412 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



that the minute pieces of wax necessary to wax the silk thread should* 

 be warmed and rendered sufficiently soft, or constant annoyance will be> 

 experienced in consequence of the silk breaking. 



Gum Mastic Wax. A saturated solution of gum mastic in methylated 

 spirit makes a good wax for whipping hooks, rods, &c. 



Green Spirit Varnish, very useful for colouring rods for fishing amongst 

 weeds, is made with green sealing wax and methylated spirit. Break the 

 wax into small pieces, and allow it to dissolve in a warm room. 



Orange Varnish. This may be made by mixing the following ingre- 

 dients : Spirits of wine, 3oz. ; orange shellac (crushed), Hoz. ; gum 

 Benjamin (benzoin?), \oz. Allow a week before using. 



Colourless Spirit Varnish. Bleached shellac and methylated spirit, 

 with a little gum Benjamin added. 



Brown Varnish. Ordinary shellac dissolved in spirits of wine. It 

 dries quickly, but must be used in a dry atmosphere. 



Indiarubber Varnish is made by heating linseed oil and the rubber in 

 a sand bath till it is dissolved. This varnish takes a long time to dry. 



Copal varnish, with small quantity of gold size and turpentine, takes 

 some time to dry, but it makes a good whipping wax. Steep the silk 

 in it. 



Another wax. Tallow and resin each 23 drachms, beeswax 13 drachms, 

 mutton suet, free from skin, 2^ drachms, melt together. 



Now all these receipts are good according to their various proper uses. 

 I prefer the cobblers' wax to any other for hook whipping, however, and 

 the plain shellac varnish for rods. I have used all, and found them, 

 according to circumstances, capital recipes, and I therefore invite the 

 angler to make and try each one as required. I could have lengthened 

 this chapter greatly, by adding ancient and, for the most part, com- 

 paratively useless notions, but such are not of more worth than curiosities 

 to the modern practical angler ; I refrain, having no doubt the foregoing 

 will be found sufficient. 



