178 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Feb. 8, 1913 
the. force A increases, so that the turning mo¬ 
ment remains fairly constant and of consider¬ 
able magnitude. 
In Dr. Elmer’s machine the bow can not 
turn, but in the archer’s hand it can and does. 
If not properly controlled it will move the bow 
string against the arm guard. 
Effect 5. When the arrow is drawn the 
left arm is under considerable strain and the 
hand moves slightly to the right. On release, 
the removal of the constraining force moves the 
arm somewhat to the left. The muscles do not 
respond at once, due first to the inertia of the 
arm and, second, to the fact that muscular 
movement does not begin until a certain time 
after stimulation. As the arrow remains in con¬ 
tact with the string for about 1/40 of a second, 
after release, the motion of the arm toward the 
left is probably negligible until after the center 
of gravity of the arrow has passed the inside 
of the bow and then increases in magnitude 
until the arrow leaves the bow. This would 
have the tendency of moving the nock toward 
the left, thus pushing the arrow back parallel 
to its aimed course. 
This last effect can not be proved through 
the use of mathematics, as it depends upon 
several variable factors that can not readily be 
determined, such as the exact period when the 
muscular recoil is operative. I derived the con¬ 
clusions mainly through a prior reasoning. The 
following facts seem to prove the conclusion 
correct. When the nock leaves the string the 
force A no longer acts against the arrow. This 
would greatly diminish the force B and con¬ 
sequently produce but little wear on the shaft 
along the last seven inches of the nock end. 
My old arrows show considerable wear in this 
zone, which leads one to believe that the fifth 
effect is operative to a marked extent. In ad¬ 
dition to this, arrows when shot buckle far less 
than they would if effect i were the main factor. 
The first three effects are operative in a 
mechanical contrivance, such as that used by 
Dr. Elmer. The fact that this machine shoots 
badly to the left and buckles the arrows, as it 
theoretically must, shows that the last two ef¬ 
fects are not only operative but are probably 
the chief factors in the solution of the problem. 
The relative magnitude of the various effects 
depends somewhat upon the personal equation 
of the archer, when he, through intuition, gets 
the five effects balanced he is able to shoot 
without lateral displacement, or undue buckling 
of the arrows. 
I believe we are now prepared to solve the 
problem, discussed in a previous article, per¬ 
taining to the effect of a variable point of bal¬ 
ance of our arrows. A variable position of the 
center of gravity alters the relative magnitudes 
of Effects I, 3, and 4. As just mentioned, an 
archer shoots without lateral displacement 
when all five effects are properly balanced. A 
difference in the position of the center of grav¬ 
ity of our arrows changes the relative magni¬ 
tude of three of the effects, so that an exact 
balance of all five effects cannot be maintained, 
unless the point of balance of each separate 
arrow corresponds closely to the remaining 
arrows of the set. 
Pittsburgh Archery. 
Chicago, Ill., Jan. 20 .— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The New Year’s day archery scores 
made in Pittsburgh, and reported by Dr. Hertig, 
in Forest and Stream, Jan. 18 , were fine, par¬ 
ticularly so as they were made in mid-winter. 
An analysis of them brings out some very in¬ 
teresting points. 
The doctor truly says: “i\lr. Holmes’ shoot¬ 
ing in the American Tound was remarkable for 
its regularity. It is seldom that two rounds in 
succession are shot with so little variation of 
hits and score at the different distances and 
with total of hits and score alike.” 
We quote the scores, lest some of the read¬ 
ers may not have seen them. 
Double American round scores: 
60yds. 
50yds. 
40yds. 
Total. 
w. 
J- 
Holmes. 
118 
28 
148 
30 
182 
84 
448 
28 
118 
27 
149 
29 
181 
84 
448 
54 
238 
55 
297 
59 
363 
168 
896 
Dr. 
0. 
L. Hertig. 
. 29 
127 
30 
142 
30 
192 
89 
461 
28 
174 
29 
129 
30 
190 
87 
493 
57 
301 
59 
271 
GO 
382 
176 
954 
For our purpose let us consider that Mr. 
Holmes’ double American round score was made 
by two archers, each shooting one of the single 
rounds. We will call them A and B. We will 
treat Dr. Hertig’s score in the same way and 
name the archers C and D. 
In the first case, had they been shooting for 
the championship, A would have won, 514 points 
to B’s 414, though they were tied on gross hits 
and score. Most archers will think that A and 
B showed the same skill, though in this case 
perhaps it would be as well to award the cham¬ 
pionship by points as in any other way; for in¬ 
stance, by shooting more arrows or by drawing 
lots. 
In the contest between C and D, C made 
two more hits and D made the higher score by 
32. No sane person would say two hits were 
equal in value to 32 score. And yet, scored by 
the point system, C won by points to 3J^, 
and with 32 less score! 
Mr. Holmes’ score was a remarkably well 
balanced one. That is, that part of the total 
score made at each range was what it should 
have been. It will be found by e.xamining a 
large number of scores, be they high or low, 
that about one-third of the total is made at 
fifty yards, the mid range. Mr. Holmes’ total 
score was 896, a third of which is 298; his fifty 
yards score was 297. 
Dr. Hertig says he fell down at fifty yards. 
His total score was 954, one-third of which is 
318. His fifty-yard score was 271. forty-seven 
less than would have been expected. 
What we have written is perhaps of no 
practical importance, but it has helped to “while 
away an idle hour.” Edward B. Weston. 
Complimentary. 
Chicago, Ill., Dec. 21. — Editor Forest and 
Streatn: I wish to thank you for the good work 
you have shown for archery in the year now 
closing. The last issue—save what I furnished 
•—was fine, particularly your editorial on the 
new department. 
Every archer in the country ought to sub¬ 
scribe for Fore-st and Stream and write for it. 
Edward B. Weston. 
FOR ARCHERY SUPPLIES 
Write for Archery Catalogue. 
E. I. HORSMAN CO. 365 Broadway, N. Y. 
