52 THE PIKE. 



from time to time, thus shortening the line ; but 

 the remaining 50 yards or so, spliced to another 

 old one, makes as useful a line as can be desired, 

 and I don't like to discard an old friend that has 

 killed big fish- 

 One of the best specially prepared lines I ever 

 met with is the size of No. 3, made of pure silk, 

 soaked in a waterproofing of oil forced thoroughly 

 into the fabric of the line by pressure of air in an 

 air-pump ; the line is pliant and elastic, and strong 



SCALE OF SIZES FOR PIKE LINES. 

 PLAIT SILK LINES. 



enough to capture a pike or any other fish up 

 to 40 or 50 Ibs. weight. The lines are prepared 

 by and can be obtained at Messrs. C. Farlow 

 and Co. 



There are plenty of lines to be had that are low- 

 priced, but not cheap, because they are badly made 

 and untrustworthy ; they are made with a central 

 core of some shoddy material, around which silk is 

 plaited, similar to the way in which blind-cords 

 and picture-cords are made, i.e., worsted plaited 

 round a core of string. These lines are usually 

 dressed with a covering of varnish waterproofing, 



