SPLICED RODS. 33 



the " top" and the thinner joint next it to be 

 spliced together. The trouble of whipping and 

 unwhipping this, need not be often incurred, as 

 the two pieces, when once whipped, can easily 

 be laid on a ledge, or on the floor of a room, 

 during the evenings of a " fishing bout," and 

 need seldom be taken to pieces, excepting for the 

 purpose of travelling. Be particular, however, 

 to have the splices left quite plain, without the 

 least notch or groove in them. I have seen 

 attempts, by means of small brass pegs and holes 

 to receive them, to hold the spliced joint more 

 firmly together when whipped ; but you must 

 bear in mind, that the smallest perforation of the 

 wood tends to weaken it, and I have witnessed 

 the breaking of two or three rods exactly at the 

 holes formed by, and corresponding with, the 

 pegs in question. My own rod was made in this 

 style, and it broke in that particular spot. So I 

 removed all the pegs and plugged up the holes 

 with oak, hammered and glued in. I have a 

 secret, which I think worth knowing, appertain- 

 ing to splices. With very fine well-waxed silk, 

 whip over the two splices separately ; it not only 

 strengthens them, but when bound together, they 

 are more tenacious than the bare wood could be, 

 and will not shift with ever so hard a month's 

 throwing. The material with which you bind 



