!■»! -'1^ nO^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {MT-3) & '^O '«iP« 1^*-^" -— V ,-;■■.>' ■^riii.-r.'!"''^'-jv,'" w' >^*-'*= te,p^ ' ■ -;-, ^^^^-,■ f-W"--'-^ i;r^;>^:j^>^-- ?» ^.^ ■^ :j^ii, j/.;.<^,'--.-'! "--"i'^O.^ - '■•:J/'(''^-. ■'?^':,'I^'' ' -*:■■. ft J-' €■ ' i: , » . „ i.r , fi. , ;-y i.:X.u -4i% ■■HM p"^, ■'^" SittV'. t#Vj^ 3.^ ■T.':"*,- 'P!'^' 'ST^i- ^■■''^\ v^% •w^m^mimm €, ii' [4^ 1 ,' -V - rV ■(/' '• -. '^; ';'-.> O- ' ^1 ■-"31 * -<',• >^*^ ■ '.J k-.^. ;;, l>- A^i' -• "i , -'•/«;■■■ + ':«'.**;* C-i *V ■'^-f- .V/ ^" ^ V ■ u ■* - . :':;^:. i ' i '4 AS.-' ■\,.'' w^f^^mmm • ,-'?-^ '^)i^ -.'.: ■.■V, ^'T- ■k'!^'■■- >-n; ; 1 i , „ THE CURLER'S GUIDE PRICE TEN CENTS. TORONTO. 1880. ftihliahed by J. S, Russell^ 30 Front Street East, and ' to be had of all HoohsellerH . -J \,,' '••■ -Jl-F^EE^CE^J The large and constantly increasing number of gen- tlemen in Ontario, who are being attracted to take part in the Ancient and Noble Game of Curling, and the frequent inquiries made after directions how to play the Game, furnish the reason why the Writer of this Guide has made an effort towards supplying the desideratum ; and he hopes that it will be found useful, especially to those beginning to play, and in this way contribute to the promotion of this manly and invigorating recreation. ToRONio, Nov. 1, 1880. THE CURLERS' GUIDE. If you'd be a curler keen, Stand right, look even, Sole well ; shoot straight, and sweep clean. The Old Curler " Word.'' 9SfHE first duties of an intending Curler, are to ^^ connect himself with a Curling Club, and to equip himself with a pair of Curling Stones. STONES. Among the many varieties of rock which have been used for Curling Stones, a very decided preference must be given to the Ailsa Craig Granite ; it is not surpassed by any variety in durability or in beauty, and it far excels every other in " uniformity of mn- ning " in widely differing degrees of temperature. The Dark Gray or Black Granites, variously named after the localities where found, while good to play 6 THE CURLERS GUIDE. with when the atmosphere is cokl, and the ice is hard and keen, are not fit to be used when tlie ice is soft and **drug;" for the reason, that, being excellent conductors, they quickly become of the same tempera- ture as the atmosphere, and adhere so closely to the ice, that they can be played only with the exercise of great force ; and when played, and " at rest," are, from their adhesion to the ice, and immobility, very apt to break, or be broken, when struck by another stone ; and, for these reasons, they are rapidly giving place to the more desirable Ailsr, Craiffs. Of these, there are three distinct varieties : viz. the Common or Spotted ; the Blue or Gray Honed ; and the Red Honed ; which differ from each other not only in colour, but in specific gi-avity and hardness, and to some extent in *• running character." The '^ Spotted " is of the least specific gravity, and con- sequently a given weight has a greater bulk than either of the others ; and the Red Honed is the densest and hardest. Opinions vary in regard to the beauty of the several kinds, and there is not much difference in their playing qualities, when new ; the Honed are however growing in favour, notwithstanding their higher price, and for the following reasons, viz. — their heavier THE CURLER\S GUIDE. 7 weight for a given size ; their greater hardness and toughness, which rendeis them less liable to be broken, or to have the projecting *' striking band " so quickly worn down, by the continual impact with other stones? or to have the sharp edge of the " dull " side worn off, 80 quickly, in the course of playing. It is also gene- rally admitted, that the "Reds" are more easily played ** up," than either of the others, when the i ^ is soft ; but, with any of the three kinds, a good ^urler can can make fine play. WEIGHT. The rules of the game limit the size to 30 inches in circumference, and the weight to 501t)s ; and provide for the general shape, that the height shall not be less than one-eighth of the circumference ; and, as a result of these regulations, the stones in use range from 36 to 48 lbs ; the favourite weights, for men of ordinarv strength, being from 39 to ^l lbs. A good guide to go by in selecting the proper weight of Curling Stones, is to bear in mind that it be such as the player may, with reasonable ease, continue to play, full up to the Tee, for four hours, even when the ice may be a little soft, or " drug." 8 THE CURLER .S GUIDE. BUILD. While the rules of the game, already referred to, provide for the general shape, there ia large room left fc»' diversity in what may be called the *' build " of the stone : some appearing '* flat " and " broad," and others " high " and " dumpy " ; both extremes are to be avoid- ed, as they interfere with the proper delivery of the stone, making it difficult and uncertain. A 401b stone with a circumference of about 35 J inches, and a height of about 5| inches, will be considered by most curlers a good build : other weights in proportion. A build rather inclining, when new, to excess in breadth, is to be preferred to one " rather high," as the constant striking and jarring against other stones tends to reduce the excess of breadth, and soon makes the " high " stone dumpy. PATTERNS. All curling stones are now made reversible, havin» two sides or soles, called respectively the keen and the dull, the latter being that generally used in playing • the former being used only when, from softness of the ice, or from falling snow, it becomes too laborious a task, to play with the " dull " side, up to the Tee. THE CURLERS GUIDE. Y The " dull " side is made concave at the centre rising to a narrow edge on which the stone glides, and which is called the " running " edge ; and the sharp- ness of this edge, and the width of its diameter deter- mine the running character of the stone. The sharper the edge is, the stone will grip the ice the more firmly, and hold its directed course the more certainly ; while the width of the diameter, not only adds to the resist- ance of the stone, and demands more force to play it, but also determines the extent of the " side- ways " direction the stone will take during its course, and especially as it comes to ** at rest," in obedience to what are called the '* in-turn " and the " out-turn," coin munica ted to it by a turn of the wrist as it leaves the 1 and in playing ; the principle being, that the wider the diameter of the '' running edge " of the stone is, it will take, in curling phrase, *'a wider borrow," or a greater sideways inclination from a straight course, in the direction of the *' turn " it receives, at its delivery from the hand. It is very important, that in every pair of stones, the diameter and the sharpness of this running edge be, in both stones, exactly alike. The "keen" side has also of late years been made slightly concave, and the running edge is not sharp, as 10 THE CURLER S GUIDE. on the 'Mull" side, but rounded; which enables the stone to glide over ice so soft that the sharp edge of the dull side would cut into it, and it is only on such ice that the keen side is intended to be used. These patterns, although only introduced into Canada a few years ago, have been received with universal approba- tion. HANDLES. Handles are of two patterns, viz., the straight and the oval ; the wood-part of the latter swelling out, at the centre, to fill the palm of the hand, while the former is of one thickness throughout. The one is as good as the other, custom mainly making either pre- ferred. It may be laid down as a rule, that players who grip the handle with tbe full hand generally choose the oval ; while those who grip with only two or three fingers usually prefer the straight. Of bolts, those with the square head are to be prefei-red to those with round head and side catch, because the latter are apt to become loose. Stones should never be played, without a washer between plate of liandle an#.>•:. :n,^ ». ■ ■ ■ -■■ A, U- -J: '^- / «**•- '<-ti ■ ^S ' > • •■( j,^: f;jj »^>f-..^ • >..■ - r ■«<;^c,': ;- ''■'. '-'■^^ir ■ k: -y '-^:r 1 ■^ ) 'J- U *t ,.>' - ^, J.S. RU^SEyL, AND HANDLES. ::.2V^^:A5^-.t.-.V cV■■i;^■■/ <*ii,.'v ,,%, A'.n I^i^Sl^^>^i^ tliftfc ail 1% S*one« ai«- made ^Qially to otder, aft^ my well known ^jiedel^ from ^abead <^ ai3^hing tliarf! has b^ei madeT^Bei^tofoi^^^^^^ ^*^: 1^ >#t ^itl*9u|i; t^k new: m^nie, K iex^^es^'ind aboftt tW: l^li or 12ih NovemSior, ais^^^^^ second lot early iflL. DeCemliBt.:. Prices cl^pe.^iietial. ""' ' ' "■' ' V'-vvV'-' '''^' ■ ■ v' ■-'••■-. .-"/•■ ■/' Handles, ^he strongest, best mA, finest feiisbed M the trade, made unleir mjr^wa ^g^5#f%i, of thfe beat mitemls : .3. , ./r? :W .1^ ''a... ) " »3\ ^C:S/>-RlJ§gEi.i^