18 ANGLING. 



above manner, of ash for the butt, hickory for the middle 

 piece, and lancewood or split bamboo for the top, with a 

 whalebone top ; or it may be made in two pieces, the 

 bottom of ash and the top of lancewood. The rings should 

 not be too close, nor the reel too heavy. Some curious 

 calculations have been made with respect to the rings of a 

 rod, so as to equally divide the strain, and by the whip- 

 pings add strength to the rod farthest from the ferules. 

 We may add that the reel should be placed near the end of 

 the butt in single-handed rods six to eight inches will be 

 found a convenient distance. From a dozen to sixteen 

 rings may be used, according to the length of the rod, the 

 first of which may be placed eighteen inches from the reel, 

 and the next twelve inches, decreasing in proportion until 

 the end loop is reached. The last ring should be about 

 four inches from the loop, and a longer distance on each 

 side of the ferule. In a spliced rod, the allowance to be 

 made for the joints need not be so great. These general 

 hints will be sufficient for all practical purposes. Mr 

 Moffat, in the " Secrets of Angling," attaches great import- 

 ance to these minutiae. The first ring in a thirteen-feet rod 

 with four joints, he says, should be seventeen inches from 

 the reel, which is to be placed 8^ inches from the butt. The 

 rings are then placed apart in the following order : 12^, 

 17$, 10, Hi, 15, 8i, 9, 9, 7i, 10, 4|, 4,}, % 5|, leaving 

 the loop 3^- from the last ring. I cannot attach much im- 

 portance to these measurements, which to be effective must 

 depend on the material of which the rod is made. 



There are several varieties of fancy rods sold in the shape 

 of bag rods and walking-stick rods. These can only be re- 

 commended from their portability. The former are made 

 in about two-feet lengths, so that they may be packed in a 



