102 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



emphasis to the top end of the middle-joint; but be 

 sure to have the butt end of the top-joint fully up 

 to the measure, and to lighten the outer half of this 

 section as already mentioned. The reason why the 

 delicate top-joint of a properly-proportioned rod 

 that is skilfully handled is sufficient to withstand all 

 legitimate stress, is because a steadily-increasing 

 strain is continuously thrown back upon the stronger 

 parts of the rod. But when the butt of the top- 

 joint is too slender and joins with a middle-joint 

 small end that is too stiff, then the strain on the top 

 is not progressively and properly transferred to the 

 middle-joint, which is the prime factor in the rod's 

 action. A weak middle-joint means a vitally weak 

 rod, irrespective of any other features, and it means 

 a rod with a " kick." Also be it understood that 

 owing to the bracing and distributing, truss effect of 

 the line strung through the guides of a rod, the rod 

 will bear much more strain than if the line simply 

 were fastened to its tip. 



The reader will be interested to know what is 

 meant by a " double-built " rod. This construction 

 includes twelve instead of six strips to a joint, for a 

 hexagonal cross-section, and the diagram illustrates 

 their arrangement. It might at first glance seem 

 that this involves just double the work in planing 

 and gluing, but such is not the case. To produce 

 this joint, the builder proceeds simply to glue to- 

 gether two thinner bamboo-strips to make the rec- 



