lo THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



throughout with agate rings is in Mr. Halford's 



possession. In using a rod so fitted, there is nothing 

 I to interfere with the shooting of the hne, which is an 

 f advantage hardly to be overestimated." 



Fig. 3 "Agates in their natural colour are a soft 

 grey. After being manufactured into rings, they 

 are frequently coloured red or blue. This 

 colouring is done by heat, and as it renders 

 them brittle, coloured rings should be avoided, 

 and those only chosen which are the natural 

 colour of the stone, as being tougher and less 

 liable to damage." 



" Pis'- 3 shows the agate rings referred to as 

 mounted on a 9 ft. 6 in. 'Halford' rod (1912 

 model), and gives the actual sizes." 



" The ring nearest the hand is fairly large, 

 while the others are reduced in size as they 

 near the top, in order to reduce the weight 

 forward as much as possible." 



" Top ring. This should be of an area at 

 least equal to three times the thickness of the 

 line which is to pass through it. The illustra- 

 tion (Fig. 4) shows a new design which is light 

 and very strong. It may be noticed that the 

 socket covers the full size of the end of the 

 rod, and that the legs are hard soldered on the 

 outside of it. This gives the arrangement very 

 great strength, while the position of the legs 



prevents any possibility of the line getting fast round 



the top." 



