1373. To preserve Fishing-rods.—Oil your rods, in summer, with linseed oil, drying them in the sun, and taking care the parts lie flat: they should be often turned, to prevent them from warping. This will render them tough, and prevent their being worm-eaten; in time they will acquire a beautiful brown color. Should they get wet, which swells the wood, and makes it fast in the sockets, turn the part round over the flame of a candle a short time, and it will be easily set at liberty.
1374. To gild Letters on Vellum or Paper.—Letters written on vellum or paper are gilded in three ways; in the first, a little size is mixed with the ink, and the letters are written as usual; when they are dry, a slight degree of stickiness is produced by breathing on them, upon which the gold leaf is immediately applied, and by a little pressure may be made to adhere with sufficient firmness. In the second method, some white-lead or chalk is ground up with strong size, and the letters are made with this by means of a brush; when the mixture is almost dry, the gold leaf may be laid on, and afterwards burnished. The last method is to mix up some gold powder with size, and make the letters of this by means of a brush.
1375. To make Pounce.—Gum-sandarac, powdered and sifted very fine, will produce an excellent preventive to keep ink from sinking in the paper after you have had occasion to scratch out any part of the writing.
1376. Another Method.—Cuttle-fish bone, properly dried, one ounce; best rosin, one ounce; and the same quantity of burnt alum, well incorporated together, will make very good pounce equal, if not superior, to any bought at the shops.