H HOOKS. 



almost endless varieties of shape and make, 

 all of which have their own admirers. Now 

 there is, in the first place, no economy so 

 expensive in the end, or so delusive, as that 

 of investing in cheap hooks. There is, in 

 angling, no branch of more direct import- 

 ance than this particular one of hooks. If 

 you cannot have confidence in your hook, 

 of what avail is the most perfect skill and 

 manipulation, or the most artistically finished 

 rod or winch ? In the manufacture of hooks, 

 as in that of needles, each department under- 

 takes its own special work, which is kept 

 quite distinct and separate. In the first 

 place, there is one department where the 

 wire is simply cut to the required length 

 and straightened. The wires are then passed 

 to another "shop," where they receive the 

 barbs ; these are simply cut with a sharp knife, 

 and it is astonishing the amount of skill and 

 dexterity displayed by the barb-cutters ac- 

 quired by constant attention to that portion 

 of the business. If the barb is cut too deep, 

 it is apt to break off when the point comes in 

 contact with a bone ; and if it is not cut deep 

 enough, it will probably cause the loss of a 

 fish through not being "rank" enough to 

 retain its hold. Roach-fishers who like very 

 fine wire hooks should remember that they 

 can only have an amount of barb in propor- 

 tion to the thickness of wire in the hook. 

 After the wires are barbed, they are filed at 



