24 BEST'S ART OF ANGLING. 



portion, is preferable : pare the cork to a pyra- 

 midal form, grind it smooth with a pumice-stone, 

 then colour it according to your fancy. Floats, 

 whether quill or cork, must be poised with shot 

 when on the line, as to make them cock ; that is, 

 stand perpendicular in the water, that the least 

 nibble or bite may be apparent. 



When a float is split or bruised, there is no re- 

 medy for the mischance but getting a new one ; 

 but you may save the plug, and it will serve for 

 another. But if the water gets in at the top of 

 your float, a little sealing-wax will prevent it ; if 

 the plug of your float is loose, pull it out, and 

 fasten it with the following cements. 



Take bees-wax bruised small, chalk scraped fine, 

 and black rosin powdered, of each an equal quan- 

 tity ; melt them in a spoon, or any small tin ves- 

 sel, and see that they are well mixed : or take 

 brick-dust sifted very fine, and common rosin, pul- 

 verised ; put one part of brick-dust to two parts of 

 rosin, and melt them as before directed : dip your 

 plug in either of these, and put your float imme- 

 diately upon it. When you join two floats toge- 

 ther, let the plug be a little thicker in the middle 

 than at the ends, which ends are to go into the 

 quills ; dip one end into the cement, and put one 

 quill upon it : then do the like by the other, and 

 you have a double float : or you may make it by 

 dipping the ends of both quills, when prepared, 

 in the cement, and fixing them together, which, 

 when the cement is cold, will be very strong. 



To dye quills red, which for still waters are bet- 

 ter than any other floats, take what quantity you 

 please of urine, and put in it as much powder of 

 Brazil wood as will make it redden a piece of 

 white paper ; then take some clean water, into 



