Rods and Rod Material. 181 



If the before-mentioned test be applied as directed, I 

 confidently recommend this wood for the amateur's first 

 efforts in rod-making, but for butts and middle joints 

 only. Though sometimes employed for that purpose, I 

 think it too heavy for tips. A trifling increase of weight 

 at that part makes a serious and disagreeable difference 

 in the feel and action of the rod, as might be expected 

 the moment its distance from the hand and consequent 

 leverage is considered. Also, for the handle of such a 

 rod a lighter wood should be employed, such as ash, but- 

 ternut, or sumach. This may easily be arranged, either 

 by boring into the handle at least the whole length of 

 the grasp, and gluing the greenheart butt-joint there- 

 in, or by placing a ferrule immediately above the han- 

 dle. The latter, for reasons hereafter stated, I believe 

 to be the best construction for any rod of any material. 



*BETHABARA. 

 Specific gravity, 1.2140. 



The merits of this wood have been more highly ex- 

 tolled than any other. That it may be worked ^ of an 

 inch thinner than split - bamboo, and have the same 

 strength and better action ; also that a rod made from 

 it will cast a line ten feet farther than any rod made 

 from split-bamboo of the same calibre, are perhaps fair 

 samples of the claims urged in its behalf. 



If all this is true, here is the long sought substitute 

 for split-bamboo. When the difficulty of obtaining good 

 material for the latter, the greater skill and time required 

 in its manufacture, the practical impossibility of altering 



* Rods are on the market under the name of " Noib wood," the material 

 of which I am unable to distinguish from carefully selected bethabara. 



