20 THE WONDERFUL TROUT 



reserved for personal and individual selec- 

 tion and practice. ' What is one man's food 

 is often another man's poison/ Custom, 

 strength of wrist, delicacy of touch and 

 manipulation must rule the style of rod and 

 tackle used. It seems to us that much of 

 what Stewart complained of, viz. ' excessive 

 pliability of rods made in Edinburgh/ has 

 long since been obviated both there and by 

 other makers, whether makers famed for 

 their greenheart trout-rods or makers famed 

 for their split-cane rods, the latter either 

 in toto or in combinations. We have not 

 hitherto had any direct experience of steel- 

 centred rods. Split-cane rods, such as now 

 can be obtained only, however, from the 

 best makers were not known at the time 

 Stewart wrote his complaint, nor were 

 greenheart rods so beautifully balanced and 

 presented as is now the case. Of joints, fer- 

 rules, bayonet-slots, and outside and inside 

 screws and whippings, much depends upon 

 the idiosyncrasy of the individual, not to 

 speak of his actual experiences. We our- 

 selves know what we like best of such as we 

 have used, and, it is to be expected, so should 



