SPLICING. 311 



whilst an extra short butt of say from 18 inches to 2 

 feet makes a general implement for all round use, as 

 with the long top and short butt the result is a whippy 

 small stream rod, but with the long top, and the long 

 butt a powerful rod for heavier waters, and yet again 

 with short top and butt too an excellent pike rod is 

 the result. 



How to make a splice. Localities are highly 

 important here, as splicing a broken joint at home 

 and at leisure is an operation depending upon widely 

 different issues than when at the waterside, with but 

 a pocket knife and twine as repairing agents. With 

 the former we must deal first as a sort of ideal at 

 which to aim in less advantageous circumstances. 

 The mode of procedure is briefly thus : the two 

 portions are each marked some three inches or more 

 from the broken ends (short joinings are 

 unsubstantial), and now, after seeing to the row of 

 rings being in a direct line, the taper cutting is to 

 be carefully done by means of a keen wood chisel ; 

 this carefully effected, the splice must next be fitted 

 with the greatest possible exactitude with a file. The 

 glue having meanwhile been prepared, the splice is 

 effected and secured firmly by stout cord, and when 

 the glue is dry any remaining uneveness is erased by 

 the file, and the whole is then carefully wrapped and 

 strengthened with strong silk, which is again 

 protected with wax and varnish in the usual way. 



Temporary splicing at the water-side may be done 

 both quickly and effectually by the observance of 

 the following simple directions : First, the length of 



