THE DRIFFIELD ANGLER. 113 



into the trunk and branches, at which time it 

 is improper to gather stocks or tops. Let 

 your stocks be taper grown, and your tops 

 the best rush ground shoots you can get, not 

 knotty, but proportionable and slender, 

 otherwise they will neither cast nor strike 

 well. 



Having gathered your stocks and tops all 

 in one season, as straight as you can, bathe 

 them over a gentle fire, and set them as 

 straight as possible ; then lay them aside for 

 three or four days, after w r hich rub them 

 over with a piece of flannel dipped in linseed 

 oil, which will polish them and fetch off the 

 superfluous bark, if any ; tie them quite 

 straight and so keep them till the spring, 

 when they will be seasoned for use. 



When your rod is completed, varnish it 

 oyer neatly, making your varnish of a pint 

 of linseed oil and sixpennyworth of India- 

 rubber scraped fine, put them over a slow 

 fire and stir them well together till the rub- 

 L 3 



