FISHING-RODS. 197 



three pieces, are sufficient for all kinds of rods except 

 Salmon-rods, which are of a necessity the longest rods 

 made. 



In the selection of woods for a rod, such kinds must be 

 used as possess the principal attributes of a fishing-rod, 

 which are toughness and elasticity ; and when these qual- 

 ities are combined with lightness, there is nothing more 

 to be desired, for proper modeling will insure perfect bal- 

 ance and pliancy. 



Many kinds of native and foreign woods have been 

 tried and experimented with to produce a rod perfect 

 in action, such as cane, ash, hickory, maple, basswood, 

 ironwood, hornbeam, cedar, barberry, bamboo, memel, 

 lancewood, mahoe, greenheart, bethabara, or wasahba, etc. 



Ash. — For butts of rods there is no w^ood so suitable 

 as good, close-grained, second-growth white-ash. It is 

 straight-grained, light, springy, and strong, and in some 

 kinds of rods it is also available for second pieces or j(Mnts, 

 having a springy " snap " possessed by no other wood. 



Lancewood. — For second pieces and tij^s, lancewood, 

 when of good quality, stands pre-eminent, being close- 

 grained, tough, and extremely elastic, with sufficient spring 

 and snap for small joints. It is used for tops, or tips, 

 more universally than any other wood, on account of its 

 superiority over all other varieties for this purpose. It is 

 rather heavy for butts, though often used for this purpose, 

 some fly-rods being constructed entirely of this fine wood, 

 making very durable and beautiful rods, with a delightful 

 action, but still rather heavy for most anglers. Mr. Orvis, 

 of Manchester, Vermont, however, makes lancewood fly- 

 rods with a short hand-piece of other material, which are 

 most excellent and serviceable rods. I have used one with 



