196 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



strength, elasticity, pliancy, and lightness, and in its con- 

 struction such a wood, or combination of woods, must be 

 used as will best subserve these conditions. The natural 

 cane, or reed pole, when it is of good and true taper, is 

 the primitive model for a fishing rod, but it is not adapted 

 to all kinds of angling, being too long for one mode, too 

 stiff for another, and not well balanced for a third. 



The nearest approach to a perfect rod, in theory, and 

 composed entirely and alone of any one variety of wood 

 proper, is a red cedar rod, made entirely of one piece from 

 butt to tip. It combines all of the essential qualities of a rod, 

 and can be made suitable for any method of angling, long 

 or short, stiff or pliant, and withal, is extremely light ; 

 but in practice it is not tough or strong enough for the 

 ordinary angler. And so each and every kind of wood 

 has some objections when used, alone, in the construction 

 of a rod ; most kinds of wood making a rod too heavy, 

 when other qualities are all right. 



The next best thing is to use a combination of woods, 

 and this plan has been found by experience to be the best. 

 Another plan is to alter .the natural conditions of a wood 

 by mechanical skill, as in the split bamboo rod, by which 

 the original natural good'qualities are not only preserved, 

 but improved upon by the skill of the workman. 



MATERIAL FOR RODS. 



In order to get proper and desired action of combined 

 woods, and for convenience, portability, and ease of being 

 repaired, rods are very properly made in several pieces, or 

 joints. The fewer pieces used, however, the better will 

 be the action of the rod, and, in fact, two, or at most, 



