ELASTICITY OF RODS. 35 



the other. If in waving it, one part feels weaker 

 or more stiff than another, at once reject it as 

 bad. Some judgment, which words can scarcely 

 convey, is required to detect this ; but if you 

 take in your hand a long green withy stick, and 

 wave that about, you will readily perceive what 

 is the nature of the objection I am endeavouring 

 to point out; though I fear long experience in 

 choosing, alone will enable any one to become a 

 complete judge in such matters. I, myself, from 

 being perpetually, I may say two or three times 

 every year, for some years past, required by 

 friends, to choose for them, can detect flaws 

 in a rod by the feel which would be invisible to 

 the eye ; but this is only to be done by practice, 

 as my words, I fear, must fail to explain it. You 

 will feel that the upper part is too heavy for the 

 lower, and that there is a sensation as though it 

 would break in the middle. In a good rod, on 

 waving it about with moderate force, you will 

 never experience this sensation but feel satis- 

 fied that the lower part is fully strong enough 

 to support every succeeding superior inch. 



As to the quantity of Elasticity, or its curvature, 

 tastes vary. For myself, I prefer a rod that has 

 the middle degree being neither too stiff, nor too 

 elastic; and, in choosing such, you can't go far 

 wrong ; but you had better have a rod too stiff 



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