The selection of balls is a more uncertain matter. The difficulty is two-fold. The professional club makers who make a limited number of balls out of good material cannot furnish supplies to the general market; on the other hand, the firms which manufacture balls by the thousand are sure to become careless. At the present time there is no ball in this country which for all-round purposes surpasses that which is made by the Silvertown company. The material is generally good, the molding is excellent and the paint holds very well. Unfortunately one often comes across a box of Silvertowns which are not seasoned, are carelessly painted and badly pressed. Always look carefully at the molding; if it is clean cut, the ball has probably been well pressed and will fly true. If it is shallow and indistinct, the mold has probably been worn out and the ball is not properly pressed. A good clear marking is very essential, and the paint should be applied in such a way as not to fill up the interstices. There are a number of different balls in use in America which are more or less good. The Woodley Flyer and the Black A 1 are very similar in make, but neither of them comes up to the best of the Silvertowns. Just at present there is a great demand for balls made in the Agrippa mold. And there does seem to be some advantage in the marking, as is evidenced by the fact that balls which are remade in that mold are generally superior to any others. There is this objection, however, to the average Agrippaball, that it does not keep either its shape or its paint so well as a good Silver-town. Consequently they make up in expense for what they gain in flying capacity. It is a good plan to lay in a store of balls so that you are certain of their being properly seasoned. But it should be remembered that it is possible to keep a ball too long. From eighteen months to two years is about the limit; after that there is a loss in weight and elasticity.