ined by a ditch or slight embankment; and should,
if possible, form a parallelogram of eighty feet by fifty. The turf
within them should be kept as short as possible. The best arrangement of
bridges for the four-ball game is that given in Figure I. For the six or
eight-ball game Figure II. is preferable. A ball meets with two kinds of
obstructions in making the "grand round"--it is obliged to pass through
all the bridges, and again it may be croquetted and driven out of its
course by an enemy. In the six or eight ball game, the dangers being
much increased, it is well to diminish the difficulties, or the contest
may be tediously protracted. This is accomplished by removing the
central bridge and straightening the course. The channel is less
tortuous, but "roving" privateers, clothed with "belligerent rights,"
are more frequently met, and the risks and excitement of the passage are
equalized in both cases.

[Illustration: NO. I. FOUR BALL ARRANGEMENT.]

[Illustration: NO. II. EIGHT BALL ARRANGEMENT.]

In the diagrams the dotted lines indicate the order in which the
bridges are to be run, and show the course of a ball making the "grand
round."

The balls should be perfect spheres, about three inches in diameter, the
size depending upon the weight of the wood from which they are made.
Maple or beech is a very good material, but the best are made from the
buttonwood or American sycamore. They should be boiled in linseed oil to
give them the requisite weight and firmness. If boiled too long,
however, they will become too heavy. Six ounces is about the proper
weight, and a light ball is infinitely preferable to a heavy one for
accurate play at long distances. Eight balls constitute a full set. They
must be painted different colors, as the individuality of each ball is
an important element in the game. As there is no necessity for the
exercise of great strength in croquet, a set of balls made from seasoned
wood and prepared as I have described ought to last a generation.

A variety of mallets should be provided, as different players prefer
different sizes. One of the surest hitters I have ever known uses a
mallet about fourteen inches long with a heavy head. The wood of the
apple tree is the best material for the heads, and straight-grained ash
for the handles. The standard handle is thirty-two inches long, one inch
in diameter at the upper end, and five-eighths of an inch at the lower,
tapering gradually. The head should