GLUING UP 121 



variety which needs must receive a distinguishing 

 appellation unknown to the botanists; and how the 

 varnish used is unlike anything in the varnish line 

 known in the regular trade. In short and simi- 

 larly with particular brands of automobiles, marine 

 gas-engines, guns and a few other articles of mer- 

 chandise this particular rod, sold by this particu- 

 lar house, is the one and only implement, embody- 

 ing to a superlative degree all the attainable excel- 

 lencies to which an angling-rod could lay claim. 



Now, all these are good rods; and there can be 

 no question that there are various and valuable 

 trade secrets peculiar to rod-making, just as there 

 are in any matured manufacturing industry yet, 

 glue is glue; and it is perfectly well understood by 

 sophisticated buyers that in a general way such as- 

 sertions of unique excellence may be dismissed as 

 mere trade " talking-points." 



Any ordinarily good glue will suffice. The writer 

 even has glued up satisfactory joints with the sheet 

 gelatine that you buy in grocery stores for kitchen 

 use, dissolved in hot water. Appropriately enough, 

 genuine Russian isinglass fish glue is stated to 

 be the very best thing for the purpose. It ought to 

 be, at the price quoted, which years ago was about 

 seven dollars a pound. It is made from the bladder 

 of the sturgeon, the real article is very difficult to 

 obtain, and many cheaper forms of gelatine are so 

 called. The reader is at liberty to seek this elusive 



