40 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



As the first split-bamboo rods offered the angling 

 fraternity were made of the Calcutta cane, it was 

 natural that these markings came to be indissolubly 

 associated with the only genuine thing in such rods. 

 Later on, when for one reason or another it became 

 increasingly difficult to secure a high grade of Cal- 

 cutta bamboo for the American rod-maker, recourse 

 was had to the Tonkin variety, and today by far 

 most of the best rods both of domestic and British 

 manufacture and including the two brands most 

 generally regarded as the best of all are made 

 of the Tonkin cane. 



Very likely the reason for the usual absence of 

 scorch-marks on Tonkin bamboo is that its stalks 

 grow straighter than those of the Calcutta article, 

 thus making it of less importance to " take out the 

 kinks " before sending it to market. However, for 

 the purpose of rod-making, it doubtless was expe- 

 dient for a time to reproduce on the Tonkin cane 

 marks similar to those which had become familiar 

 to persons acquainted with the Calcutta bamboo, and 

 intimately associated in their minds with the intrinsic 

 qualities of elasticity, etc., highly desirable in an 

 angling-rod. To this end some strongly-corrosive 

 acid may have been employed at times. But when 

 the Tonkin article came to be fully proven the equal 

 of if not superior to the other for this specific pur- 

 pose, then the trade could afford to put it into rods 



