THE FERRULE. 53 



materially impaired ; whereas, when the joint is used in 

 its simple or naked state, the slight contraction or 

 expansion of the wood resulting from drought or 

 moisture, occasions no such injurious effect, inasmuch 

 as there is no necessity, when fitting in the lengths, to 

 be over nice or exact about the point of conjunction. 



It is proper, however, especially in the prospect of 

 encountering rain, to grease that portion of each length 

 which is intended to be inclosed. By so doing, you 

 prevent in some measure the swelling of the wood 

 below the ferrule, and render comparatively simple the 

 disengaging of the several divisions. In event, however, 

 of this operation having been neglected, should the 

 angler find it impracticable, by the exercise of a mode- 

 rate degree of manual strength, to effect the taking 

 down of his rod, he ought by no means, on the instant, 

 to press his object, so as to render possible the racking 

 or injuring of the wood or ferrule, nor should he, if he 

 can possibly avoid doing so, resort to the application of 

 strong heat, in order to reduce the expansion of the 

 wood. I would recommend him to take home the im- 

 plement in its undetached state, and if convenient, to 

 lay it by for a few months, either in an upright or 

 recumbent position, until the wood has become tho- 

 roughly dried, when he may readily, without much effort, 

 unfix the lengths. When necessitated, however, to 

 apply heat, let him employ a pair of common fire- 

 tongs made red-hot at the extremities. In using these, 

 one must be careful to seize hold of the ferrule or brass 

 tube, at or near the centre, so as not to interfere with 

 the waxed wrappings which secure the lower fastening- 

 pin. A very few moments will suffice to communicate 

 the requisite heat equally throughout the joining ; the 

 moisture confined in the wood will gradually find vent 



