FISIIIXG-RODS. 227 



The board on Vliich I sawed out my strips has grooves cut, so that 

 I easily phvne the inside of the strips for each joint; any inequality 

 I finish off with a file. I now place nay six strips logethei", winding 

 twine around tightly, but some distance apart, so that I can get my 

 thumb and finger between, so that I can see the joints, and how they 

 come together. If they appear loose, and I can not get them to- 

 gether with thumb and finger, T mark the spots with a pencil, and 

 unwinding, file away until they come well together. 



For the butt, I draw a plan on paper, that is, enough of it to rep- 

 resent the hand-hold, measure with compasses the distance across 

 each strip, or cut a pattern of paper, lay it on the bamboo and mark 

 it out. For the tip and middle joint, when I glue the strips to- 

 getlier, t wind hard and tight and closely with twine; now I 

 straighten them carefully (as the hot glue has made them pliant), 

 and la\' away for twenty-four hours on a shelf. I never stand them 

 on end, as they ai'e likely to warp out of shape. 



For the butt, I have iron rings of many sizes; when the strips are 

 gl.ied together, I force on these rings, driving on hard, and close to- 

 gether. This brings the glued strips so tightly together that the 

 joints can not be seen. Twenty-four hours after gluing, I take off 

 the rings and wrappings of twine, and finish off with a file and 

 sand-paper; then fit on the ferrules, which I fasten on with cement. 



Before putting on the guides and metal tip, I joint the rod to- 

 gether, and turn it in the ferrules until I get it perfectly straight ; 

 then mark the places for the guides and tip, so that they are all in 

 a straight line, so that the fishing-line may have as little friction as 

 possible. I now cement on the metal tip, and lash on the guides 

 with a string, simply to hold them in place for the silk lashings. 



The rod is now ready for the silk lashings, for which I use fine red 

 spool-silk. I wind the guides first; winding on smoothly and closely. 

 When one side of the guide is wound, I cut off the silk, leaving half 

 a yard, which T thread in a needle, and, pushing the latter under 

 the lashings, draw it through tightly and cut off close. Then finish 

 the other side of the guide in the same way. 



I now, with a pencil, mark the places for the lashings the whole 

 length of the joint, tip, or butt, on which I am working. I draw off 

 from the spool about four feet of silk, cut it off and thread the 

 needle; this is enough for several lashings of the tip. I make not 



