THE BAIT-CASTING ROD 19 



of the wood prevents constructing a rod of sufficient 

 caliber to obviate setting. 



Ash deserves only a word, for, while it is light it 

 is not sufficiently tough for the work required of a 

 casting rod. Good for first joints, butts, and that is 

 all. If you are building a rod and desire to elim- 

 'inate every superfluous ounce, build the butt joint of 

 ash and the tip of yew : it makes a good combination. 



Osage orange is sometimes used by amateur 

 workers but manufacturers hardly consider it worthy 

 of notice, though Wells hoped "that here we may 

 find a domestic material equal, if not superior, to 

 most of the foreign woods," and quotes Mr. D. J. 

 Brown as follows: "The wood of the Machura 

 (Osage orange) is of a bright yellow color, some- 

 what resembling the fustic, and like the wood of that 

 tree, it is said, affords a yellow dye. It is solid, 

 heavy, durable, uncommonly fine grained, and 

 elastic; and on account of the latter property it is 

 used for bows by all the tribes of the Indians of the 

 region where it abounds. When wrought it receives 

 a beautiful polish of the appearance and brilliancy of 

 satinwood." Personally I have not experimented 

 with it, but a number of my correspondents have, and 

 report varying degrees of success. I am not ready 

 to recommend it. 



The great problem one faces when experimenting 

 with native woods is the difficulty of securing prop- 

 erly cut and cured material. Perhaps that is the 



