Fig. 2.

The Arrow.

Arrows are distinguished by weight in the same manner as bows, only in the former it is calculated as weighed against silver money, and arrows are known as of so many shillings weight, &c. The lengths and weights recommended by the best authorities are as follows:

Length.Weight.
For ladies. 25 in.2s.3d.to3s.3d.
For gentlemen.Bows of 50 lbs. and upwards, and 6 feet long.28 in.46to56
Bows under 50 lbs. and not exceeding 5 ft. 10 in. long.28 in.36to46

There are two kinds of arrows—self, made of one piece of wood, and footed, having a piece of hard wood at the pile end. The latter are the best for several reasons, one being that they are not so likely to break if they strike anything hard. The best material for arrows is red deal footed with lancewood.

How to Choose it.

The first thing to ascertain is whether it is quite straight, which is done by bringing the tips of the thumb and two first fingers of the left hand together and laying the arrow thereon, while it is turned round by the right hand. If it goes smoothly, it is straight; but if it jerks at all it is crooked. Then make sure that it is stiff enough to stand the force of the bow without bending, as, if too weak, it will never fly straight. The pile or point should be what is called the square-shouldered pile; some prefer the sharp pile, but the other answers best for all purposes. The nock should be full and the notch pretty deep; a piece of horn should be let in at the notch to prevent the string splitting the arrow. The feathers should be full-sized, evenly and well cut, and inserted at equal distances from each other, as shown in the plate. It has been much disputed whether the Bobtailed, the Chested, the Barrelled, or the Straight arrow is the best to shoot with (see Glossary). Horace Ford, the champion shot, decides in favor of the straight arrow, and our readers cannot do better than take his advice. The arrow should be carefully wiped each time it is picked up, and this not only to preserve it, but also because the least particle of dirt clinging to the pile will effectually spoil the flight of the arrow. Every care should be taken to keep the feathers smooth and stiff; if attention be not paid to this point everything else will be in vain. Should they by chance become ruffled, a little warming in front of a fire (not too close) will generally restore them.

The Bow-String.

The best bow-strings are of foreign manufacture, and are generally sold complete; but in case any of our readers wish to fit their own, we will say a few words about them. The string should be not too thin, or it will not last long; in the selection of it, it is best to be guided by the size of the notch of your arrows. At one end of it a strong loop should be worked to go over the upper horn, the other end should be left free in order to be fixed on to the lower horn. When the lower end is fastened, the distance between it and the loop at the other end should be such, that when the loop is in its place (i.e., the bow strung) the string is, in a gentleman's bow, six inches, in a lady's, five inches, from the centre of the bow. Never trust a worn string; take it off and put on a new one—should it break, it will most probably snap your bow.

The Belt and Pouch.