30 Sr HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



later the water penetrates into them and destroys the 

 glue with which they are fixed, and, as it cannot dry- 

 out, eventually rots the part of the joint contained 

 inside the ferrule. 



A pin of brass is sometimes driven through the 

 ferrule and joint, which of course weakens the wood, 

 and it is here that the breakage usually takes place, 

 after which the angler will probably break every instru- 

 ment he has in his attempts to extricate the portion 

 still remaining, and when that is done he still has no 

 easy task, without the necessary tools, to refit the 

 joint. 



A further objection still exists to ferrule joints — viz., 

 that however much they may be soaped, oiled, or 

 vaselined, they frequently object to come apart, and 

 in the process of twisting the joints in opposite direc- 

 tions, or in the application of heat, damage is easily 

 done, either to the grain of the joint or the glue which 

 secures it. 



Mineral oil dropped into the joint is about the best 

 thing for stubborn ferrules, as if left a little while it 

 will penetrate more quickly than any other oil. 



The splice-jointed rod has none of these objections, 

 yet it is not what may be called the most popular 

 pattern, on account of the little extra time and labour 

 in making the splices. In point of time there is only 

 about a minute or two difference in putting up splice 

 and ferrule-jointed rod, so no doubt the process of 

 splicing is what handicaps it. 



