38 ANGLER'S EQUIPMENT. 



this purpose, in the centre of which there is gene- 

 rally a considerable quantity of pith, which can 

 easily be scooped out, and the hollow space enlarged. 

 We are by no means partial to hollow butts ; they 

 require to be made so thick that they destroy the 

 symmetry of the rod, and they never bend from 

 the hand as a well-made rod should. It is only in 

 Scotland that hollow butts are much used. Eng- 

 lish anglers object to them as destroying the bend 

 of a rod, and carry a spare point in the handle of 

 their landing-net, which is made hollow for that 

 purpose in our opinion, a great improvement upon 

 the hollow butts. The necessity for spare points 

 would be avoided, if anglers would get their rods 

 made stronger. A moderately stout rod made of 

 good material, with plenty of rings, will stand 

 much more than could be supposed from its appear- 

 ance, and even if it should break, it can be tempor- 

 arily repaired in a very short time. If the butt is 

 not made hollow, fir may be substituted for ash 

 with advantage, as it is much lighter, and quite 

 strong enough. 



For the middle pieces of a rod, there is nothing 

 like hickory ; it possesses elasticity and strength in 

 a great degree, and if properly taken care of, will 

 stand long and frequent use. Good hickory is the 

 most valuable of all woods to the rod-maker. 



The tops of rods are made of a great many diffe- 

 rent kinds of wood hickory, bamboo, lance, log- 

 wood, greenheart, and numerous others. The. two 



