VAEIliTlES OP HOOKS. 27 



end, and brought between the two ends until it can beheld 

 between the finger and the thumb, the right-hand end is 

 pushed through the loop, and the knot stands thus, (fig. 3.) 

 This, though a strong knot for silk, hemp, or cotton, can- 

 not be recommended either for hair or gut. These lines 

 must be dressed — that is, winch-lines, trolling-lines, and 

 salmon-Unes, or else they will speedily rot, and in all cases 

 they must be dried ere they are put away. The line's may 

 be steeped in boiled linseed oil, in which a little japanner's 

 gold size has been dissolved, in the proportion of one-eighth 

 of the latter to seven-eighths of the former. If not found 

 hard enough, a little more gold size will remedy the defi- 

 ciency. Boiled linseed oil, in which a small knob of resin 

 has been dissolved in an earthenware vessel over a slow 

 fire, will answer every purpose, and its antiseptic qualities 

 are far superior. Some add india-rubber and bees-wax to 

 the oil, and others copal varnish and camphor. In the 

 absence of any of the above ingredients white wax is very 

 valuable rubbed on the lines. When using any of the 

 foregoing dressings care must be taken that they are not 

 used hot. The superfluous dressing should be removed by 

 passing the line between a folded piece of leather held be- 

 tween the fingers. Two dressings of the oil and gold size 

 will be necessary, which should be given some months be- 

 fore the line is used. 



Fishing Hooks are made for the angler's use of about 

 fourteen sizes, and there are several varieties, known by 

 the name of London, Limerick, Kirby, Kendal, round and 

 sneck bends, according to the place where they are made, 

 and the shape they are bent. They are made also of varied 

 length in the shanks, to suit the difierent purposes for which 

 they are used. For worm-fishing, the long-shanked hook, 



