ROD AND TACKLE 33 



" The oil which I have found most suitable for line- 

 dressing was prepared for me by Messrs; Naylor 

 Brothers, of Southall. They took a great deal of 

 trouble in the matter, making up several samples, with 

 all of which experiments were made. Finally, they 

 sent me Baltic oil, which was double-boiled, and which 

 they guaranteed to be pure and free from any dryer 

 whatever, and this has turned out quite satisfactory." 



" The opinion is still held by some that the use of 

 the air-pump is unnecessary in line-dressing. I can 

 only say that the quantity of air that escapes from the 

 silk when the pump is working is amazing, and that 

 even with a powerful double-barrelled pump I have 

 found it quite impossible to remove all the air, though 

 the lines have been kept in a partial vacuum for the 

 space of nearly a fortnight.* If such a pump will 

 not completely extract the- air, one would hardly 

 expect to be more successful with the alternative 

 method, namely, that of placing the line in a jar of 

 oil, which is set on a stove and allowed to simmer 

 very gently for several days, great care being taken 

 the while lest the oil should become too hot." 



"The line should be coiled in a loose hank and 

 placed in the oil in a convenient receptacle under the 

 receiver of the air-pump, supposing that this method 

 is adopted. Care must be taken to raise the vessel 

 containing the oil slightly above the outlet for the air 

 in the footplate, otherwise, if the pump is a powerful 



* Since this article was written, a more powerful pump was procured, 

 which removed the air from the line in two or three hours. 



