TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



away, and this loss of material, which means loss of 

 strength, cannot fully be made up by increasing the num- 

 ber of silk windings. 



There is a natural curvature to each of the six cane 

 strips of bamboo which go to make the finished hex- 

 agonal rod, because the strips are cut from a bamboo stalk 

 that is circular in form, but the degree of curvature is 

 very slight as compared to the curvature of the six small 

 strips when they are made into a round rod. 



In making a round rod each one of the separate strips 

 is weakened in two places by cutting away the enameling 

 to make the rod round. As there are six strips it follows 

 there must be twelve weakened places, which are reduced 

 to six in the finished rod, because the strips are all ce- 

 mented together ; but the degree of weakness remains the 

 same. 



Bamboo cane, other than the outside shell, which is 

 the enameled part, absorbs moisture readily and rapidly, 

 owing to its porous nature. For this reason a round rod 

 requires considerably more attention to keep it in good 

 condition than does the hexagonal one, on account of the 

 weakening of the enameling, where it has been cut away. 



This is especially true when the round rod is used in 

 rainy and damp weather, because if the varnishing is 

 cracked or chipped off, moisture will work into the seams 

 and deterioration of the rod will follow, unless it is very 

 thoroughly wiped off, placed in a dry atmosphere and 

 later properly revarnished. 



A round rod will also warp and twist and lose its re- 



lOO 



