F86 
FOREST AND STREAM 
to their recovery; and second to U la (he necessity of keep¬ 
ing up the dog’s vital power by good feeding and medic¬ 
inal tonics, I think if I have another case—as I most prob¬ 
ably shall—I will increase the amount of quinine from four grains 
to six or nine grains, giving it in two or three grain pills three times a 
day, and if the dog cannot digest nicely cooked meat, good strong beer 
tea is the best substitute. Wc all know that in man there is hardly any 
disease that requires so much stimulation as pneumonia. The dogs at 
no time seemed to be in great pain; if they had been, orders were left 
that they should have one half grain of opium. 
I have reported these cases in the hope that someone will be henefitted 
by it, and should any of yotir readers deem it worthy of trial, T would 
be pleased to hear the resultH. W. S. W, 
BLOOD WILL TELL. 
SatajotaB, Ga., March 4th, 1876. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Colonel M—, of this State, in his younger dayB, was a keen and enthu¬ 
siastic sportsman, and wrb the owner of a very superior pack of hounds. 
So particular was he in regard to his kennel, that any pups whelped m it 
that did not come up to his standard were condemned at once to the 
horse pond, and any pup that was allowed to live after his hat had gone 
fottli, and be found in the possession of any of his slaves, that possessor 
got the full measure of his allowance without delay. Now old Pompey, 
the driver, had long wanted to get a pup, but Massa L— prized his high 
breds so much that old Pomp was always in a state of disappointment. 
But at last the bitch dumper, had a fine litter of pups, and among them 
was a little runt whose eyes were not opened on the fifteenth day. So 
Pompey says, “Please Mass a L. lemme hah dat pup, an’ I try to raiso 
um.” “Raise h—1,” Bays the Colonel, “You take that pup right down to 
the pond and drown it, or I’ll raise your hair. 11 All right, Massa L., T 
lake urn rteht off/’ So Pompey took, the pup, but instead of doing as 
he was told, he took it along the road and meeting one of Mr. Martin’s 
eervautB, he says, “You take die pup to yonr house and raise um for me 
till he fo' months old an I gib you one gallon syrup.” “I do it for snub,” 
was tho reply. The four months rolled around and be got his syrup and 
Pompey took his pup—alive, but a perfect skeleton—to the Colonel and 
says, "Please Massa L., may I keep ura?” “Yea,” says the Colonel, 
“until he dies, which will be before many days." Pomp thought differ¬ 
ent, and says to himself, “de hog’s liver de beat ting to make de dog hab 
good noBe.” So he used to beg liog’s liver for the pup, and to the vrouder 
of all lie began to pick up and fill out amazingly, and his scent was won¬ 
derful. Some six months rolled by, and one day the Colonel seeing him, 
eaye to Pomp, “He looks almost good enough to run with my pack.” 
“He run with um for true Massa L., you gib ura a chance.” .1 ust then 
the pup, which, was called Cotchum, gave one long howl and storied off 
on a run. “The dog is mad, said the Colonel.” “He no mad, Massa 
L., smell deer two miles off,” and sure enough iu about au hour tbe 
deer come in fnil view and the pup In full chase. The Colouel was 
now more than cxciLed. and was soon in the saddle with his gun in full 
pursuit. The deer web brought to bay and killed, and on arriving at 
home, (he Colonel sent for Pompey and said, “Pomp, that pup beats 
any dog I have in my pack, and I will give you a ten dollar gold piece 
for him.” “Massa L., said Pompey, you say I could keep dat pup till 
he die, now I gwine keep you to your word.” The Colonel blustered, 
roared, and stormed, but no use, old Pompey stood firm and only said, 
“Your word, Massa L.,” and the Colonel regardiug his svord like his 
bond, old Pomp had him. Says old Pompey. “Wat de use Massa L., 
you huut him, but he my pup.” Finally the Colonel said. “Pompey, 1 
will give you your freedom papers for him.” “No Massa L., old Pomp 
sick you feed um, hab de doctor an take care of nm, Pomp no fool.” 
Years rolled on and old Pompey in his last sickness sent for the Colonel, 
and on his conuug.to his bed-side says, “Masea L. f forgib me, I hab been 
one berry good servant, bntfor all dat, I ’ceive you old Cotchum from 
your pack ob dogs,” and then told Him all the circumstances. Thank 
the Lord, says the Colonel, I can say Cotchum come from my atodk, and 
I freely forgive you Pompey. and may the good Lord forgive you all yonr 
Bins. In a short time old Pompey was no more, and his remains were 
followed to the grave by the Colonel, who sincerely mourned his loss, 
Colonel M. Is still living at his residence in McIntosh county, and any 
gentleman who may call on him will be received with the true and courte¬ 
ous hospitality which so characterizes the southern gentleman and 
aportsman, and may, perhaps, hear from him, some or the wonderful 
exploits of old Cotchum. Georgia, 
TRANSPORTATION OF DOGS. 
Editor Forest AKd Stream:— 
During the coming Dog Show at Springfield, Mass., mail)' persons 
owning dogs and unable to leave them at the time, may be glad to know 
of a way by which their dogs may be sent and returned, and be well 
cared fur during their journey. During the last two years Mr. Win. 
Carnow, Baggage Master of tho N. Y. & 1). Express Line, has carried 
some twenty dogs for me between Now York and Springfield. Being a 
sportsman hlmBelf he knows well how to care for a sportsman’s dog. 
He leaves New York on the 10 A.M. express every Monday, Wednes¬ 
day, and Friday, and returns to New York from Springfield at 1 
o’clock P. M. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, arriving in New 
York at 5:14 P.M. W. S. Webb, M. D. 
and gtiver $ishitig . 
FISH IN SEASON IN MARCH. 
BOOTHEBW WATERS. 
Pompano, Trachvnotus carnlimts. Grouper, Epimphelpus nigritus, 
Drum (two species.) Family Seitz- Trout (black bass,) Centroprlstti 
Midis. atrurlus. 
Kingtkh, Menlicirrus nebulosus. Striped Bass or Rockfish, Jloccus 
Sea Bass, Sckenops ocellatus. lineutus. 
Sheopshead, Archosargus probata- TailorflsU, Pomalomus mllatrlx. 
cephalus. Black bass, Micropterus salmoldes ; 
Snapper, Lutjanuz caxus. If. nigricans. 
[Under the head of "Game and Msh in Season ” we can only specify in 
general terms the several varieties, because the taws of States vary so much, 
that were we to attempt to particularize we could tlo no less than publish 
these entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in question. This 
would require a great amount of our space. In designating game we are 
guided by the laws of nature, upon which all legislation is founded, and 
our readers would do well to provide themselves with the laws of their re¬ 
spective States for constant reference. Otherwise, our attempts to assist 
mem will only create confusion.) 
Fish in Market. —We have to quote-a slight advance 
In the prices of all kinds of fish. The tront season opened 
yesterday and the display on the standBin market is unusu¬ 
ally fine. Mr. Blackford's aquarium swarms -with brook 
trout, all looking in line condition. Dealers are very 
chary about making contracts for future delivery of trout. 
The general tendency is to economise and out down in 
luxuries, and brook trout at a dollar or a dollar and a half 
a pound certainly come within the latter category. These 
remarks apply particularly to cultivated trout, We shall 
have immense quantities of Canada wild trout in market, 
and even now the price askod for ihcmi3 only half that 
of the others. We quote-. Striped bass from North Caro¬ 
lina, 20 cents per pound, smelts, from Maine, 15 cents; 
blue-fish (frozen), 15 cents; salmon (frozen), 50 cents; 
mackerel, 25 cents each; shad 50 cents to $1 each; white 
perch, 18 cents per pound; Spanish mackerel (frozen), 50 
cents; green turtle, 20 cents; terrapin, $12 per dozen; 
frost-fish, 8 cents per pound; halibut, 15 cents; haddock, 
8 cents; king fish, 18 cents; cod-fish 8 to 10 cents; black- 
fish, 15 cents; flounders, 12 centB, eels, 18 cents; lobsters, 
10 cents; sheeps!lead, 30 cents; turbot, 25 cents; scollops, 
$1 per gallon ; soft clams, 30 to 60 cents per hundred; white- 
fish, 18 cents; pickerel, 15 cents; sun-fish, 10 cents; perch 
(yellow), 10 cents; salmon trout, 20 cents; brook trout 
(Long Island), $1-25; Canada brook trout, 50 cents; live 
trout, $1.50 per pound; hard crabs, $4 per 100. 
How Split Bamboo Fisiting Rods are Made. —There 
are possibly ten makers of fair split bamboo rods in this 
country, and not more. The bamboo rod maker, like the 
poet, is born with a natural gift for his trade, which can 
be acquired only in a degree. He can employ no assist¬ 
ants as competent as himself to execute the nice details of 
his delicate work. He is the artificer of his own handi¬ 
craft, and consequently of his own reputation; we wish 
we could say, of his fortune also, but his power of pro¬ 
duction is limited to only about four dozen rods per year, 
and at $30 to $40 each, which is the price obtained for the 
best rods, it is easy to reach an approximate estimate of 
his income from this source. As a rule, his orders are 
ahead of their fulfillment. Those makers who have ac¬ 
quired the widest celebrity are H. L. Leonard, of Bangor, 
Maine, and Chas. F. Murphy, of Newark, New Jersey. 
Both are so skilled in their handicraft, and the rods they 
make are so nearly equal in their merits, that the one 
maker may he said to he the peer of the other. A rod 
manufactured by either is a prize to its possessor. 
Different makers have different methods of manufacture, 
some of which are radically wrong in scientific principles. 
The object of this paper, however, is not to compare, 
methods and processes, but to show how the manufacture 
is conducted by the best makers. We are indebted to Mr. 
Murphy for much of our information. 
At the outset it is found difficult to obtain good stock in 
any quantity. Not one cane of a thousand brought to 
New York is fit for a fly rod. It was either old, dry and 
brittle when shipped, or it has got wet and heated during 
the voyage, which turns it to a dark color and destroys its 
vitality and elasticity. Frequently a whole invoice is thus 
spoiled. Again, twenty-five per cent, of those that are 
light colored and fresh are destroyed by a small black in¬ 
sect less than an eighth of an inch in length and about the 
thickness of a knitting needle which breeds in tho cane 
and bores through it in every direction. Very often half a 
bundle is thus lost. A bundle comprises fifty canes, and 
importations come wrapped in a coarse gunny cloth. In 
many cases the ravages of this insect are not noticed until 
the cane is cut into. 
There are two kinds of bamboo, known to dealers and 
rod makers as the male and female cane; the females are 
lighter and softer, with a thinner enamel than tho males, 
and very few are hard and springy enough for a rod. 
Much of the male cane, on the contrary, is very hard and 
as elastic as whalebone. They are more difficult to work 
than the females, being much larger at the joints or knots 
Where the leaves grow, and generally crooked in those 
places. Nevertheless, it is this material that has estab¬ 
lished the reputation of the split bamboo fly rod. A large 
portion of these males are rained by some coloring pro¬ 
cess that burns through the enamel. 
Of an eighteen or twenty feet cane selected for a rod, 
only some ten or eleven feet of the hut, or lower part arc 
used. Cut these buts into two pieces of 5 to 5i feet in 
lengtb, smooth off the knots with a coarse file, and then 
split through the middle, taking care to avoid the buds or 
shoots, of which there is one at each joint. These grow 
on opposite sides alternately. From the edges of these 
pieces the strips are sawed, which when fitted and glued 
together will make the complete rod. Very frequently 
enough stuff for two or three rods has to be sawed cut to 
obtain suitable material for one. The saws dull very easily, 
too, which adds to the difficulties, as frequent filing is 
necessitated. 
The original four-split rod is far less difficult to make 
than the six-split rod, as hut two pieces of wood have to be 
glued together at once, whereas in the six-split rod the six 
parts or sections must all be perfectly fitted, and all glued 
together at the same time; consequently great care must 
be taken to prepare each piece. Saw the sections for each 
joint of the same size, in order to ascertain where the 
weak spots are, which can he ascertained by bending. 
The cane very often has soft spots one or two inches long; 
the coloring also frequently makes it brittle on the outside. 
The greater number of these canes have so large a swelliug 
or bulge at the joint that they cannot be filed off on the 
outside without cutting off so much from the surface aB to 
weaken that part; therefore all these short crooks must be 
straightened by dry heat; they are then clamped up and 
' left until they are cold, when they will remain straight 
enough to work the mitres. For the distance of an inoh 
at the joints of the cane, the wood is one third harder and 
stiller than between the joints. The section strips, how- 
over, being a foot and a half longer than the rod joint is 
intended to be, the allowance gives room to shift these 
hard spots past each other, to equalize the strength through¬ 
out the whole length of the pieces, which being done, the 
overwood at both ends is cut off, and the pieces are ready 
to mitre. These are cut with fine-toothed circular saws, 
the largest and stoutest saw for the first or but joint of 
the rod, the next size for second or middle joint, and the 
finest for the third or top joints. After the mitres are 
sawed, the pieces are put together and wound with strong 
cord; then examined and every imperfect or open place in 
the joints marked; then taken apart again and fitted until 
the joints are perfect as they can be made. This part is 
dofle with smoothing planes and files—a very difficult op¬ 
eration, as it requires much skill and practice in the use of 
these tools to take off the rough surface and make the 
parts fit close and solid from tbe outside to the centre. It is 
very difficult to discern a joint that is slightly open where 
the dark and light parts of the cane come opposite each 
other; and where it is not visible before the rod is finished, 
it can be seen distinctly afterwards, for a coat of flowing 
varnish brings out every shade and color and magnifies 
every imperfection. 
Gluing comes next, a very nice and dexterous operation; 
for if the glue is too thick, the parts will not unite Bolidly, 
as it begins to harden as soon as it is applied to the wood; 
if too thin, enough will not remain in the joints to fill the 
pores of the wood and unite the fibre which is swelled out 
from both surfaces by the heat and moisture. Both edges 
of each piece must be first thoroughly covered with glue, 
which must also be rubbed into the faces with astiff brush, 
and then put together, secured, and straightened before the 
glue sets. In cold weather this is very difficult. If the 
work is bungled, nothing remains but to throw it away and 
commence de now, for the more one trios to mend, the 
worse the job becomes. 
When the parts are dry and firm, rouud off the joints 
(knots) with a file, for the eane is so hard and fibrous that 
it will splinter if a plane be used. Next fit the ferrules, 
sockets, and but-mountings to their respective parts and 
mark them; but before they are fixed permanently put on 
the laltan for the hand grip at the but. The rod at this 
part is hollow, and more liable than the smaller parts to 
open at the joints. The part to be wound with rattan 
is first covered with hot glue. The rattan should he wound 
on as tight as possible. Ferrules are made of German 
silver. They are soldered with hard solder, which softens 
the metal ; are then put on a steel mandrel of the exact size 
of the ferrule inside, and with drawbench and gearing at¬ 
tached to get power, are drawn through a hardened steel 
die of such size that it forces the metal to the mandrel, 
und reduces its thickness about one-fourth. This re¬ 
hardens the metal, and leaves the ferrules perfectly true and 
straight when drawn off the mandrel. They are then 
finished, fitted, and cemented to the rod-joints, each in its 
proper place. The but-mouutings arc then put, on; Uie re¬ 
cess is cut to receive the reel-plate, and the rod Is ready to 
receive its silk lashings. These are put on for utility 
more than ornament. The silk is wound on as tight as it 
can he drawn without breaking, und then saturated with 
quick-drying varnish. As the varnish dries it is rubbed 
between the thumb and finger to harden and smooth the 
surface for the finishing varnish. Coach copal varnish is 
used for finishing, the surface of the roil being pve- _• 
pared so that it will flow and give a gootl surface. It is 
more durable and more elastic than lacqner varnish. The ! 
copal varnish requires three or four days’ time to dry; , 
then one-half days’ exposure to the hot aim will make it 
sufficiently hard for use. 
Movements of tiie Fishing Fleet. —There have been i 
44 arrivals of the fleet the past week, 28 from Georges, 8 
from Grand Banks, and 8 with frozen herring The re¬ 
ceipts have been 733,000 pounds of cod-fish, 433,600 i 
pounds of halibut, and 2,400 barrels of herring. Round- 
fish are selling for $1.75 per hundred pounds. Halibut at I, 
5i and 3 cents per pound, white and grey. The shore fleet n 
have been doing a fair business. Sales of cod-lish at $1.75 
and haddock, $2.50 per hundred pounds. The latter have J 
been scarce.— (Jape Ann Advertiser, March 10/A. 
^ NeedlePoints Again,— We have a number of articles ! 
on Seth Green’s favorite subjsct of barbless hooks, but in | 
view of the much that has already been printed in these j 
columns, and the pressure upon our space, we believe that 
other matter will be more instructive, and therefore omit 
them, excepting the following article furnished several 
weeks ago by Mr. Shields, a weli-kuown fly manufacturer 
of Boston:— 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
‘ Does Mr. Green really snppose that the anglers or this country arc 
so verdant and so inexperienced in tho make of fly hooks, that they 
know no better than to accept the kind at aalniDU or trout hooks ho 
“recommends,”in preferences the many kinds so long and familiarly 
known? If he does, I venture to say Mr. G. has reckoned in the dark, 
and I will endeavor to satisfactorily prove it. In tho flist place,' the gen- 
nine needle point hook must not be confounded or linked with Mr. G. a 
“youthful invention. ” They were made by the Hemmlngs, of Redditch, 
were remarkable for their flue dulicste point, barb, and wire; were named 
In consequence ’The Needle-Point Hooks,' intended mainly for bait 
Ashing. Very few of them that I eaw were reduced (tapered). 
To suppose foramomenl that these hooks were made without a barb, 
would simply he, lo say tbe least of it, a great mistake. Hence the dif¬ 
ficulty Mr Green finds in procuring them, after his own nolion, without 
a barb. Secondly, Mr. Green overlooks a very important fact in tho 
make of fish hooks, which be ought to have In mind. This ract is al¬ 
ways recognized by the fish-hook maker, as well as by the ex¬ 
perienced angler, that the peculiarities of the fish give character to the- 
hook; and in no instance In hook making is the character more closely 
observed than It is in a first quality salmon or tront hook. The reason 
for this is obvious. Salmon or (rout invariably frequent rough bottoms, 
and in consequence the‘gentle art’ is anything bnt gentle in the use of 
its fly hook, Throwing It from place to place, the point is liable at any 
moment to run foul of a rock or stone, very often breaking off complete¬ 
ly, or becoming so dull that you are obliged to refile tho point, or uubltch 
it for another hook. To obviate this trouble as much as possible, tbe 
hook is made strong of point, lo endure the constant jars It is exposed 
to iu trolling with the fly. There is still another reason—a pecuniary 
one- for mailing salmon Or trout fly hooks duratile. The cost of u goon 
salmon or trout fly won’t admit of laying it prematurely aside ill conr»- 
quepce of tlm point breaking or wearing oft Anglers, like i lber indi¬ 
viduals, want a show for I heir money. Or iu other words, a fair share Ot 
durability in the fly-hook as they do tr. the rod and reel they purchase. 
