74 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



This will dye erne hank of gut. Then it should be 

 thrown away, and a fresh decoction made if more gut 

 is to be colored ; for the dye becomes more and more 

 feeble with use, and a more and more protracted expos- 

 ure to the heated liquid is therefore required. Though 

 the copperas itself impairs the gut to a certain degree, 

 still this appears to be of small moment when compared 

 to the injury done by long continued immersion in the 

 almost boiling liquid. Indeed it seems to make the dif- 

 ference between a loss of fifteen and possibly fifty per 

 cent., as before intimated. The color thus obtained is a 

 dull neutral tint. 



.Different samples of logwood vary greatly in the 

 amount of extractive color they contain. This may be 

 tested with a slip of writing-paper, as before intimated. 

 If failure is encountered it will be from this cause, and 

 success will attend a change to logwood procured from 

 another source. 



In streams where floating grass and weeds are not un- 

 common, the following may give better results ; for 

 though more visible, it presents a less unusual appear- 

 ance. I borrow it from Francis Francis's book on "An- 

 gling :" "Boil green baize in water, and when this is 

 well charged with color, and still warm, immerse the gut 

 therein until sufficiently dyed." Then wash as before. 

 All these boiling operations should be conducted in 

 earthenware vessels, since most dyes are sensitive to 

 metallic salts or oxides. 



Having dyed and washed the gut, while still soft bind 

 it to a stick that it may dry straight. Then proceed to 

 sort it, selecting first and placing by themselves all the 

 thickest strands, rejecting altogether such as are flat and 

 irregular in form ; for these are not only deficient in 



