THE SPLIT BAMBOO ROD.* 



ITS HISTORY, ETC. 



THE "split bamboo" — "rent and glued bamboo" — rod has been 

 generally supposed to be an American invention. The first split 

 bamboo rod I ever saw or heard of was made by Wm. Blacker, 

 54 Dean street, Soho, London, and to order, for James Stevens, an 

 old and well-known angler, of Hoboken, N. J. This was in 1852, 

 and it was given to me for repairs and alterations in that year. I 

 am certain of the date, as I made a rod for Mr. Stevens on his visit 

 to the London Exhibition in 185 1. I have the records of both dates, 

 taken at the time, so that no mistake can be made. The rod is still 

 in the possession of the family of Mr. Stevens. 



The first attempt to give the history of the split bamboo rod in 

 this country, that I have been able to find, is as follows : A. G. Wil- 

 kinson, Esq.. of Washington, D. C, in an article in " Scribner's 

 Magazine" (now "The Century") for October, 1876, on "Salmon 

 ling," page 774, says: 



• I have taken not a little pains to get as far as possible a correct history of this 

 somewhat remarkable invention." 



Mr. Wilkinson gives the year 1866 as the one in which Mr. Phil- 

 lippi, a gunmaker of Easton. Pa., made a glued-up split bamboo rod 

 in three sections, or part of one. He was followed by Mr. Green 

 and Mr. Murphy. 



•Through the courtesy of the editor of "The American Angler," we are permitted 

 to republish the following articles giving the history of the split bamboo rod. 

 38A 



