876 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



from the East Indies. After leaving the saw-mill the wood is turned 

 into joints, the butts of which are then bored to contain spare joints, and 

 then planed ready for the fitting on of the brass ferrules, the best of 

 which are hand-brazed to give them greater strength. Certain of the rods 

 those for use in Irish waters, especially are screwed together, not 

 merely placed in the sockets. That beautiful appearance which fishing- 

 rods present is obtained by staining the wood with aquafortis and nut- 

 galls. The stain is burned in immediately after it is put on. The rods 

 are then rubbed with sandpaper and highly polished, a dozen coats of 

 varnish being not at all unusual. The waxed silk which binds the tops 

 of the joints, and the rings through which the line runs, are put on by 

 hand, and the rods undergo another varnishing as far as the rings are 

 concerned." 



In the selection of a rod care should always be taken that the ferrules 

 are brazed, that is to say, that they have originally been cut off a sheet 

 of hardened brass and turned into a circular shape and then the edge 

 brazed. If the ferrule has been simply cut off tubular brass i.e., brass 

 tube, which, being made by machinery, is almost always inferior to the 

 ferrules otherwise prepared one may be pretty sure that sooner or later 

 when he is making a cast the ferrule will split, and then, of course, his 

 joint is spoiled. This may seem a precaution of minor importance, but I 

 am persuaded that it is as well to be careful in small things ; in fact the 

 angler, if he ever hopes to become a master in the craft, must begin by 

 studying these little matters, which bear about the same proportion to 

 the sum total of angling knowledge as a brick does to the erected edifice. 

 Yet it will be conceded that the brick is eminently necessary to the con- 

 summation. 



Before dismissing the subject of rods, I must not forget to mention 

 the most suitable form of ring. The first object of rings is to conduct 

 the line, and the next to so distribute the strain when a fish is hooked as 

 to give the rod the best chance of bringing its graduating strength and 

 taper to bear to the greatest continuous effect on the fish, and the least 

 fatigue of the angler. For the first object upright rings are unques- 

 tionably the best. 



The material for all the rings, excepting the bottom (nearest the butt) 

 and the top, may be of brass, but for these two a different material, as I 

 shall recommend, ought to be used. Before this, however, one word 

 must be added in reference to the other upright rings : they ought to 

 graduate in size according to the rod, from, say, that of a small wedding 

 ring to not less than one-eighth inch in diameter. 



I have said that there is a second object which is subsidiary to the 

 primal one of conducting the line, namely, the equalisation of the strain 



