FISHING RODS. 77 



will become loosened in its bed, like a wedge, from contin- 

 ual casting, and the joint will eventually separate. My ex- 

 perience proves it. Viewed in this light, a perfectly fitting 

 dowel joint, that is, where the dowel is accurately fitted to 

 a tapered mortise, is really worse than (as is often the case) 

 where the mortise is bored perfectly straight ; in the latter 

 case, the joint is formed by the ferrules only, for a tapered 

 dowel in a straight hole is worse than useless. 



Ferrules should be short, and perfectly cylindrical. It is 

 not necessary for the female butt ferrule to exceed two and 

 a half inches in length, nor two inches for the second joint. 

 The male ferrules should be of a corresponding length, say 

 one inch, which will give all the a hold " required. The fer- 

 rules should be perfectly fitted to each other throughout their 

 entire extent. The lower end of the male ferrule, and the 

 bottom of the female ferrule should be protected by metal 

 caps or disks, soldered on, to exclude moisture. The fer- 

 rules should be fitted without cutting the wood, and a 

 wrapping of silk put on at the ends for a finish. A good 

 plan is to wrap on a guide or ring immediately below the 

 female ferrules, so that the upper wrapping of the guide 

 extends to the ferrule, which thus serves a double purpose. 



Swell ferrules are unnecessary, and are neither so good 

 nor strong as cylindrical and uniform ones. The ends of 

 the ferrules may, however, be split, or serrated, or be swaged 

 into a hexagonal form for split-bamboo rods, to give a more 

 perfect fit, without any disadvantage in other ways. Fer- 

 rules may be banded if the metal is very thin, which is apt 

 to be the case with those drawn from German silver, which 

 can not be drawn so thick as brass. Ferrules should be 

 affixed with shellac or cement instead of using a metal pin, 

 which has a tendency to weaken the rod, and renders the 



