SALMON FISHING WITH THE FLY, 1.31 



DRESSING LINES. 



The following recipe for dressing lines I can safely recom- 

 mend. Mix equal parts of raw linseed oil and best copal var- 

 nish, boiling until the mixture singes a feather (this should be 

 done out of doors, owing to the inflammable nature of the so- 

 lution). When cold put the line in to soak. A week will be 

 enough for a solid plaited line, but if the line is hollow it should 

 remain in much longer so as to allow time for the solution to 

 fill up the hollow. When thoroughly saturated, a fine day 

 should be taken advantage of, and the line put out to dry in 

 the open air, stretched at its full length, fastened at both ends 

 to two wooden posts, all the superfluous dressing being care- 

 fully removed with the hand or a bit of cloth. It should not 

 remain out, in its first stage of drying, in the rain, as a very few 

 drops will spoil it, and the dressing will come off ; but when the 

 outer coating is tolerably dry, which will be in about a week in 

 warm weather, wet will not affect it, although it will be advisable 

 not to leave it out in the rain at any time if it can be avoided. 



In about a fortnight after it has been out the line should be 

 redipped in the solution, and the operation of stretching and 

 removing the superfluous dressing repeated. This will be found 

 sufficient, and nothing will remain but to allow it to dry. 



A line should not be used for at least six months after being 

 dressed. It may be hung up indoors, but it will be advisable 

 whenever the weather is favourable to put it in the open air. 

 The best months for performing the operation of dressing are 

 June, July, August, and September, the temperature being 

 higher during those months than at any other time of the year. 

 Dressed lines can be dried in a very short time by mixing 

 * dryers ' with the solution, but there is the greatest objection to 

 their use. The object of the wholesale manufacturer, owing to 

 the great demand, is to get the operation performed as soon as 

 possible, and therefore dryers are required ; but the consequence 

 is, although lines dressed in a solution in which dryers have 



