FISHING TACKLE AND HOW TO MAKE IT. 5II 



interesting, however, to briefly note the difference between 

 the "angle" described in the first "Treatyse of Fysshynge," 

 and the wand-Hke rod so ineffably graceful and beautifully 

 made, now to be seen on every hand. The fish in this 

 country in the great majority are about the same in education 

 as they were four hundred years ago, when the "Treatysse" was 

 printed; but how changed the tackle! Listen to the following: 



"Ye shall kytte, between wyghelmas and candlymas, a fayr 

 staffe of a fadom and a-halfe long, and arme grete (thick as 

 one's arm), of hazyll wylowe, or ashe (this is for the butt). 



* " * "In the same season take a fayr yards of grene 

 hazle (this is for the second joint); * * * Take a fayr 

 shote of black thorn crab-tree, medeler, or of jenypie (this is 

 for the tip). Then shave your staffe and make hym tapre 

 wexe (wax taper)." "Hopes of yren" — hoops of iron — are to 

 bind it for strength in place of the modern ferrule (vyrell) 

 and there is no doubt the entire apparatus must have weighed 

 several pounds. My split-cane Spalding, with which I have 

 killed tons of fish during the past five years, weighs just 

 seven ounces, fittings and all complete. 



The present beautiful weapon is the evolved production of 

 four centuries, and the survival of the fittest, unquestionably. 

 The different types of rods may be here briefly enumerated: 



(i) Rods for Top-water Fishing. — These are the finest 

 productions of the rod-maker's art, as befits the use to which 

 they are put, and are of several different classes of material. 

 In my mind the best kind is that manufactured from the outer 

 skin or enamel of the ordinary bamboo cane. This material 

 is found to be tougher and lighter than any other wood as 

 yet discovered, and it is detached from the cane in such a 

 way as to admit of the greatest amount in the smallest com- 

 pass when the rod is made. The process will be explained 

 hereafter. It is sufftcient here to say that the shape of the 

 finished rod is commonly six-sided, it being contended that 

 this shape admits of the most enamel to the least amount of 



