ON THE WOODS PROPER FOR 

 FLY-RODS 



ALMOST any kind of wood, if not heavy, will 

 make the butt of a fly-rod, but the middle and 

 the top require a brisk wood, in which the 

 qualities of elasticity and toughness are well 

 combined ; it should also be very sound and 

 well seasoned, and the grain must be in the 

 right direction. White hickory is decidedly 

 bad, and even red hickory is better employed 

 as a material for hand-spikes than fly-rods : like 

 ash, it is too pliable for tops, or even for middle 

 pieces. Lancewood, which can be had every- 

 where, makes a middling top, and is easily 

 worked, but it is heavy and dull, especially in 

 damp weather. Bamboo is tough and pretty- 

 looking, but slow, and if severely bent, will 

 never return without help ; Green-heart, which 

 may now be got at any shipbuilding port, is 

 very much better ; but clean and straight-grained 

 logwood is the best of all ; with common care 

 seems almost imperishable ; nor will a fly-fisher 

 who has used logwood for a season or two 

 ever be contented with anything else. Red-deal 

 and white-spruce make very good butts; red 

 and yellow-pine very fair ones ; there is no 

 33 E 



