288 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



the end of the tip. When about to glue together, num- 

 ber each strip on each of its faces, so you can select 

 the proper one at once. Get the assistance of another 

 if you can, apply the glue to each strip in turn on both 

 sides for half its length, then as they are taken up one 

 after the other, before you lay each beside its neighbor, 

 run the glued surfaces over a gas or lamp flame to re- 

 store the glue to perfect fluidity, and then wind as di- 

 rected to within about three inches of where the glue 

 ends. Then, your friend holding the strips apart, apply 

 the glue to the remaining surfaces, warm as before, par- 

 ticularly near where the first gluing ended, and wind 

 together as directed. 



Four-strip tips will work in perfect harmony with a 

 hexagonal butt and middle joint. Indeed the tip, so long 

 as it be light, and nervous in action, is the least impor- 

 tant part of the rod. I assume that an independent han- 

 dle will be used, whether united to the butt joint with a 

 ferrule, or permanently glued thereto. 



I finish this chapter with many misgivings. At one 

 moment I fear I have been prolix beyond endurance, at 

 the next, lest some important step has been overlooked, 

 taken by me as a matter of course, but not necessarily 

 so by the beginner for whose benefit I have written. I 

 can well imagine the smile with which the professional 

 rod-maker will regard my doubtless clumsy and unnec- 

 essarily elaborate methods. In self-defence I can only 

 say that beyond what I was able to gather from Thad- 

 deus Norris's " American Angler," I have never had the 

 advantage of advice or assistance in rod-making. Each 

 step has been sought and found through much experi- 

 ment, and many a failure. Simpler and better methods 



