RECIPES AND NOTABILIA 357 



To Dye Gut. First moisten it well, then dilute some ink 

 slightly with water, and steep the gut in it ; if only a light 

 colour be required, for a short time ; if darker, for a longer 

 period. This gives a blue. For an amber, a very light dis- 

 coloration many be obtained by steeping in tea or coffee lees, 

 and a deeper colour by using the water in which walnut shucks 

 have been steeped. For a green, boil a piece of green baize, and 

 put the gut in the liquor while it is warm. 



To Dress Lines. Take equal parts of boiled linseed oil and 

 copal varnish, and steep the line in it till well soaked, and then 

 hang it out to dry, clearing off all the refuse dressing with a 

 piece of rag. When the line is dry, repeat the operation. Some 

 eschew varnish as being too brittle, using a spoonful of gold 

 size instead. Gold size dries up the dressing more or less 

 quickly, as the quantity used is increased or diminished. 

 Boiled oil, with a knob of resin, makes a useful and hard 

 dressing, and dries more quickly, but it is sticky when warm, 

 and is rather brittle likewise. India-rubber dressing will be 

 found preservative, which is not always the case with varnish 

 and oil dressings, as these often burn and injure the line. Cut 

 up some white india-rubber in small chips, and dissolve it in 

 turps ; dress the line with it, and when thoroughly dry it makes 

 a capital dressing. All lines should be thoroughly dried and 

 hard before using, or the dressing comes off speedily. 



Varnish for Tackle, Hook Dressings, etc. Break up small 

 some shellac, put it into a bottle, and dissolve it thoroughly in 

 strong spirits of wine ; paint the dressing over with it, and 

 hang it in some warm spot to dry, which it does speedily. 

 Before using, shake up the varnish and see that the dressing is 

 thoroughly dry. It is also advisable not to use the tackle until 

 the dressing is properly dry and hard, or it turns white. 

 Sealing wax may be dissolved in the same way, but it does not 

 make nearly as durable a varnish. 



Varnish for Rods. The best varnish for rods is the " best 

 coachmakers' varnish." Two coats of this are ample, but the 

 first coat must be quite dry before the other is laid on. 



Liquid Wax. Dissolve some cobblers' wax in spirits of wine, 

 shake it up, and lay on with a feather. This is very useful with 

 frayed or weak silk, when tying a neat and delicate fly, as the 

 spirit evaporates, but the wax remains on the silk. 



White Wax. Take two ounces of the best resin and one- 

 quarter of an ounce of beeswax, simmer them together in a 



