44 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



or leaves have dropped or been cut away, are rarely 

 noticeable in the butts delivered by the bamboo 

 dealer, whereas in the Calcutta sticks they always are 

 found and in an aggravated form due to the leaf 

 being set deeper into the stalk and render it im- 

 possible to utilize in rod-making longitudinal strips 

 split from their entire circumference. In other 

 words, much of the Calcutta-bamboo stalk must be 

 counted as waste material in building rods. 



In selecting bamboo butts, pick out those having 

 a decidedly well-seasoned, clear yellow appearance 

 rather than a greenish tinge, reject any showing burn- 

 marks penetrating deeply into the fiber of the wall, 

 and, other things being equal as degree of sea- 

 soning, especially size for size, a stick having 

 denser and thicker enamel will weigh heavier. 

 Grayish stains may be the result of mildew. Well- 

 seasoned hard-fibered stock will give out a clear ring 

 when struck with a stick, quite different from the 

 flat sound of green cane. 



Some fishing-tackle dealers have been reluctant in 

 the past to supply stick bamboo to amateur rod- 

 builders, but during more recent years many of them 

 have very sensibly pursued a more farsighted policy. 

 The writer has obtained perfectly satisfactory sound 

 and well-seasoned Tonkin-bamboo butts from the 

 Robert Ogilvie Company, 79 Chambers Street, New 

 York City; J. Deltour, 1112 Forest Avenue, Bronx, 

 New York City; the Fred D. Divine Company, 



