THE SPLIT BAMBOO ROD 143 



years before he made them for Andrew Clerk 

 & Co." 



An excellent description of the method of 

 making split bamboo rods is found in the first 

 edition of Edward Fitzgibbon's " Handbook 

 for Angling," London, 1847. As to the con- 

 struction of a salmon rod, he says he obtained 

 the following from Mr. Little, of 15 Fetter 

 Lane, rodmaker to His Royal Highness, 

 Prince Albert: 



"They [the top and middle joints] are to 

 be made from the 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 afterward glued together, not with 

 knot opposite to knot, or imperfect grain oppo- 

 site to imperfect grain, but the best part oppo- 

 site to that which may be knotty or imperfect, 

 so as to equalize defectiveness and goodness. 

 The natural badness of the cane you counter- 

 act by art, and none save a clever workman 

 can do it. 



:t The butt of a salmon rod should be made 

 of plank ash or ground ash, though many good 

 judges prefer willow or red deal, as being 



