280 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



the strip feels prompt to recover, and sprightly, it is all 

 right so far. Now test the strength by breaking both 

 strips at short intervals throughout their length. If they 

 uniformly break gradually and with difficulty, and with a 

 splintering and broom-like fracture, the bamboo is good ; 

 but if, as will more frequently be the case, they break 

 short off, and the bamboo slivers but little, they are 

 worthless. Any cane which has strength, but is deficient 

 in elasticity, tie together with the interior exposed to 

 the air, label it " strong but not elastic," and store it 

 away till further seasoning cures this defect ; but if 

 wanting in strength, saw it up for kindling - wood, and 

 be rid of it. 



Now let us assume that six good strips have been ob- 

 tained. Arrange them side by side, so that no knot is 

 abreast of another " slip the joints " as some term it 

 and cut off to the proper length, or an inch in excess of 

 that. File off the knots, and square up the edges as di- 

 rected in the preceding section, approximating closely 

 to the taper and width. Now a little tool-making is in 

 order. 



Fig. 62. 



Let the diagram above represent your smaller "Bai- 

 ley " plane. Drill two holes through the sides (A A), 

 so as to admit the passage of a f-inch round -headed 

 wood-screw, and this so that the interior construction 



