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v 



Rods and Rod Material. ^ 201 



" pins," which are the bane of the worker of lancewood. 

 Though apparently not perfectly seasoned, yet a degree of 

 stiffness, elasticity, and freedom from set was shown which 

 would be considered remarkable in any wood. It broke 

 with great difficulty, and then with a wiry fibrous fract- 

 ure resembling hickory in this respect. Compared with 

 a stick of approved greenheart of equal size, the Dagame 

 showed no inferiority that I could detect, while it was 

 certainly much lighter, and I thought decidedly stronger. 

 Should I praise this wood in terms as high as I believe 

 this sample would justify me in doing x I fear I might be 

 deemed extravagant. 



I presented the well-known physicist, Professor Alfred 

 M. Mayer, of the Stevens Institute of Technology, au- 

 thor of that superb book, " Sport with Gun and Rod," 

 with some which he converted into a light minnow cast- 

 ing-rod, believing that in this manner the quality of the 

 wood could be better tested than in a fly-rod. He in- 

 forms me that he has used the rod extensively in black- 

 bass fishing, and purposely in the most unsparing man- 

 ner. He speaks in the highest terms of its performance, 

 emphasizing particularly its ability to endure the heavi- 

 est strains strains which doubled it up so as to cause his 

 boatman again and again to beg him to spare so good 

 a rod, and not doom it to certain destruction and this 

 with perfect impunity and entire apparent freedom from 

 set. Should I express myself in its favor in as decided 

 terms as I am tempted to do, not even then would his 

 encomiums be exceeded. At all events it is well worthy 

 the rod-maker's attention, especially for tips. 



PURPLEHEART. 



All travellers in British Guiana enlarge on the mag- 



