,transcriber's ,note3 ,minor typographical errors have been corrected without note4 ,irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed4 ,words printed in italics are noted with underscores3 italics4 ,,making ,a ,,tennis ,,court ,,the ,,house ,,garden ,,making ,,books ,it is the intention of the publishers to make this series of little volumes1 of which ,making a ,tennis ,court is one1 a complete library of authoritative and well illustrated handbooks dealing with the activities of the home-maker and amateur gardener4 ,text1 pictures and diagrams will1 in each respective book1 aim to make perfectly clear the possibility of having1 and the means of having1 some of the more important features of a modern country or suburban home4 ,among the titles already issued or planned for early publication are the following3 ,making a ,rose ,garden2 ,making a ,lawn2 ,making a ,garden to ,bloom ,this ,year2 ,making a ,fireplace2 ,making ,paths and ,driveways2 ,making a ,poultry ,house2 ,making a ,garden with ,hotbed and ,coldframe2 ,making ,built-in ,bookcases1 ,shelves and ,seats2 ,making a ,rock ,garden2 ,making a ,water ,garden2 ,making a ,perennial ,border2 ,making the ,grounds ,attractive with ,shrubbery2 ,making a ,naturalized ,bulb ,garden2 with others to be announced later4 ,illustration3 ,there is a great advantage1 along the line of appearances1 to be had by making the court an integral part of the whole landscape scheme ,,making ,a ,,tennis ,,court ,by ,,george ,e4 ,,walsh ,,new ,,york ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast ,,company #aiab ,,copyright1 #aiab1 ,,by ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast ,,co4 ,published ,march1 #aiab ,,contents ,,page ,,introduction #a ,,location #e ,,kinds ,,of ,,courts #ab ,,constructing ,,dirt ,,courts #ai ,,constructing ,,grass ,,courts #be ,,sizes ,,and ,,marking #cb ,,backstops ,,and ,,nets #ci ,,care ,,of ,,courts #dg ,,the ,,illustrations ,a ,,tennis ,,court ,,as ,a ,,landscape ,,feature ,frontispiece ,,facing ,,page ,,avoid ,,foliage ,,at ,,the ,,ends ,,of ,,the ,,court #f ,a ,,typical ,,dirt ,,court #ad ,a ,,typical ,,grass ,,court #bf ,a ,,court ,,enclosed ,,by ,a ,,retaining ,,wall #cd ,,an ,,inexpensive ,,and ,,serviceable ,,backstop #dj ,,the ,,backstop ,,as ,,an ,,architectural ,,feature #df ,a ,,suggestion ,,for ,,the ,,spectators' ,,bench #ej ,,introduction ,although the game of lawn tennis as played to-day dates back only some forty to forty-five years1 it is in reality one of the oldest of all existing ball games4 ,the origin of the game is involved in considerable obscurity1 but it has numberless historical associations which make it of peculiar interest4 ,tennis was mentioned in the ,arthurian romances1 and it was quite extensively played in ,europe in the ,middle ,ages4 ,it was played upon open courts in the parks or ditches of the feudal castles of ,france and ,italy4 ,it was called1 in ,italy1 giuoco della palla2 in ,germany1 ,ballspiel2 in ,france1 jeu de paume2 and in ,spain1 jugar al able4 ,the ,french borrowed it from the ,italians1 and the modern word tennis was derived from the ,french exclamation of ,tenez6 that was employed in serving the ball4 ,it was a game of kings and nobles4 ,originally a cork ball was used1 and this was struck with the palm of the hand4 ,a bank of earth was used instead of a net4 ,the first appearance of the racket is uncertain1 but in the time of ,henry ,,vii the hand sometimes met the racket on the royal courts of ,windsor4 ,major ,walter ,c4 ,wingfield1 of the ,british army1 practically modernized and popularized tennis4 ,he patented his game in #ahgd4 ,it was played on a court #fj #cj feet1 shaped very much like an hour-glass4 ,in this early game of tennis1 the net was #g feet high at the ends1 but sagged gradually toward the center to a height of #d feet #h inches4 ,the ,marylebone ,cricket ,club1 of ,lord's1 formulated the first official laws and rules for governing the game in #ahge1 and the official name of lawn tennis was then first adopted4 ,this club set the official length of the court at #gh feet4 ,the width of the court was #cj feet at the base-lines and #bd feet at the nets1 which showed that the hour-glass formation was still adhered to4 ,the net itself was #d feet high in the center and #e feet at the posts4 ,from that time to the present1 changes have been gradually made1 both in the rules and the formation of the courts4 ,the net was gradually lowered and made uniform throughout its length1 and the old hour-glass formation was abandoned4 ,lawn tennis was brought into this country the same year it appeared in ,england1 #ahgd4 ,the first court was laid out at ,nahant1 near ,boston1 on private grounds1 and others soon appeared at ,newport1 ,staten ,island1 and near ,philadelphia4 ,the game grew rapidly in popularity until tens of thousands of people1 young and old1 were following it as one of the most fascinating of outdoor recreations4 ,to-day it is one of the most popular of our outdoor games for both sexes1 and it has retained its hold upon the public for a good many years in spite of the introduction of other games and the craze for novelties4 ,tennis gives just the right amount of exhilarating exercise in the open air that one seems to need1 and there are hundreds of thousands of devotees of the game who play it regularly throughout the season4 ,but the possibilities of making the tennis court a great social adjunct to the country place are not always fully appreciated by those who follow the game4 ,primarily the courts are laid out for practical use1 but this should not interfere with their artistic development to make them attractive features of the garden4 ,if one has the land sufficient for a tennis court1 it should be utilized with the idea of making it a pleasant place for quiet rest and recreation on warm days4 ,making a ,tennis ,court ,,location ,the site for the tennis court should have a perfectly unobstructed space of not less than #fj by #abj feet1 and its location should be as conveniently near the house as the topography and landscape architecture will permit4 ,the game is one that is best played in summer in semi-nglige attire1 and if the courts are within a reasonable distance of the house there will be no necessity for lockers and dressing rooms4 ,if possible a broad terrace should come between the court and the house1 or1 if it can be connected with the garden by a broad walk1 so much the better4 ,if the country residence is perched on the top or side of a hill1 it may be necessary to make the court some distance away on account of the lack of sufficient level area4 ,the architectural features of the house and grounds should in every instance be carefully considered in designing tennis courts1 and if the latter are made to harmonize with the former the result is very pleasing to the eye4 ,the court should be constructed on a site where there is always plenty of sunlight1 but there should never be any very light background4 ,a light stucco house1 for instance1 or an ,italian terrace of marble1 would make the worst possible backgrounds for a court if located very near it4 ,a light background confuses the players and often makes it impossible for the eyes to follow the ball4 ,illustration3 ,it is a mistake to have a background of foliage for the ends of the courts if it can be avoided4 ,clear sky as a background makes the balls more readily seen ,the site of the court should be1 so far as possible1 level and with natural drainage1 but if these conditions are not present they may be obtained by careful grading and artificial drainage4 ,they increase the cost of building the court considerably1 and it may therefore be a question of abandoning an otherwise ideal site for another which is more level and better drained4 ,a court should never be located in a hollow where the surrounding land slopes from all directions toward it4 ,no amount of artificial drainage could keep such a spot dry4 ,a series of grass terraces leading down to the court need not interfere with its construction if the land slopes away from the court in other directions4 ,a blind ditch or drain can be built at the bottom of the last terrace so that surplus water will be carried away from the court4 ,the site should be selected also according to the nature of the soil1 other things being equal4 ,a rocky foundation means a good deal of expense in blasting and hauling of material for the foundation4 ,a very thick clay soil that holds the water a long time is equally unsuited for the court1 and the expense of construction is increased by hauling this away and replacing it with a more porous dressing4 ,a natural1 fairly sandy soil that is well drained is the ideal for the court1 and when this is present the cost of construction will be comparatively light4 ,but usually the site has to be selected without much regard to the natural soil conditions4 ,if the site is satisfactory in other particulars it is probably more economical in the end to choose it and then attend to the drainage question later4 ,no court will ever amount to much unless it is well drained and well constructed1 and these are points that will be considered in detail later4 ,the chief considerations in selecting a site for a court are1 therefore1 space1 light1 and drainage4 ,a fact not always appreciated by amateurs in laying out tennis courts is that by laying the courts due north and south1 the disadvantage of playing with the sun in the eyes is avoided4 ,when laid east and west one player must always face the sun1 which1 of course1 is a handicap4 ,if the court is laid north and south the sun is never in the way either morning or afternoon4 ,the tennis court should not be inclosed by trees on all sides4 ,that is a mistake commonly made4 ,the trees should be planted only on the west side of the courts1 and not on the north and south side4 ,the foliage of the trees hampers the players in seeing the ball1 especially towards night4 ,the ball stands out more clearly against a background of blue sky than a background of green foliage4 ,the trees on the west furnish shade without thus interfering with the players4 ,if trees crowd too closely to the court they make the surface damp1 and in wet weather it may be impossible to play for days at a time4 ,if the court is free from shade on the east side1 the morning sun will dry up the surface after a rain1 so that playing can be resumed in the afternoon4 ,all of these points in laying out a tennis court may seem simple and plain to any one when consideration is given to them1 but failure to observe them often causes an endless amount of annoyance4 ,for instance1 one of the best tennis clubs in the country had its courts laid out running east and west1 and the difficulty of playing with the sun in the eyes caused so much trouble that the courts had to be rebuilt4 ,there was no reason1 except oversight1 why they were laid out wrongly in the first place4 ,another club which had its grass courts laid out with a dense growth of trees a few yards back from the courts1 on the east side1 finally came to the conclusion that they either had to rearrange the courts or chop down some of the trees4 ,the morning shade of the trees kept the courts from drying up quickly so often that the players became disgusted4 ,beautiful mornings would dawn after a rainstorm1 and the players would anticipate fine afternoons of tennis2 but the courts were too wet until very late in the day4 ,like everything else1 there is a right and wrong way of laying out courts1 and if one is doing it as a permanent fixture of the grounds a little care and attention to these details will add a hundred per cent4 to the value and increase the comfort of players and spectators4 ,,kinds ,,of ,,courts ,tennis can be played on almost any smooth1 even surface1 either indoors or outdoors1 and the question of securing in the best way the most desirable surface for the courts is one that has attracted a good deal of expert attention4 ,while a lawn is considered the ideal place for playing the game on home courts1 tennis clubs and associations have more generally adopted the clay or dirt court4 ,one reason for this is that the surface is not so easily scarred by the feet of the players1 and its maintenance in perfect condition is easier where its use is almost continuous throughout the season4 ,but conditions vary in every country and in parts of our own land1 and ideal turf and clay courts are not always so easy of construction where needed4 ,consequently we find many attempts made to build courts of other materials4 ,in ,australia1 for instance1 they have for years built courts of cracked bluestone4 ,the great abundance of this material in that country is responsible for its general use4 ,the foundation of the court is made of bluestone of considerable size1 and the surface was finished off with very finely cracked bluestone4 ,such a court is hard and durable1 but it has the disadvantage of being hard on the feet and upon balls4 ,in fact1 many tennis experts refuse to play in tournaments held on courts constructed of such material4 ,in ,england many of the tennis courts were made of brick rubble1 which is really a cheaper substitute for the ,australian material of bluestone4 ,an ,english court made of this material has the further disadvantage of being very dirty1 and the players dislike it very much4 ,cinder is another material that has been used both in ,england and in this country for tennis courts1 but it has never been popular4 ,it makes such a gritty surface that the feet of the players become sore after a few sets4 ,along the ,jersey shore1 tennis is popular1 but conditions are unfavorable for the construction of either a turf or clay court4 ,the soil consists chiefly of a heavy muck underneath1 with a surface of fine beach sand1 or it is composed almost entirely of sand4 ,the building of clay courts in such localities necessitated the complete removal of the soil to a depth of nearly two feet1 and the importation of clay from some distance4 ,the fine seashore sand was used as a top-dressing4 ,this sort of court has rarely proved satisfactory4 ,the fine seashore sand works loose too easily under the action of the feet of the players1 and the court soon showed unevenness4 ,in order to use the seashore sand for surfacing1 it is necessary to mix it with a large proportion of clay for a binder4 ,if the proper mixture is obtained the surface is rendered fairly durable4 ,usually this proportion must be as high as two or three parts of clay to one of sand4 ,any larger proportion than two to one makes the drainage bad4 ,there is not sufficient sand to make the surface porous1 and water collects1 making the court useless for some time after every rainstorm4 ,illustration3 ,a good dirt court is perhaps more expensive to build in the first place1 but it is more easily kept in first-class condition ,nevertheless1 some very fair courts have been made by using a foundation of cinders1 and top-dressing with three inches of seashore sand and clay4 ,in selecting the sand for this purpose1 the coarsest found on the seashore should be chosen4 ,the finest sand mixes with the clay without making it porous4 ,we have also concrete1 cement1 and asphalt tennis courts1 but few of them are really satisfactory4 ,they all have the disadvantage of being hard on the feet and the balls4 ,the concrete and cement courts are1 furthermore1 very hard on the eyes4 ,the white glare of the surface on sunny days frequently causes players to desist after a few games4 ,asphalt is not so hard on the eyes1 but it is not an ideal material for tennis courts4 ,it is very expensive1 to begin with1 and it is too easily affected by heat and cold4 ,on hot days it sometimes gets too soft1 and even sticky to the feet1 for expert playing4 ,in winter it is liable to crack with the frost1 although this may be obviated if it is properly laid with a foundation of stones and cinders4 ,there is one other material that has been tried for tennis courts that is receiving considerable attention4 ,this is wood4 ,indoor tennis in the winter season has long been popular among lovers of the game1 and armories and other large buildings have been utilized as shelter4 ,the courts here are naturally laid out on wooden floors4 ,fairly good tennis can be played on these1 as there is more give and resiliency to wood than to concrete or cement1 and it is not nearly so hard on the feet or balls4 ,the popularity of indoor tennis on wooden floors has led to the construction of wooden courts outdoors for winter playing4 ,a properly constructed wooden court can be used all through the cold weather4 ,mud and water cannot interfere with the players4 ,snow can be removed1 and the courts are immediately ready for playing4 ,an outdoor wooden court for winter use is rather an expensive work1 for a solid foundation must be made of broken stones and small pebbles1 topped off with a layer of concrete4 ,then the wooden floor is laid on top of this4 ,the wooden courts are in process of evolution for outdoor use1 and the most satisfactory way of building them is still disputed4 ,one way is to use wooden blocks or squares set up on end1 so that the grain of the wood runs up and down4 ,wooden pavements have long been made in this way1 and they stand heavy traffic and constant use4 ,there is no danger then from splinters1 and they are very durable4 ,the blocks are set close together1 and the surface smoothed off with a floor scraper4 ,if the court is worn in places1 the surface can be scraped off at no great cost by a modern floor scraper4 ,but the wooden surface must be laid on a solid foundation that will not be affected by the frost1 or the wooden blocks will be thrown out of line4 ,also1 the surface must be raised above the surrounding land so that water will not settle on the courts4 ,the wooden tennis courts will undoubtedly become more and more popular for clubs as the demand for winter outdoor playing increases4 ,improvements will then be gradually made as experience teaches4 ,,constructing ,,dirt ,,courts ,a properly constructed clay court is usually more expensive than a turf court1 for the ground must be excavated to a depth of eight or ten inches so that a foundation can be made of stones1 cinders1 or gravel4 ,the drainage problem is one of the most important in laying out clay courts1 and1 if overlooked1 the most promising court will soon become a place for pools to collect4 ,in time it will settle in spots and need constant repairs to keep it in any kind of condition4 ,while it may take a good engineer to build a clay court suitable for professional playing1 a novice can do work that is suitable for all ordinary purposes4 ,as the cost of building one is largely due to the labor item1 it may be achieved at one-third the total expense through the coperation of several members of the family in excavating and hauling material to the site4 ,to make a good dirt court it will be necessary first to dig off the surface to a depth of at least one foot1 and level it roughly with a spirit level4 ,the cost of this excavation in ordinary dirt is not more than ten or fifteen dollars1 but where rocks must be blasted away the cost may be five or six times as much4 ,after leveling the foundation1 a six-inch layer of trap-rock1 such as is used in macadamizing roads1 or any broken stones ranging in size from a walnut to an egg1 should be placed in the excavation4 ,this must be leveled off also to keep the grade4 ,an uneven tennis court will never give satisfaction4 ,before the next layer of gravel is placed on the trap-rock1 provision must be made for drainage4 ,there are several methods of draining a court1 depending greatly upon the nature of the soil and the preference of the owners4 ,for ordinary soil a good method is to lay the drain pipe near the net and at right angles to the courts1 dividing them in half4 ,the drain pipe may consist of terra cotta sewer pipes cut in half or terra cotta gutters1 such as are used on tiled roofs4 ,they are laid parallel with the net and filled with loose stones4 ,the drains are tilted sufficiently to carry the water off at the sides or to a receptacle in the center4 ,sometimes a barrel is sunk in the middle and filled with stones1 and the drain pipes empty into it4 ,another common method is to drain the courts at the end4 ,in this case the court at the net is two inches higher than at the ends1 and on porous soil this will be sufficient to carry off the water4 ,when the drain pipe is placed near the net the tilt from the ends toward the center should be from one to two inches4 ,we have more difficult drainage problems in very thick loam and clay soils4 ,artificial drainage of a more elaborate nature is required here1 or else the courts will be muddy and sticky for days after rainstorms4 ,drain pipes must be laid under the courts at various places1 and tilted toward one particular point4 ,the open drain pipes are laid down before the trap-rock is placed1 and filled with broken stones so they will not clog up with dirt4 ,two or three of these lines of open pipe should be placed on either side of the net4 ,they should run from the ends of the courts toward the net and drain into the gutter that has been placed under the net4 ,the number of these drain pipes depends upon the sticky nature of the soil4 ,four parallel rows of them on either side of the net should be sufficient for the poorest kind of soil4 ,when the drain pipes are laid1 and the courts properly leveled with the trap-rock foundation1 a three-inch layer of coarse gravel or fine broken stone should be spread over the surface4 ,this must be pounded and hammered down and watered4 ,the water will tend to show any weak places where settling is liable to occur1 and the depressions thus formed must be filled up with fresh material4 ,when this layer of coarse gravel has been leveled1 pounded1 and settled1 the top layer1 of sandy loam and clay mixed1 should be applied4 ,this finishing layer should be at least three inches thick1 and four or five is better4 ,sandy clay and loam must be mixed for the top-dressing1 but the proportion of each depends upon the nature of the clay4 ,if the clay is very sticky it will require more sand4 ,it needs to be sufficiently porous to permit the water to pass through easily1 and yet not so porous that the surface is too soft4 ,if there is not sufficient sand the surface will be sticky after a rainstorm4 ,for ordinary purposes one part of fine sand to four parts of clay make an ideal finishing surface1 but sometimes one and a half parts of sand have to be used4 ,when the finishing surface is laid it should be leveled off and rolled repeatedly4 ,watering is also essential1 but a good rain will do wonders to settle the surface4 ,faults and depressions will then develop1 and they can be corrected by filling in with new material4 ,also1 if the surface is found to be too sticky1 add a little more sand to the top and work and roll it down4 ,it may take several weeks to perfect the top surface of the court so that it is rain-proof4 ,,constructing ,,grass ,,courts ,for garden and home purposes where tennis is played only by members of the household and their friends1 the grass court is of course the most artistic and beautiful4 ,the dirt or clay court is more satisfactory for clubs where constant use is apt to wear off the turf4 ,if the green is large enough for shifting the court frequently so that the wear will not all come in certain spots1 the turf court may answer all purposes for clubs and parks4 ,if the natural sod of the site selected for a grass court is luxuriant and the soil favorable for rapid growth1 the expense of construction may be very slight4 ,if the natural sod is poor1 and the soil thin1 it will be necessary to import good soil and purchase rich grass sod from some farm or meadow4 ,if the grass is very patchy1 but the soil rich1 it may be satisfactory in the end1 and certainly cheaper1 to remove all the sod and sow down to grass in the late summer1 and repeat it early in spring4 ,it would hardly be advisable1 however1 to use the court much the first year1 for the young grass would soon be worn off unless a firm sod was obtained4 ,a grass court is the best to play on in warm weather4 ,the green of the lawn is pleasing and restful to the eyes1 and the soft turf is cooling and soft to the feet4 ,the sweet aroma of the green grass adds to the pleasure of the pastime1 and the restful slopes and terraces invite one to lounge on the greensward after or before a game4 ,dirt courts1 concrete1 and asphalt1 and even wooden courts1 may appeal to the enthusiasts intent only upon playing the fastest game1 but their glaring whiteness and hard1 unyielding surface do not bring the pleasure that grass courts do4 ,for these reasons the turf courts should always be chosen for the summer or country place1 and they should be constructed and developed with an eye to their harmony with the surrounding landscape and architecture of the residence4 ,illustration3 ,grass courts are certainly more attractive features of the home surroundings1 but for really serious play they need constant care ,the construction of a grass court is less difficult than that of a clay court1 but if the soil is very thick and heavy1 some sort of foundation must be provided to drain the under-soil4 ,on very unfavorable soil1 tile drains are sometimes placed down before the turf is replaced4 ,a layer of stones six inches beneath the sod is sometimes resorted to2 but usually no such provision for underground drainage is required for the grass court4 ,if side and end drainage is provided1 and the soil is not too heavy1 water will not collect and remain on the court to any great extent4 ,the construction of a grass court is simple when no attempt is made to drain it4 ,the first thing to do is to lift the grass sod as carefully as possible and lay it aside for later use4 ,the sod should be cut down as nearly to six inches depth as possible1 and should be lifted in squares of fifteen to eighteen inches4 ,pile the sod carefully on one side and keep moist and partly protected from the hot sun4 ,when the sod has all been removed spade up the soil to a depth of eighteen inches1 removing all stones1 roots1 and obstructions4 ,rake over carefully and roll down to a level1 watering frequently and filling in all depressions4 ,when a perfect level has been obtained replace the grass sods4 ,these must be put down carefully so that the edges meet snugly4 ,open cracks and seams must be filled in with smaller pieces of sod4 ,roll1 water1 and level the surface until all is satisfactory4 ,fresh sods may have to be cut and placed wherever thin places appear during the first season4 ,in the spring of the year fresh grass seed may be sown4 ,if the turf or grass is poor it will be better to omit sodding entirely and sow the surface with seed4 ,it is better in such a case to make the grass court in the fall of the year4 ,the winter storms will settle it thoroughly and reveal weak spots4 ,in the middle of ,march rake up the surface1 level1 sow the seed1 and roll carefully4 ,it should be sowed twice from different directions1 so that an even catch is obtained4 ,sowing can be made in the fall or spring4 ,about five bushels of grass seed will be needed for the full-size court4 ,do not use clover seeds in the sowing1 nor guano for fertilizers4 ,when the grass is high enough to cut use the scythe or sickle first1 and keep the lawn-mower for later cutting4 ,remove weeds as fast as they appear1 uprooting them1 or1 if the roots persist1 rub salt on them4 ,when the grass is tall enough for regular cutting1 use the mower at least once a week1 and oftener in wet weather4 ,in many localities worms are very numerous and destructive to tennis courts4 ,by working up to the surface they form little mounds and holes which permit water to trickle through and cause depressions4 ,in regions where the worms are a great nuisance1 a layer of finely sifted cinders is placed on the stone foundation of the dirt court or at the bottom of the excavation of a grass court4 ,these cinders will keep the worms from working up1 but if placed on the grass court the cinder layer must be at a depth of a foot or more below the surface1 so as not to interfere with the grass roots4 ,one should remember that grass courts wear out more rapidly and require more care than those of dirt1 especially when they are subjected to constant usage4 ,the cost of making tennis courts will vary considerably1 as one may readily see4 ,as much as #bjj and #cjj is sometimes paid for making tennis courts1 but others are made at no greater cost than #be where conditions are favorable and one is willing to do some of the work4 ,the hardest courts to make are dirt ones laid on rocky foundations where blasting is necessary4 ,grass courts that are nearly level can sometimes be made by removing only a part of the sod and replacing it after digging out some of the under soil4 ,this may cost only a few dollars4 ,,sizes ,,and ,,marking ,the playing surface of a tennis court for singles is #bg #gh feet1 and for doubles #cf #gh feet2 but as a double court contains all the lines for singles it is usual to mark out for doubles at the beginning4 ,back of the outer line there must be a space of from #ae to #bj feet to the stop-nets1 and at the sides there should be at least #f feet1 preferably #aj or #ab feet1 beyond the line of the double court4 ,this permits free access to the courts on either side of the net1 and also allows room for players when volleying4 ,this is the reason why a space of #fj #abj is generally considered necessary for a good tennis site4 ,illustration3 ,the standard dimensions for a double court are given4 ,a convenient method of laying these dimensions out is given in the accompanying text ,the marking of a court must be exact4 ,first determine the position of your net in the middle of the site1 and then lay out the single court4 ,place two pegs temporarily in the ground #bg feet apart and make a line there to represent the net4 ,then measure off two lengths of string--one #ci feet long1 and the other #dg feet #e inches4 ,with these two lengths you can make your courts exactly right4 ,lay the shorter length of string on the ground approximately at right angles to one of the net pegs2 then start the longer string from the opposite peg and run it diagonally across until it reaches the end of the #ci-;foot string4 ,at that point drive in a corner peg4 ,you have a right-angled triangle that is absolutely exact4 ,repeat this operation to get the other corner1 and then obtain the corners for the other side of the net in a similar way4 ,with the corner pegs in place1 proceed then to measure off from the net peg #ba feet on the #ci-;foot line4 ,that point marks the end of the service line1 and a straight line drawn across it will intersect in the middle the diagonal lines4 ,illustration3 ,a space of #fj #abj ft4 is usually considered necessary for a good tennis court1 and it is occasionally necessary to enclose this area with a low retaining wall of masonry ,for the double courts prolong the net line #d feet #f inches1 and join this to the points at the end to form alleys4 ,the double courts are then finished except for the central line4 ,this is obtained by measuring off the middle of the service lines and connecting them with a straight line through the center4 ,as there is quite a little bother in measuring off the courts1 it is quite essential that the corner points be made permanent4 ,small stakes or pegs should be driven into the ground at the corners deep enough so they will not trip players4 ,nearly every heavy rainstorm washes away the lines so that remarking is required4 ,on clay courts white paint is sometimes used for marking1 as this will last longer than whitewash1 but at the best1 remarking must be done quite frequently4 ,paint is not suitable for grass courts on account of the injury caused to the grass roots4 ,portable white marking tape is sometimes used4 ,this is held down by staples and double-pointed pins1 but there is always the danger of the tape tripping a player4 ,markers have been devised for facilitating the lining out of tennis courts4 ,these consist for the most part of an iron or tin receptacle on wheels1 with a marking wheel in front on which the contents are sprayed continually4 ,marble dust or slaked lime can be used in these markers4 ,they give a uniform width1 and one can mark off the lines as fast as he can walk4 ,home-made markers can be made by inverting a tin can and closing the mouth except for a tiny hole through which the liquid can flow4 ,an ordinary wheel with a flat rim one inch in width is made to revolve in front of the mouth of the can so it will catch the drippings of the liquid4 ,mounted on an axle with handles this contrivance is pushed before the operator4 ,on a grass court none of these methods of marking are equal to grass itself4 ,at the time the seed is sown on the court1 plant freely in some part of the garden the seed of the crested dogtail grass4 ,this grass is yellow green to white1 and if sown very thickly it will serve to mark the courts4 ,when the grass on the court is high enough for cutting transplant the crested dogtail grass to the lines marked out4 ,mark out the courts exactly with tape or string1 and then cut out on one side of it a strip of sod two and a half inches wide4 ,this strip is then filled with the sods of the dogtail grass raised in the garden for this purpose4 ,the sod should be patted down firmly in place1 and a few seeds of the dogtail grass sown in with it4 ,in this way you have the courts marked out permanently by grass1 and the contrast in color is sufficient for all playing purposes4 ,the effect1 of course1 is very striking1 and far ahead of the courts that have to be whitewashed after every rainstorm4 ,the dogtail grass is a hardy grower1 and it will1 if not controlled1 spread out into the court itself4 ,this1 however1 can be prevented by an occasional weeding4 ,it must be kept in its narrow strip even if roots have to be pulled up at times4 ,if the spreading roots crowd out the green grass1 the latter can be renewed by planting a little sod from some other part of the garden4 ,,backstops ,,and ,,nets ,a great variety of backstops may be introduced on the tennis courts1 and their decorative effects should always be considered in laying out the grounds4 ,the backstop nets should be at least #ae feet back of the court line1 but #ba feet is considered the standard distance where tournaments are held4 ,many expert players refuse to take part in tournaments where the regulation distances are not maintained4 ,the wire backstop nets should be not less than #aj feet high1 and #ae feet is considered the most suitable height4 ,illustration3 ,where the court is entirely enclosed by the stop-nets the over-all dimensions may well be those given1 but they should not be smaller than #fj #abj ft4 ,while the usual backstop is made of hollow iron posts sunk in the ground at intervals of #aj or #ae feet1 with chicken or fence wire stretched taut between them1 it is not unusual to-day to find more elaborate affairs of genuine architectural worth to harmonize with the residence and other buildings4 ,pergola effects are thus used4 ,the posts of solid wood are sunk in the ground1 and then wrapped with wire netting to hold the stucco4 ,the latter is applied in the usual way and finished off in white1 cream-white1 or gray4 ,the wire net must be stretched from post to post before the stucco is applied4 ,wooden beams join the tops of the stucco columns1 and a foot molding1 with sometimes a railing1 connects the posts from base to base4 ,the rather elaborate character of such tennis backstops cannot always be worked out by a novice1 although a good carpenter or mason can do the work if the plans are sketched carefully in advance4 ,illustration3 ,the simplest form of backstop is the frame of iron pipe forms1 which are now made especially for that purpose1 covered with the ordinary wire netting ,illustration3 ,a saving of stop-nets is frequently made by leaving open spaces at the sides ,the plain backstop of wire net and iron posts does not enhance the beauty of the lawn1 and consequently many experiments have been made to eliminate1 so far as possible1 their ugly appearance4 ,painting the whole affair a grass green so as to render it as inconspicuous as possible1 is one way of partly achieving the desired results4 ,another simple and more satisfactory method of hiding the plain backstops is to utilize the things which nature furnishes so lavishly for us4 ,these may be growing in our garden or found rampant in the fields and woods1 climbing over hedges and fences and reaching to the tops of trees4 ,illustration3 ,the most economical form of stop-net is here shown1 although it will not1 of course1 stop all stray balls ,for instance the wire net erected at either end back of the courts can be converted into screens of living green by planting vines on the outside1 or1 if one prefers1 it can be covered with the climbing roses to make it a glorious color effect4 ,better even than the ordinary wire net1 an artistic screen of lattice work or trellis can be erected4 ,this can be covered on the back with almost any of the climbing vines4 ,roses1 honeysuckle1 clematis1 trumpet vine1 or moon flower are all suitable for this purpose4 ,with a little pruning and training1 the screen can1 within a season or two1 be converted into a beautiful garden ornament4 ,a grass tennis court with back nets to keep the balls from going too far1 covered with climbing vines or flowers1 adds so much to the appearance of a garden that other improvements are sure to follow4 ,a series of rustic benches for spectators should be arranged on the west side1 so that they can watch the afternoon game without having the sun in their eyes4 ,if the land is rolling and hilly1 the benches should be placed on a terrace at one side4 ,a tea house of suitable character is a great addition to a tennis court4 ,this may be nothing more than a rustic covering to protect the heads of the spectators1 with seats and a rustic table for serving the tea4 ,if it is built on a terrace on the west side of the court visitors can watch the game under the most comfortable circumstances4 ,nets of a great variety1 from plain1 machine-made twine to the hand-made1 double-knitted cotton ones1 canvas-bound at top and bottom1 and reinforced at the corners and middle1 may be had to-day4 ,a strong1 durable net is the cheapest in the end1 and there will be less trouble from shrinking and stretching4 ,for single courts the nets are #bg feet long and #c feet high1 and for double courts they run from #cf to #db feet in length4 ,the most serviceable posts for holding the nets in position are those made with anchor sockets1 which are permanently driven in the ground4 ,these spade-shaped iron sockets hold the posts firmly in an upright position without the use of guy ropes4 ,when the posts are removed from the sockets a wooden plug is inserted to keep dirt from collecting in them4 ,in addition to this the iron posts are supplied with tennis-net reels that tighten or loosen the net as demanded4 ,the reels automatically lock to hold the net firmly in position1 and they are instantly released by moving the handle4 ,other varieties of tennis posts can be used if needed1 but the wooden poles supported by guy ropes and pegs are the least satisfactory4 ,the pegs are constantly pulling out and destroying the sod4 ,straight iron anchor posts are better than these4 ,they are driven in the ground1 and by means of triple claw clutches they are held rigid4 ,in place of the iron center forks for holding the middle of the net at the regulation three-foot height1 canvas center straps are now preferred4 ,the canvas straps do not chafe the net1 and cannot cause the ball to glance off and strike out of court4 ,another method sometimes used for holding the top line of the net straight is to use galvanized steel cable top cords4 ,these cords are a quarter of an inch thick1 with metal loops at the ends and manila rope ends to fasten to the posts4 ,they keep the net from sagging in the middle4 ,canvas-bound nets are also designed to keep the top firm4 ,illustration3 ,it is strange that more people do not make the backstops a real architectural feature as for this court on ,mr4 ,gage ,e4 ,tarbell's estate1 ,nassau ,boulevard1 ,l4,i41 ,oswald ,c4 ,hering1 architect ,,care ,,of ,,courts ,a well made court1 whether of clay or turf1 is an achievement to be proud of1 and it will give more satisfaction than any other one thing2 but it is essential that it should be kept in prime condition all the time4 ,constant watchfulness and attention are the price we pay for the proper maintenance of a first-class tennis court4 ,the clay court will degenerate as rapidly as a macadam road1 without proper repairs1 and the turf court will lose its beauty and usefulness much faster than a green lawn if not attended to4 ,a little intelligent care given to the court each week will preserve it from utter ruin1 which must inevitably result if damages are not repaired at once4 ,the clay or dirt court must be gone over about every second day to fill in and roll down depressions made by the feet of the players4 ,on courts where playing is almost continuous1 the rule is to make repairs every day or after every ten sets have been played on them4 ,the simplest and most effective way to keep a clay court in repair is to take a straight log or thick piece of wood1 five to eight feet in length1 and nail to it coarse bagging or jute cloth4 ,if the edges are frayed out1 so much the better4 ,attach ropes to either end of this log1 and drag it across the court several times4 ,the ragged edges of the cloth will smooth out the surface and work the dirt into holes or depressions4 ,if hard ridges or lumps still exist these must be loosened by hand or a hoe4 ,after the drag has smoothed out the surface1 it should be watered1 in dry weather1 and then rolled4 ,a good hand roller is almost essential to the preservation of the court4 ,the operator should always walk in front of the roller and not behind it4 ,the rolling should continue until the surface is rendered entirely smooth4 ,after the rolling the wet surface should be allowed to dry before the courts are marked out again4 ,the care of the grass court must depend a good deal upon how much it is used and the condition of the weather4 ,in very wet seasons1 the turf is soft and spongy1 and the heels of the players cut deeper into it4 ,this produces slight depressions that may in time increase1 so as to ruin the surface if not attended to at once4 ,on the other hand1 in very dry weather1 the grass is more easily scoured and killed1 and there must be frequent wetting to keep the turf in good condition4 ,the grass courts should always be watered at night after the play4 ,any time after the last game will do1 although about sun-down is a good time4 ,cutting should be done early in the morning after the watering1 and then the roller should be applied4 ,this puts the court in fine condition for playing4 ,if the grass is cut in the morning without previous watering at night1 it may be injured by the hot sun1 especially if the heavy roller is applied4 ,the simple rule is3 water at night1 cut in the morning1 and then roll4 ,all bare strips of grass should be replaced as soon as possible with fresh sod4 ,cut out the old sod evenly and put down good new sod with edges fitting snugly4 ,sometimes new seed sown occasionally will answer the purpose1 but not in the spots where the feet of the players work the greatest damage4 ,if many deep depressions have been made by the feet of the players in wet weather1 they should be filled in with more dirt and fresh sod planted and tamped down firmly4 ,illustration3 ,there is opportunity at the side of the court for some feature in the way of a shelter or seats for the spectators ,every spring the grass court needs special attention4 ,in ,march or ,february all extensive repairs should be made to the damaged turf4 ,new sod should be put down wherever the grass is poor or worn1 and if fitted snugly in place1 new seed sown1 and a good top-dressing of manure supplied1 the court should be in fine condition by playing time4 ,of course regular manuring should be done in the fall of the year1 the same as for the lawn1 and in the spring it should be raked off and the surface rolled4 ,before rolling1 however1 the grass should be swept4 ,sweeping is much better than raking even through the summer season1 for the tines of the rake are apt to dig up the grass roots4 ,sweeping is also good for worm casts1 which spoil a good many courts4 ,the broom scatters the little mounds caused by the worms1 and then the roller smooths the surface so that no irregularities are apparent4 ,some sprinkle lime water over the places where the worms are numerous1 and as this brings them squirming to the surface they are swept away and destroyed4 ,it goes without saying that all tennis players should be required to wear rubber-soled shoes without heels4 ,the damage to the court from shoes with heels is sometimes so great when the turf is soft that it will take half a season to repair it4 ,where tennis courts are a part of the general lawn a horse machine may be used for cutting the grass4 ,in such cases the hoofs of the horses should be padded to prevent leaving sharp imprints in the turf4 ,if these directions for keeping a tennis court in good condition are faithfully followed there is no reason why a first-class court cannot be maintained indefinitely at little expense4 ,it may be1 in addition to this care1 that a little work in exterminating weeds will be called for through the growing season4 ,obnoxious weeds must never be allowed to spread and get a foothold1 or they will crowd out and kill the finer grass4 ,they must be pulled or dug up by the roots as fast as they appear1 and never be allowed to go to seed4