76 SALMON AND TROUT. 



a 3-joint 1 7 ft. rod ; and his longest cast was only a few feet 

 more than mine. 



To sum up : I am in favour of a strong, shortish rod, such 

 as I have suggested, rather than a longer and more ' whippy ' 

 rod ; and as between solid greenheart and built cane, after all 

 said, I am, on the whole, in favour of greenheart pure and 

 simple. There seems to me to be what I may describe as a 

 certain 'crispness' got out of the solid greenheart, which no 

 ' built ' rod can surpass, or perhaps quite equal. . . . (There is 

 also, of course, the great disparity in cost, but that is beyond 

 my province.) 



However, as I have said, these are matters of individual 

 taste, and must be left to the appreciation of individual salmon 

 fishers. Till we have our fly-rods made entirely of steel an 

 improvement which I take it is only a question of time one 

 or other of the salmon rods mentioned will be found a good 

 serviceable weapon for ordinary work, for the ordinary man. 

 With a slightly shorter top either makes an excellent rod for 

 heavy lake trolling, spinning for salmon, &c. 



The following are the dimensions of my 13 ft. 6 in. green- 

 heart rod, above referred to : 



Length when put together (without india-rubber knob) . . 13 ft. 6 in. 

 Weight ,, ,, ,, i Ib. 9 oz. 



[The india-rubber knob weighs 3 oz. more, but it is of great practical 

 comfort and convenience, and no salmon rod should be without one.] 



in. i6ths 

 Circumference of butt at reel above metal work .... 3 5 



,, , , at middle ....... 2 5 



,, ,, below ferrule . . . . . . .110 



,, of large joint at bottom, just above ferrule . i 9 



,, ,, just below top ferrule ....13 



,, of top joint, just above ferrule. . . . . . i 2 



,, ,, 2 in. from top ring .... 8^ 



For trouting rods I find no advantage in a single-handed 

 rod much over ten feet, as it generally results, in my experience, 

 in both hands being sooner or later called into requisition. If 



