230 Fly-rods <md Fly-tackle. 



precursor of error. Having finished two of the sides, 

 plane the taper into the remaining two in like manner, 

 but be sure to keep the stick square. 



This is the time to test your material. Bend it to- 

 wards each of the four sides, and don't be gingerly about 

 it either. If your ship must sink, let it be while you are 

 ashore. The strain should be applied when the taper is 

 almost, better still if quite, complete. Hold the bend in 

 the joint till you can count thirty with moderate slow- 

 ness. Then release it, and see if it has regained its orig- 

 inal shape. If it has, your wood is first-class; and con- 

 gratulating yourself on your good-fortune, redouble your 

 care that no error on your part spoil it. If it neither 

 splinter nor break, but does " set," i.e., does not resume 

 its original shape, the better course is to suspend it by 

 one end where the air will have free access to it, and let 

 it season for a few months. We have seen from the 

 conclusion of the preceding chapter that the strength 

 and elasticity of wood depends almost wholly upon the 

 amount of moisture it contains, and why this is so ; that 

 dried in an artificially warmed house from eight to ten 

 per cent, of moisture still remains ; and that wood may 

 be subjected to a temperature up to 120 F. without in- 

 jury, and with further loss of water. If, therefore, a 

 hot closet is at hand where the temperature does not 

 exceed that given above, the joint may be suspended 

 there until its improved elasticity shows that it is suffi- 

 ciently dried out. Something, a piece of cloth for 

 example, should be interposed between the joint and 

 the source of heat to prevent one side being heated 

 hotter than the others, lest it dry unequally and sea- 

 son-crack. If the "set" is slight, you may at the 

 same time regret and ignore it, and proceed to finish 



