Fishing Eods. 143 



site pliancy and resiliency needed in a fly rod. Its joints 

 are Just as straight and intact as when first made. It is 

 as honest and reliable, and, I might say, as perfect a rod, 

 BO far as its nses and action are concerned, as some of my 

 modern rods, " complete " though they may be. 



But old Sam Phillippe also made rods entirely of split- 

 bamboo, and of six sections as well, afterward, and, as I 

 now believe, before any other maker attempted the con- 

 struction of a split-bamboo rod. And that he improved on 

 his earlier efforts those who saw the silver-mounted six- 

 section rod in my exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair can 

 bear witness. 



The first split-bamboo rods for the trade were made by 

 Mr. Charles P. Murphy, of Newark, who made the first 

 split-bamboo salmon-rod in 1865, which Dr. Andrew Clerk 

 took to Scotland, where it proved a success. Subsequently, 

 Genio C. Scott took the same rod to the St. Lawrence, and, 

 on his return, published an interesting account of his trip 

 and the use of the rod, in Wilkes' " Spirit of the Times," in 

 the same year. The first split-bamboo black bass rod was 

 made by Mr. Murphy, in 1866. 



To Andrew Clerk & Co., and their successors. Abbey & 

 Imbrie, belong the credit and honor of bringing this rod 

 to its present state of perfection and prominence. They 

 were the first patrons of Phillippe, Murphy, and Leonard, 

 and gave them every assistance and encouragement. 



The best form of the split-bamboo rod, in my opinion, 

 as proved by actual service, is the round, six-section rod. 

 Many experiments have been made to improve upon this 

 method. The hexagonal rod is claimed to be preferable 

 to the round rod, inasmuch as there is no cutting away of 



