100 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



and busy professional life I have seen many mechanical, 

 chemical, and mixed problems arise, have watched their 

 investigation, and witnessed their solution problems 

 compared with which this one under consideration seems 

 very simple. Had I but the necessary leisure and en- 

 vironment nothing would please me more than to under- 

 take the matter myself. But since this cannot be, per- 

 haps I may incite to the attempt others having the same 

 inclination who may be more advantageously circum- 

 stanced. Could I make the attempt, I should follow the 

 path I have seen lead to success in similar investigations. 

 I should master the literature of silk-worm culture as 

 given in the encyclopedias and dictionaries of the 

 arts, etc., Mr. Orvis's article hereinbefore mentioned, 

 and all other published information to which I could 

 gain access; not so much with intent to follow slavishly 

 anything therein contained, as that in case of difficulty 

 some suggestion might be found to aid in its solution. 

 Then I should experiment, and experiment, and experi- 

 ment, expecting repeated failure while confident of ulti- 

 mate success carefully observing and noting every 

 result and indication obtained, whether favorable or 

 unfavorable ; and all the time keeping my results under 

 the dasher of the mental churn to separate the butter 

 from the skim-milk, and learn what to, try next. The 

 game of twenty questions would be my model. The 

 start might be quite wide of the mark. But by a grad- 

 ual process of elimination the range of inquiry would 

 constantly narrow, till at last I feel confident in the 

 residue would be found what was sought. 



Side by side with the pickling method that of Dr. 

 Garlick should be tried exactly as he prescribes, and 

 also with variations. His method of drawing the gut 



