ever became so suddenly popular as Croquet; and surely none could more deserve such popularity. Answering as it does every condition and requirement of a social summer game, it is not surprising that it has become a general favorite wherever it has been introduced. Now that

the necessary implements for the game can be obtained at a moderate cost, there is no reason why Croquet should not find a place on every playground and village green.

IMPLEMENTS.

The implements required in the game of croquet are balls, mallets, arches, and stakes. The balls are eight in number. They should be perfect spheres, about three inches in diameter and six ounces in weight. Turkey box-wood, owing to its denseness and durability, is perhaps the best material. Of native woods, rock maple is considered best by some, while others prefer button-wood or American sycamore. The individuality of the balls being an important element in the game, each ball should be dis

tinguished by a separate color. The best colors are those which are most distinct-namely, black, white, yellowish green, bright blue, brown, pink, scarlet, and yellow.

FIC I.

The mallets, also eight in number, should be in proportion to the weight of the balls. The best material is apple-wood for the heads, and straightgrained ash for the handles. The heads should be cylindrical in shape, about four inches long, and two inches in diameter. The sides of the head may be slightly hollowed, after the fashion of a dice-box. The handle should be perfectly straight, from thirty to thirty-six inches in length, and one inch in diameter at the end, decreasing gradually to the point of insertion in the handle. Each mallet should have a color corresponding with its ball painted on the handle next the head. These colors serve to keep the balls and mallets in pairs, and also for distinguishing the players.

The arches are ten in number. They are best made of three-eighths round iron, and should stand when fixed in the ground about twelve inches high, with a span of from eight to ten inches. The height and width of the arches may be varied according to the dimensions of the field and the skill of the players. It is an advantage to have the arches painted white, so that they may be readily distinguished, especially at night-fall.

The stakes, two in number, should be about two feet high, and of the thickness of the mallet handles. On the upper half of the stakes the eight colors used on the balls should be laid on in rings, in the order mentioned above. These rings show the order of play.

THE GAME.

Croquet may be played by any number of persons up to eight. In all cases there must be two sides, or parties, each having the same number of balls. An odd player may be balanced by allowing one on the opposite side to play two balls. With skillful players, six balls, three on a side, make a better game than eight; while many prefer four balls, two on a side, as allowing a quicker and more scientific game.

Two of the party are selected as chiefs, and the sides chosen as in other games. The first choice is usually determined by

a trial of skill. Each chief places a ball under the first arch, and plays at

the stake. The one whose ball lies nearest the stake has the first choice. The first chief has black, and his first selection green; the second chief has white, and his first selection blue; and so on. In this way the dark

colors will form one side and the light colors the other; and the play is ir

the order of the colors on the stakes.

The first player places his ball a mallet's length from the starting stake toward the first arch, and strikes it with his mallet in the direction of that arch. If it passes completely through the arch, he has the right to another blow; if not, he must wait until his turn comes round again. The succeeding players follow in turn, each playing until he fails to make a point.

The balls are driven through the arches, in order, from 1 to 7, as shown in the diagrams; then after striking the turning stake through 7, 6, 8, 10, 2, and 1, and go out by striking the starting stake. That side wins, all of whose members succeed in running this round first.

The most common variations in the arrangement of the arches are shown in the accompanying diagrams.

DEFINITIONS:

A Booby. A ball that fails to run the first arch.

Concussion. The displacement of a ball by another ball.

Croquet. A privilege gained by making "roquet." The playing ball is placed in contact with, and on any side of, the roqueted ball; the player holding the former in place with his foot, strikes it with his mallet, thus driving the roqueted ball in any desired direction.

A Dead Ball. A rover driven against the starting stake, and thereby struck out of the game.

A Flinch. When, in the act of croquet, the playing ball slips from under the foot of the player.

Point. Making one or more arches at a stroke; performing the roquet (except on a booby), the croquet, or the roquet-croquet; striking the turning stake, together with the combination of any two or more of these.

Position. A ball is in position when it lies in front of its proper arch, so that it may be driven through the arch by a single blow of the mallet. Ricochet. Two or more roquets made by a single blow.

Roquet. The contact of the playing ball with another ball, under such circumstances as to constitute a point.

Roquet-Croquet, or Croquet sans pied, differs from croquet in that the playing ball is not held by the foot, but follows the croqueted ball, or diverges in another direction.

A Rover. A ball that has made the round, but has not been struck out.

RULES:

I. The game is opened by the chief who has won the first choice of friends.

II. The ball must be placed a mallet's length from the starting stake, on a line drawn to the center of the first arch.

III. The ball must be struck with the face of the mallet-head; the stroke of the mallet being delivered whenever, touching the ball, it moves it.

IV. The player continues to play so long as he makes a point in the game.

V. The players on the two sides follow the first chief alternately, according to the order of colors upon the starting stake.

1. If any ball is played out of its proper turn, and challenged before the play of another ball has commenced, the misplayed ball may be returned to its original place, or permitted to remain in that to which it has rolled, at the option of the enemy; and if a ball so misplayed have gained any advantage for itself or its friends, or done any injury to the enemy, the latter duly challenging may strip the misplayed ball of the advantages thus gained, and repair the damages sustained.

2. If the enemy permit the misplay, or there is no challenge, the misplayer cannot use his next turn, since he has anticipated it.

3. A player using a wrong ball must suffer, and not the owner of the ball hence, if the misplay is discovered before the next turn, the ball must be restored, the consequences removed, and the misplayer deprived of his turn; if the misplay be not discovered before the next turn, the game proceeds without remedy to either party.

VI. The arches must be passed through in their regular order in the direction of the course.

VII. A ball makes its arch, if it passes through it in regular order, only when it is driven through by a blow from its owner's mallet, or passes through by roquet, croquet, roquet-croquet, or concussion.

1. A ball is through its arch, if the handle of the mallet, when laid across the two piers of the arch upon the side whence the ball came, does not touch the ball.

2. A ball passing through its arch in the wrong direction, and not passing clear through, is not in position to be driven back in the right direction.

VIII. If a ball makes two arches in regular order by a direct blow of