297 the extent of arm reach — an important matter on occasions — is materially shortened, and, in addition, the freedom of arm move- ment is checked ; a cramped, awkward style of play is liable to be engendered. Moreover, such a grip necessitates an exaggerated bending of the body, which is by no means graceful, and on physical grounds is not to be recommended. striking: Now as to the using of the stick. In striking, only the flat face of the blade must be used, and the stick must not be swung so that any part of it rises above the shoulder level. Doing this in a game will give rise to an immediate cry of " Sticks ! " and, whether intentional or accidental, leads to the awarding of a free hit to the opposing side if the fault be committed outside the striking circles. Should two players simul- taneously err in this respect, a bully is ordered. In striking at the ball the face of the stick should be as nearly as possible at right angles to the ground. To turn the right hand so that the palm comes uppermost when hitting (and the stick face is brought uppermost) will lead to under-cutting — which is forbidden. Under-cutting is the lifting of the ball high in the air and is punishable by a free hit to the defenders, if within the circles, and the same if without if the offenders be attacking. If defending, a penalty " bully " or " corner " is the punishment. Now, by holding and RECREATIONS striking as suggested above, under-cutting is rendered far less liable. But " scooping " the ball (except in the case of a free hit) is quite permissible. Scooping is usually practised by forward players, and is made by placing the blade under the ball and lifting it up so as to " scoop " it from an opponent's stick. The Back-hand Stroke Occasionally it may be advantageous to make the back-hand stroke — as when the ball is on one's wrong side for hitting, and it is required to bring the ball to the front of the feet to allow for a fair shot. The same stroke is also valuable for passing back to a friendly player, and is then necessary, since the ball may not be struck with the rounded side of the stick. The hands may be turned so that the left elbow is pointing away from the body and the head of the stick moves from left to right. Either action brings the point of the blade towards one's toes with the flat side of the head facing the direction in which the ball is to be sent. With the latter movement the wrists become crossed, and sometimes it is made with only the right hand grasping the stick. One-handed stick play is, however, not to be recommended generally. Occasionally it serves a useful purpose, as, for instance, when trying to get at the ball when it is in danger of being possessed by an opponent. To be continued. AMATEUR LEATMEMWORK Tools Required— Materials— Tracings—Staining 'X'he great possibilities of art leatherwork as a
- money-earning occupation are even now
only beginning to be realised. The outfit re- quired is not very extensive, the work can be done on a small table, and makes no litter or mess. The absolutely necessary tools, are a tracer, two modellers (one with fine ends and one with broad), a cutting-knife, background punch, two ring-punches of different sizes, a metal ruler, small hammer, and set-square. The punches, modellers, etc., vary from lod. to is. 3d. each, the hammer is 2S. 6d., and ruler 6d. The worker should also be provided with a marble slab, about 12 by 10 inches, which any stonemason will cut for about 2s. 6d. to 3s., and a small sponge. The Leather Leatherwork is not a very cheap hobby. The leather, a somewhat serious item, is a specially prepared cowhide or calf-skin, and the trade will usually not supply less than " half a cow," at a cost of about 40s. to 60s., or a whole calf for about 14s. The learner should, to begin with, obtain cowhide, as it is not so easily spoilt by ignorant use of the tools. Anyone taking up this pastime should have a certain knowledge of drawing, and be both painstaking and accurate. How to Make a Book Cover The easiest thing to make at first is a book cover. Supposing the size of the book to be 7 by 5 inches, a piece of tracing paper should be cut fully an inch larger each way, and the exact 1) 24 size of cover drawn on it by means of the rulei and set-square. The design must be selected — a floral one, with rather large flowers and leaves, is perhaps the least difficult. Place the tracing-paper over it, and trace through, being careful to see that it fits in and is square with the marginal lines. A piece of leather, allowing half an inch extra — i.e., 7^ by ^ inches — must now be cut, placed face up- wards on the marble slab, and the surface damped all over with the sponge, which should be previously squeezed out of cold water, so as not to be too wet. The tracing should now be fastened down over the leather by means of drawing-pins at the four corners. Care must be taken to put these at the extreme edge of the leather, or the holes will show after the cover has been made up. The design must be followed completely with the tracing tool, sufficient pressure being used to indent it evenly on the leather. The paper being then removed, the lines must all be cut with the knife. During this operation the knife must be held absolutely upright, and propelled forwards by means of the first finger of the left hand pushing it from behind. It is best to practice cutting lines and curves on a waste strip of leather before attempting the design, as the manipulation of the knife is by no means easy at first. A Fault to be Avoided A new knife is usually very sharp, so care must be taken not to cut too deeply, as it is a fault difficult to remedy, and gives the work
