9 OBSERVATIONS 



fish, for by retiring from the river, and fix- 

 ing the rod upright in the ground (by means 

 of the spike) you will keep a light line, your 

 rod will play with every stroke he makes, and 

 you will easily land him with your net. I 

 would recommend spikes to the but ends of 

 all your rods, proportioned to their strength ; 

 they will preserve them from many accidents, 

 which they often meet with when laid down, 

 and are no despicable weapon against dogs, 

 with which our villages swarm ; a great num- 

 ber which do not come under the descrip- 

 tion of game dogs, being kept by persons 

 not charged to the church and poor rates, 

 and on that account exempted the dog tax. 



Rods should not be kept in too dry a 

 room, the practice of steeping them in water 

 is a bad one, and will soon spoil them. 



