LINES AND REELS. 53 



mixture, and when the copperas is dissolved, which it will be 

 in a few minutes, dip the gut into the mixture until it has got 

 the dirty greyish-green tinge described. Very often a few 

 instants' immersion will be sufficient, and in order to ascertain 

 the exact amount of the stain, as well as to avoid overstaining, 

 it is best always to keep a basin of water close at hand to 

 rinse the gut in, the moment it is taken out of the dye. 



This method of staining involves a little extra 

 trouble, but it is trouble well bestowed, and will 

 tell on the baskets. The removal of the gloss is 

 I think due to the action of the copperas. Every 

 description of gut used in fishing should be stained 

 in this manner. 



To produce the common stains already men- 

 tioned : 



Red-water stain. Use tea-leaves as above described : or 

 coffee, previously charred in a frying-pan and ground, will 

 answer instead of tea. 



Walnut juice is said to produce a similar colour, 

 but as I have never tried it, I cannot speak 

 from experience. 



Slate stain. Soak the gut in a mixture of boiling water 

 and ink, rinsing it well when stained. 



All gut stains can be reduced in intensity by 

 soaking the gut in clean boiling water. 



Elsewhere I have offered detailed observations 

 on the subject of reels, &c. It may suffice in the 



