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a log that will not split straight, I discard it at once. If 

 at all cross-grained, it will snap like a carrot where there 

 is no imperfection visible. This will not occur if the 

 wood will split straight previous to its being worked up. 

 I consider the mottled canes excellent for both trout and 

 salmon rods. They should be of a proper taper to play 

 well down into the hand. A three-joint rod made with 

 these canes, if they will come in so as to get a proper 

 action, is invaluable, and will last much longer than any 

 other ; but the difficulty is to get canes with little or no 

 taper to them, and that is why so few are in use. These 

 cane rods require great attention in the making, particularly 

 in putting on the ferrules, the edges of which should be 

 rounded so as not to break the skin of the cane, neither 

 should there be the smallest shoulder made. The ferrules 

 should cover the skin of the cane, and, when rivetted on, 

 should be done in the middle of the ferrule, or it will soon 

 break out. I have recently seen a rod I made twenty 

 years ago of mottled cane. It is quite straight, and looks 

 as if it would stand its work, with care, for an equal 

 period. I am always delighted to see an old rod, and to 

 hear of the numbers of salmon and sea trout it has 

 brought to the pannier, some of them under difficult 

 circumstances. 



The rod for salmon fishing should be from sixteen to 

 eighteen feet, every inch over which adds to the weight 

 I never yet handled a twenty-foot rod that an angler could 

 use with ease and comfort. True, a rod of that length 

 will make short work with a twenty-pound salmon; but I 

 strongly object to pulling the fish out in that way, it being 



