48 HOW TO TIE FLIES. 



For the acetiser, instead of vinegar, I some- 

 times use very dilute vitriol ; and, as often as not, 

 instead of using the alum, as directed, in a 

 separate mordant bath, after the dye bath, I use 

 it in the dye bath itself. This change may not 

 be an improvement, but I have not found it in 

 any way detrimental, and as it is often important 

 to be able to dry hackles at short notice, any 

 simplification or shortening of the process will 

 be welcome. 



With this very end in view, I have devised a 

 simple centrifugal machine and colander com- 

 bined, which I have had in use for some time, 

 and which I should not care to be without. It 

 consists of a somewhat heavy colander of per- 

 forated galvanised sheet iron, with a bottom of 

 sheet tin not perforated. The latter is overlaid 

 outside with sheet lead, and the whole colander 

 weighs about Jib. A steel shaft, pointed at the 

 lower end, protrudes a short distance through the 

 centre of the bottom, and is soldered to it. It 

 also rises an inch or so above the level of the rim 

 of the colander. 



The frame in which the colander revolves 

 resembles a large tin mug, a vessel as common in 

 Ireland as it is rare in England. The bottom of 

 this is also weighted with sheet lead, and it is 

 mounted on three small legs. The middle of one 

 side of this " mug " is cut away, a,s shown in the 

 figure. Inlaid in the bottom of this frame is a 

 small, hard steel step, in which the lower end of 

 the shaft revolves ; and a bearing, also of steel, 

 and detachable as shown, keeps the shaft in an 

 upright position. A perforated tin lid, fitting 

 inside the colander, and having a hole in the 

 centre just large enough to allow the shaft to 

 pass through it, is also added, to prevent the 

 shaft from rising out of the step, and also to 

 relieve the colander and shaft, when revolving 



