166 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



split open lengthwise through the leaf -sides of the cane 

 before shipment, and that they be carried on the vessel 

 lashed under the boats, or where they will have free 

 access of air yet not be exposed to the sun and sea- 

 water. 



It is hazardous to say anything is quite impossible, so 

 you may succeed in obtaining what you desire; but my 

 own experience leads me to believe that you might as 

 hopefully try to talk a stone wall out of its place, as the 

 inhabitants of that country out of their accustomed meth- 

 ods of procedure. 



In the Calcutta bamboo, strength, lightness, and that 

 steely spring which is the acme of perfection in a fly- 

 rod, are found to a degree unequalled in any other known 

 material. But, like most other things in this hollow, 

 hollow world, it has its drawbacks. Good bamboo that 

 which may truly be called virtuous in that it possesses 

 all the virtues though not as scarce as hens' teeth, is still 

 a rare prize and difficult to obtain. Mediocrity is the 

 rule here below, and with mediocrity of greater or less 

 degree must the rod-maker be content who would use 

 this material in quantity. Indeed, either the quality now 

 imported has deteriorated when compared to that of say 

 seven or eight years ago, or the writer has become much 

 more exacting in his choice. While as to poor bamboo, 

 that which may justly be so called when compared to 

 the mediocrity aforesaid (and such is by far the greater 

 portion brought to this country), it is well, the English 

 language is impotent to describe, or at all events to ex- 

 aggerate, its utter worthlessness for our purpose. Un- 

 fortunately there is no test which any dealer would per- 

 mit to determine the strength of a split -bamboo rod 

 after it is once glued together. It may have hardly the 



