Rods and Rod Material. 193 



sufficiently vouches for his opportunities for, and the 

 reliability of, his investigations. The latter was con- 

 servator of forests, Madras Presidency. 



The character of the tables which Mr. Laslett gives 

 would seem to enable the reader to form a very correct 

 judgment of the comparative value of the different woods 

 therein mentioned for our purpose, the more so since 

 greenheart is included therein ; and this, as previously 

 stated, I believe to be, if in perfection, the best of the 

 generally known rod-woods. 



The transverse strengths were ascertained by support- 

 ing a piece of wood two inches square upon two edges 

 placed six feet apart. A receptacle was suspended from 

 it midway between these points, and into this water was 

 gradually introduced to the weight of three hundred and 

 ninety pounds. The deflection in inches was then noted. 

 The weight was then removed and the resulting deflec- 

 tion (or set) taken. From this we can well judge two 

 important factors which go to make a good fly-rod mate- 

 rial its stiffness and power of recovery. Next comes 

 the deflection in inches at the breaking point ; then the 

 weight required to break each piece in pounds is given; 

 then the specific gravity from which we may compare 

 the weights; and finally the weight required to break 

 one square inch. In each case a number of specimens, 

 usually six, were tested. In Mr. Laslett's book each de- 

 termination is separately given, and an average deduced 

 therefrom. In the table presented hereafter these av- 

 erages only are given, stating in the first column from 

 how many separate experiments the given average was 

 determined. For convenience of comparison all the de- 

 terminations are presented in a single table, rather than 

 in detached form under each separate wood. 

 13 



