144 AMATEUR RODMAKING 



much lighter, and where lightness is required 

 the whole rod may be made with cane. The 

 few makers that have as yet attempted solid 

 cane or glued-up rods, have generally placed 

 the bark or hardest part of the cane inside in 

 glueing, and then reduced the joints down on 

 the outside to the usual tapering shape. Give 

 me, however, the workman who glues and 

 splices with the bark outside, and then gives his 

 rod a true and correct action, allowing the 

 three different barks to be seen visibly on the 

 outside after he has rounded the whole. If 

 the pieces are skilfully glued together they will 

 require no reduction except at the corners, to 

 bring the rod from the three square to the 

 round shape. I am prepared to prove that 

 there are no more than three men in London 

 capable of making, perfectly, rods of solid 

 cane, rent, glued, and then correctly finished 

 with the bark lying on the outside. 



" In my opinion rods made entirely of lance- 

 wood," Mr. Fitzgibbon says, "are the worst; 

 and those made entirely of rent and glued 

 jungle cane are the best. They must be most 

 carefully fashioned, and no maker can turn 

 them out without charging a high price. I am 

 also of the opinion that they will last longer 



