348 THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



In my own case it would undoubtedly have landed 

 me in a lawsuit which in all human probability I 

 should have lost. Later on a slight revision of dates 

 was attempted, but the same idea prevailed that during 

 the time the mayfly should be up the weeds should 

 be severely let alone. For the last seven years the 

 mayfly has been almost non-existent on the Test, and 

 the experts who advised the committee in such a 

 sense must have been quite out of touch with the 

 present-day conditions, and thus led the Association 

 astray. 



A meeting was held at Stockbridge in February, 

 191 2, of lessees of Test fisheries to consider the weed- 

 cutting question. Being absent abroad I could not 

 attend, and so far I have no idea what conclusions 

 the meeting arrived at, nor what course they have 

 suggested. The only solution which appears to me 

 practicable is to give effect to the legal position. 

 If there is any doubt about it one of these wealthy 

 clubs could bring a test action to decide it. Personally, 

 I am quite clear that if properly argued in court by 

 competent counsel the judgment would be in accord- 

 ance with the legal opinion given in a previous 

 paragraph. 



As far as the Test and Itchen are concerned the 

 continuance of the present plan must in time in- 

 fallibly force the Southamption Harbour authorities 

 to take some drastic step to prevent it. The deposits 

 of mud, the ultimate residue of the decomposition 

 of these weeds, is constantly adding to the heavy 



