SALMON FLY ROD, REEL, &c. 37 



throughout its length a stiffness, out of sympathy 

 with the true taper and roundness of the rod. 

 Another objection to it is that it does not work 

 equally, i.e. if a rod be used for casting in a 

 line with the edges of the splice, and then held 

 in a position at right angles to this, the action 

 will be found to be different, i.e. stiff er, when 

 used across the longer axis of the oval, and 

 more supple when used across the shorter. If 

 we add to this its great inconvenience and 

 trouble in fastening, and the fact that well- 

 ferruled rods can be purchased as cheaply, we 

 have said enough to bury decently the friend of 

 our boyhood. 



The present form of joint where the ferrule 

 is of proper gauge, and tempered to spring in 

 unison with the rod, seems almost final. There 

 are many patented arrangements for holding the 

 ferrules together, called "lockfast" joints, &c., 

 and their simplicity, strength, and ease in mani- 

 pulation, leave little or nothing to be desired 

 on that score, while the improved method of 

 connecting them to the rod by what is called 

 " splint ends " makes a very perfect and sound 

 connection. The spiral lockfast joint, patented 

 and introduced by Messrs. Hardy Brothers in 

 1881, is without doubt the simplest and strongest 

 of all. Many other forms have since been 

 patented by this firm, but the fact that the 



