, 80 yards ; 

 most gross hits, most golds, reds, blues, blacks, whites ; best 

 end, 60 yards ; best end, 80 yards ; poorest score, 00 yards ; 

 poorest, score, 80 yards. 



Ladies' Handicap— SO arrows, 20 yards. Special prizes for 

 best three scores ; also for most hits, golds, reds and blues. 



Gentlemen's Handicap— -30 arrows, 40 yards. Prizes same 

 as in ladies' handicap. 



Skoond Day.— Competition for National Medals : 



Ladies— 48 arrows, 40 yards ; prizes as in previous day's 

 Medal Competition. 



Gentlemen — Prizes for six best scores same as in previous 

 day's Medal Competition ; also prizes for most hits, golds, 

 reds, blues, blacks, whites, best, end, poorest score. 



Lades' Handicap— 30 arrows, 20 yards; prizes for best 

 three scores ; also for most hits, most golds, most reds, most 

 blues. 



Gentlemen's Handicap— 60 arrows, 50 yards; prizes same 

 as preceding competition. 



Tmp.D D at. —Competition for National Medals: 



Ladies— 48 arrows, 50 yards ; prizes same as in other Medal 

 Competitions. 



Gentlemen— -72 arrows, 100 yards ; prizes same as in second 

 day's Medal Competition. 



Ladies* Handicap— m arrows, 30 yards ; special prizes for 

 best three scores ; also for most hits, most reas, most blues. 



Grand Team Shoot— "Sot teams of four members from any 

 society, at the American Round ; 30 arrows, 40 yards j 30 

 arrows, 50 yards ; 30 arrows, 60 yards ; four prizes for best 

 gross si $60 and $40 ; special prizes for most 



team hits, golds, reds, blues, blacks, whites; also individual 

 scores for most hits, golds, etc., and for best and poorest in- 

 dividual scores. 



No arch tj lar member 



of a society belonging to the National Archery A 

 The winners will be declared and prizes awarded at the Sher- 

 man House, Chicago, on Friday * M,, August 1* The win- 

 ners of "score" prizes in the competitions for the National 

 Medals, will be handicapped in competing for other money or 

 special prizes, in accordance with the provisions of the Con- 

 stitution of the National Archeiy Association. The special 

 prizes consist of bows, arrows, quivers, belts, tassels, finger 

 tips, arm guards, targets, gold brooches, -gold arrows, silver 

 arrows, vases, jewel cases, albums, tea sets, student lamns, 

 flower stands, Harper's Weekly one year, Harper'* Month'// 

 one year, Seribner's one year, Atlantic one year, Dickens' 

 works, Irving's works, etc., etc., etc. The Champion and 

 Championess Medals are of gold, beautifully designed. 



Executive Committee— Hon. Maurice Thompson, llemy C. 

 Carver, Esq., \V. A. lUissell, Esq., Edward L. Brewster, 

 Esq., James II. Watson, Esq., Will. n. Thompson, Esq., 

 Albert C Spalding, Esq 



The Season Opened. — A large number of out-door games 

 on Saturday last fairly inaugurated the spring campaign. 

 The Columbia College Athletic Association held their four- 

 teenth annual field meeting at Mott Haven ; the Staten Island 

 Cricket Club enjoyed a game of cricket with their character- 

 istic festivities on their beautiful grounds over-looking the 

 Bay, and the Stevens Institute Athletic Association held their 

 sixth annual meeting on the St. George Cricket Grounds at 

 Hoboken. 



The O'Leary Belt. — Programmes have been published of 

 the contests -for the belt to be given by Daniel O'Leary, the 

 match to be held in Gilmore's Garden, this city, Oct. 6 to 11. 

 O'Leary has leased the Garden for the whole month of Octo- 

 ber. The programme of the different meetings to be held there 

 comprises contests in distance and time walking and running, 

 bicycling, wrestling, sparring, etc. 



— Brodie, the New York Newsboy, won the six-days' walk- 

 ing match at Philadelphia last week. His record was 390 

 miles. The seventeen-year-old New York gamin defeated 

 able professional athletes and pedestrians. 



\ht §mne ojj ffiess. 



MANHATTAN CHESS CETJB, CAFE LOGELING, NO. 49 BOWEKY 



Problem No. 53. 



Motto : Checkmate if yon can, 



White to play and give mate In two moves. 



SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS— NO. 48. 



1— Q-H6 

 2— (J-Bt ctl 



3— Mates 



I'KOULKM NO. J9. 



1-Q-KS 



2-Q, B or B mates 



CUKSORY JOTTING^ 

 —The clergy have a peculiar fondness tor clieBS. Among Catholic 

 ecclesiaats we find the names of Cessolis, Lopez, Vida, Ponziani, Sae- 

 chteri, Carera, Pope Leo X. and St. Francois de Sales as chess players 

 and chess writers. Among Protestant ministers the names of Sagita- 

 rlns, D'Arblay, Lambe, Koch, Atwood, Bowdler and Bolton are well 

 Known. 



Caiaaa.— The heroine of Sir William Jones' poem on cheaa (1763), and 

 since generally regarded aa the Muse, or goddess, of chess :— 

 O'er liitis and valleys was her beauty famed, 

 And fair Caissa was the damsel named, 



—Among other festivities held to celebrate the entrance of Queen 

 Claude Into Paris, 1517, a game of Living Chess was played ; the white 

 pieces being directed by the King, and the opponents by the Count 

 Saint Paul. 



—The game of chess existed, in its primitive form, during a period 

 of three or four thouaaud years before the sixth century of our era 

 then came the media;val stage, occupying one thousand years, to the 

 sixteenth century ; and, lastly, the modern period to the present time 

 covered by an exuberant chess literature. 



- Napoleon tho Great was an ardent chess player during his entire 

 life : chess was Ms solace in Egypt, in Russia, in Elba and at St. Helena. 



— Damiano, the Portuguese writer on chess, was an apothecaty ; Ruy 

 Lopez the Spaniard, Can-era the Sicilian, VMa the Lombard, and 

 Koch the German, were priests; Silvio of Naples, Del r io of Mortens, 

 Plaoenzaof Turin, and Azzio M Fo-simbronc, were lawyers ; Ponsl- 

 antof Modena, was both a priest and a lawyer; Allgaier of Anuria, 

 Bilguer of Prnssfs, and Benin of England , were soldiers. 



! describes, in Book v., chapters 21 and 25, three games of 

 oheBB played with men and women clothed In gold and silver ; the 

 nymphs (pawns) being attired as In company with Diana at the bath. 



■■ 



—Henry Thomas Bnckle, the author of ''History OI 01 

 res one of the very foremost of English chess players. 



— Fragments of the beautiful set of chessmen sent by the Callptt 

 Haroun ul-Raaohid to Charlemagne (A. D. flO) are still extant. 



JfnsweiiS fa <£oi[rtspon&mte. 



No Notice Taken ot Anon/mon* Gommunlcacloaa. 



— We cannot attempt to comply with the requests of per 

 sons who write for the full names and addresses of the corres- 

 pondents whose initials appear in this column. 



•T. M. D., Saa Francisco.— Teach your dog to retrieve and by this 

 means you can probably Induce him to go Into the water. Otherwise we 

 fear there la no remedy. 



C. E., New York.— To waterproof cotton drilling boil a mixture ofe 

 s. hard yellow soap, 1% pint water, y t lb. patent driers, s lbs. boiled 

 linseed oil. The new law has not yet passed. 



J. C. T., New Tors.— Will you be good enough to give pedigree of 

 Sperry's setter bitch Flora? Ans. Do not know it. Give some farther 

 particulars as to what Mr. Sperry and the breed of setter, and we may 

 And it. 



Subscriber, Montgomery, Ala.— For a book on guns and gun mak- 

 ing buy Greener's " Modern Breech-Loader." Price $2.50. We can 

 mailittoyou. For a list of over thirty hooka relating to the gun con- 

 - lit the "Bibliography," page 663, fifth edition of " Hallock's Sporta- 



ian'8 Gazetteer." 



Beaumont, New Hope, Penn.— Ts there a machine in successful oper- 

 ation for hatching fowls' eggs ? Do you know of a Frenchman on Long 

 Island who has one! Ans. Engene Freterre, dentist, 159 Bowery, for- 

 merly had one In successful operation at his place on Long Island' and 

 we believe has now. 



Dane, Cincinnati, Ohio.— Where can I obtain a good book treating 

 on making of nailing rods, and at what price 7 Ana. There is no work 

 extant which treats distinctively of the technology of rods and tackle. 

 You will find all the information that is attainable In back numbers of 

 this paper and in nallock's "Sportsman's Gazetteer." 



DocTOR,;Brooklyn, N. Y.— Are dew-claws in a setter pappy a sign of 

 good or bad strain ? Should they be removed If connected by an artic 

 mating joint ? Puppy about three months old. Do they actually in- 

 terfere in hunting, or is it only aprejudloe? Ans. They are an acci- 

 dent of nature and, although they do n<bt interfere with the dog'a work- 

 should be removed as a eyesore and deformity. 



Gbrmantowh, Philadelphia.— I have a setter pup one year old which 

 weepB, having the eyelids very much Inflamed and always wet. Have 

 been using sassafras pitch dissolved in water, but without success. 

 Ans. Give your dog a mild aperient, avoid light and apply warm fo- 

 mentations to the eye. If this does not reduce the inflammation bathe 

 the eyes with an infusion of poppy headB, The diet should be low and 

 unstimnlattng. 



P. S„ Baltimore.— I am thinking of buying a boat for pleasure and 

 hunting. When nsed for pleasure I expect to take my family with me. 

 Do you think one of Osgood's canvas boats suitable, or would you pre- 

 fer a Rnshton 7 Ans. For lake use we would prefer a Ruslrton. For 

 broken water and rapid streams the Osgood would be preferable. To 

 buy a boat of all work Is as difficult as it is to get a combination horse 

 for the plow, the coupe and the sulky. 



Mc , Oskalooaa, la.— Will you please inform me what kind of a fly 

 to use for basa and salmon on Iowa rivers? Ans. The ordinary baas 

 fliea can be obtained at any tackle shop on request. Your "salmon " 

 (wall-eyed pike) often take a fly which must be gaudy and larger than 

 a basa fly and shotted with a buckslot aa near the head as possible. 

 Taey are realty a bottom fish, however, and are generally taken with 

 a minnow. Basa like rocky chores; pike perch avoid them. 



C. N. S., Deposit, N. Y —Will you kindly inform sevoral readers 

 of your valuable paper here what is meant by "Bismarck" dog, and 

 what affect a cross between snch a dog and a red Irish would make? 

 Ans. Bismarck was a very fine native English setter, owned by a Mr. 

 Brooks, of Philadelphia. " Bla." lad a great reputation as a field dog' 

 but, unfortunately, In the fall of 1S75, while beiug returned from the 

 West, he was smothered to death in an express car. Such a cross might 

 make very good doga. 



A. G., Ft. Hiley.— Is the Greener $150 hammerless gun sold by H. C. 

 Squires, of your city, a good one 7 Ia a gun of 12 or 2S inch 7 pounds 

 weight, both barrels full choke, good for duck shooting? I aon't 

 mean the best one for the purpose, but good enough to answer the 

 same, aa I believe in light guns. Ana. Tea, exoellent. 2. Oh yes, bnt 

 sportsmen prefer barrels of different ranges, one for close shooting, 

 and the other for long distances. A choke-gun would be apt to blow 

 the gravel out of a duck at cloae quarters. 



P. S. S. F. C, San Francisco, Cal.— To brown your gun barrels : Tinct. 

 of muriate of iron, one ounce ; nitric ether, one ounce ; sulphate of cop- 

 per, four scruples ; rain water, one pint. Plug barrels, using ping aa 

 nandles. Clean with soap and water, cover with thick coat of slacked 

 lime ; remove when dry with iron wire scratch brush. Apply coat of 

 above preparation with, a rag. Let stand twenty-four houra ; then hn- 

 merae in boiling water and scratch with brush. Repeat until color 

 8uits. Then let them soak in lime water a short time. Don't touch 

 barrels with your band during the process. 



G. L. A., Bryan eo., Ga.— I aend to-day a pair of deer horns that I 

 picked up on Oasahaw Island aome weeks alnoe. They have evidently 

 been gnawed by some rodent. Having seen some dl8cuasion in "our 

 paper" I think these horns may intereat you. Ans. There is nothing 

 remarkable about your horns. Horna and bones are not only licked 

 and gnawed by all kinds of wild and domeatic animate, aa well aa squir- 

 rels, mice, and rodents of all sorts, anta, etc, but they are usually 

 wholly destroyed in the course of about four years. This fact accounts 

 in part for shed deer horns not being more frequently found. The rain 

 and sun aa well as the natural process uf decay, very much assist In de- 

 stroying them. 



A. B. H., Boston.— The contemporary you quote is not posted in such 

 mattera, nor has it any standing tn the community, in admitting cer- 

 tain Engltsh schooners to be "naval gems," it la simply steering by our 

 wake. Bouger did not determine the position of the meta-ceatre Bt all. 

 He only found its height for an lullnitely small angle of heel— in other 

 words, for the upright position o( a vessel. The shifting meta-centre, 

 or the theoretical point ot suspension ot a vessel for finite anglea, was 

 investigated long after Bouger's death by Atwood, Dupin, Rankin, 

 Canon Moeely and otherB. it is situated on the evolute of ihe involute 

 of the centre of buoyancy, though no preciae theoretical formula for 

 deducing its exact location on that curve has yet been devised, nor are 

 the deOnitlona and nomenclature of the different 'savanU mentioned 

 identical. We cannot enter into the subject further at present, as we 

 muBt limit the consideration of theo W these columns to its applica- 

 bility to practical yacht design. 



