MR. LITTLE'S SALMON-ROD. 279 



Royal Highness Prince Albert. Mr. Little is 

 himself a maker, having worked at the bench 

 as an apprentice, and until master as a journey- 

 man, and I hold him thoroughly competent to 

 pass an opinion of great value on the making and 

 materials of rods of all kinds. He writes to me 

 thus : "I consider the salmon-rod, carefully 

 made, and only spliced fairly in the middle, con- 

 sisting of two pieces, the most perfect rod ; but 

 the objection is that such a rod, made of two 

 pieces each nine feet six inches in length, will 

 not be conveniently portable, and will be only 

 suitable for the angler resident almost by the 

 river side. The next best rod should be eighteen 

 feet long, and consist of three joints, with one 

 ferrule fitting only for the butt and second joint, 

 the top joint being spliced to the second, and not 

 requiring a ferrule, which increases weight at the 

 top, and injures the correct play of the rod. The / 

 top and middle joints are to be made from the f 

 stoutest pieces of bamboo cane, called "jungle," \ 

 and brought from India. The pieces should be 

 large and straight, so that you can rend them 

 well through knots and all. Each joint should 

 consist of three rent pieces, split like the foot of a 

 portable garden chair, and afterwards glued toge- 

 ther; not knot opposite to knot, or imperfect 

 grain opposite to imperfect grain, but the best 

 part opposite to that which may be knotty or 



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