OUT, HAIE, AND GIMP. 395- 



preparation is cold, until the requisite hue is obtained. A piece of 

 copperas the size of a pea is ordinarily quite sufficient. 



Light green. Boil a piece of green baize, and steep in the liquor 

 while it is warm. 



Light yellow. Steep in tea or coffee lees. 



Red water stain. Steep in a teacnpful of black tea till of sufficient 

 depth of tint. 



All the above recipes are capital, but, personally, I prefer the bluish- 

 green stain above given. The copperas has the effect of dulling the gloss 

 so often seen on fine whole gut, i.e., not drawn, for the latter does not 

 reflect the light very much, owing to its less polished surface. Of course 

 this dulling effect is just that required in trout fishing, especially in clear 

 water. There can be little doubt that the ordinary white gut shines 

 occasionally like a thread of silver in the sun. The angler, however 

 will find all the stains here given satisfactory, according, of course, to 

 their selection being made with care or carelessness as to the atmospheric 

 and aquatic tints before adverted to. 



Gut is very easily affected by light and the dryness or humidity of the 

 atmosphere. Light seems to render it brittle in a very short time, and 

 I strongly advise the reader never to buy the hanks of gut he sees hanging 

 up in the window of a tackle shop ; rather let him be careful to select 

 those that have been packed away in semi or complete darkness. I 

 always roll up my gut in a piece of indiarubber sheeting. There is a 

 certain amount of humidity which never varies in this sort of wrapper, 

 which I find keeps the gut delightfully pliant. It is only necessary 

 thereafter in splicing the gut to soak in milk-warm water. Do not 

 however, when tying a hook, soak the gut, for the reason that when 

 it shrinks again the probability is it will recede somewhat from its 

 whipping. Use it dry and hard, and then when the hooks are soaked, 

 as they should be always before using, the dry gut swells and renders its 

 hold additionally secure. 



Sometimes it may happen that the angler wishes to reduce the thick- 

 ness of the gut he may have in his possession. For this purpose I 

 cannot do better than give the following directions. The gut makers 

 use a paring machine, I understand. 



To make gut fine. Steep the lengths an hour or two in a saucer con- 

 taining vinegar and soft water one part of the former to three of the 

 latter. When sufficiently softened, take one of the thinnest lengths, 

 make a double knot at the thinner end, screw it firmly in a table vice, 

 and then lay hold of the other end with a pair of powerful pliers, giving 

 a turn or two round their point for greater security. After that rub the 

 whole length between fingers and thumb, moistened in the saucer, until 



