THE SPLIT BAMBOO ROD 139 



"We have been requested by Mr. Farlow 

 to inspect and test one of his new quadrangular 

 glued-up bamboo rods. Those rods are made 

 of four splints of bamboo, cut into quarters 

 and laid together very neatly, stuck with some 

 strong cement, and further secured by being 

 tied with a half-dozen turns of silk every two 

 inches; thus the outside of the rod is one hard 

 surface of the tough, pliant skin of the bam- 

 boo, the softer and more pithy part being to- 

 wards the middle. 



" The idea of so constructing rods is not 

 new, but formerly they were made in triangu- 

 lar splints instead of quadrangular; whether it 

 was from this circumstance or from the work- 

 manship or the cement being less perfect we 

 cannot determine, but the old rods, though 

 they possessed great power over a fish, yet cer- 

 tainly had less spring and less power of re- 

 covery, and after a good pulling and straining 

 did not go back to the straight line so well as 

 these do, and consequently did not cast as good 

 a line. With one of these little rods, which is 

 light enough for a lady to use comfortably, we 

 cast twenty yards of line with ease at the first 

 essay, with a nasty cross wind blowing; and 

 that is enough for any single-handed rod to 

 accomplish." 



