PIKE-TACKLE. 25 



the principle of variatio dekctat, some of my readers may, per- 

 haps, like to do so. It ' looks well ' on paper : 



To a quarter of a pint of 'double boiled cold-drawn ' linseed oil, 

 add one ounce of gold size. Gently warm and mix them well, 

 being first careful to have the line quite diy. While the mixture is 

 warm, soak the line therein till it is fully saturated to its very 

 centre, say for twenty-four hours. Then pass it through a piece 

 of flannel, pressing it sufficiently to take off the superficial coat, 

 which enables that which is in the interior to get stiff. The line 

 must then be hung up in the air, wind, or sun, out of the reach cf 

 moisture, for about a fortnight, till pretty well dry. It must then 

 be re-dipped to give an outer coat, for which less soaking is neces- 

 sary ; after this, wipe it again but lightly, wind it on a chair-back 

 or towel-horse before a hot fire, and there let it remain for two or 

 three hours, which will cause the mixture on it to ' flow,' as japan- 

 ners term it, and give an even gloss over the whole. It must then 

 be left to dry as before ; the length of time, as it depends on the 

 weather and place, observation must determine upon. By this 

 means it becomes impervious to wet, and sufficiently stiff never to 

 clog or entangle, the oil producing the former quality and the gold 

 size (which is insoluble in water) the latter ; while the commixture 

 prevents the size becoming too hard and stiff. A trolling-line 

 should be thus dressed every season at least. 



For re-dressing a line, whilst in use or when out of reach of 

 tackle-shops, the following is, perhaps, the best plan that can 

 be tried : 



Stretch the line tightly, and rub it thoroughly with white (com- 

 mon candle) wax. Then take a little ' boiled oil,' which can be got 

 at most oil and colour shops, and placing it on a piece of flannel, 

 rub the line well over with it. This will have the effect of making 

 the line flexible, and will give a finish to the dressing. 



It cannot be denied, however, that there is always some 

 little uncertainty in the effect of oil dressings, especially when 

 manipulated by amateurs ; and I have on several occasions 

 had lines returned after re-dressing and that too from very 

 careful hands which from some reason or other seemed to be- 

 come in parts almost immediately rotten, a result, as far as I 

 could judge, only attributable to the effect of the new dressing. 



