FISHING TACKLE AND HOW TO MAKE IT. 533 



The whole process of preparing the spHt cane, by the large 

 manufacturers, is effected by machinery; but in the present 

 case we must be content to make the rod by hand, strictly; 

 and the first thing is to split the bamboos for use. 



Now take a cane in your hand and look it over. You will 

 find that on two sides the knots possess little pip-like pro- 

 jections. On these sides the cane is useless for rod-making. 

 You require, therefore, that part which lies between these 

 two unusable parts. 



Some saw the cane. I prefer to use a knife, and for this 

 purpose I have placed an old carving knife in a stout wooden 

 handle. By the aid of a mallet I split the cane end-to- 

 end, and with care this can be done with surprising ease and 

 precision, even with such a rough implement. Having done 

 this, take the portions which are o'f no use for rod-making 

 and try the flexibility and resilience of the wood. This will 

 give you an idea of the worth of the parts you reserve for 

 use. 



Your split bamboo is now in your hands in the form of a 

 strip with a rectangular section, and the object you have in 

 view is the reduction of six of them to tapering sections of 



▼ 



Fig. 25. 

 exactly sixty degrees (fig. 25 — also fig. 2, showing amount to 

 be planed off), the rind to remain outside and untouched, 

 and the apex of the triangle to be directly opposite the 

 middle of the outer rind. 



First pick out six strips for your butt, cut them off the 

 length required (that is, an inch or two longer than the joint 

 is to be), file the knots smooth, and endeavor to so select the 

 strips that no two knots are near each other when the strips 

 are glued in place. 



Now the form of the completed strip is that of an equilat- 

 eral triangle — i.e., each side is equal. If therefore you 



