HOW TO RELEASE A JOINT IN A FIX. 5 



grown of one piece, no particular part or joint being 

 more pliant than another from the butt to the tip. By 

 this means all whipping action, so often caused by badly- 

 made rods, is avoided, and its sweep is smooth and even 

 throughout. 



The ends of the several pieces which fit into the 

 ferrules ought to be hooped with brass, and accurately 

 ground into each other, so as to fit with the greatest 

 nicety : thus any difficulty in separating them will be 

 avoided, which would often be the case if the bare wood 

 were left uncovered ; especially if the joints became 

 swollen with wet after being put together, as often 

 happens. 



To separate the joints of a rod when they become 

 fixed, wrap a piece of glazed writing-paper tightly round 

 the ferrule, and keep turning it round and round in the 

 flame of a spirit-lamp or candle, until the metal expands 

 and releases the joint. The paper prevents the flame 

 from injuring the rod, and it will not burn if tightly 

 applied. This plan ought always to be adopted when 

 the joints get fixed ; and never on any account endeavour 

 to screw them apart by force, as this will so twist and 

 strain the fibres of the wood as to cause them partially 

 to separate from each other, and thus permanently injure 

 the elasticity of the rod. 



The next thing which demands attention is the dif- 

 ferent methods of fastening the joints together when the 

 rod is in action. While fishing for small trout it is not 

 a material matter whether or not the joints are secured 

 by any other means than their own adhesion, provided 



