266 SALMON AND SEA TROUT FISHING. 



and good. The weakest part of a line, always in 

 constant casting or spinning, gets the twist and turn, 

 and is thus the more readily frayed away. The hair 

 and silk, cotton cord, and plaited hemp lines are 

 inferior both in point of strength and durability to 

 silk, plaited, and prepared to resist the action of the 

 water and friction. The new Acme" line, as we have 

 already pointed out, is an advance on the waterproof 

 silk lines. The nuisance of a bad or defective line 

 can only be equalled by a defective reel. The salmon 

 reel should be bronzed, and when made with check, 

 this action should be of steel. Brass cogs are a 

 delusion, being simply useless for heavy wear. It is 

 no uncommon thing for an ordinary reel of this 

 description to get completely deranged, through the 

 non-durability of the centre parts. This is particularly 

 noticeable in Indian Mahseer fishing, in which the 

 wear of the winch is heavier still. The advantage of 

 the centre stock reel is yet more exemplified in the 

 larger tools. The convenient catching place for the 

 loose line, always afforded by the side fitting winches, 

 is removed ; indeed, we have equal confidence in the 

 centre butt winch doing away with a fertile source of 

 annoyance and loss, as we previously had in respect 

 to the revolving plate, when we perfected that im- 

 provement, as compared with the old windlass handle, 

 which is now being discarded in favour of our 

 improvement. A small hole should be pierced in the 

 revolving plates of large reels to admit of oil being 

 inserted when needed. 



How TO USE ROD, REEL, and LINE. This is a 



