From "The fishing gazette" - August 2nd, 1884

FROM the earliest to the latest records in fly dressing I believe there has been no stress laid upon the importance of underwork. I venture to assert that it is impossible to make the body correctly tapered, neither is it likey the wings will "arch" properly if we have to steer over bead-like lumps in the silk cause by unnecessary knobs, - ridges, produced by winding over preceding turns of silk, or rutty points occasioned by the incorrect management of the treble before it is bound on the hook. There need be no knots whatever in fixing the gut, and the half-hitch incompletion can be levelled by the one touch of varnish as previously directed. Renew the silk for fastening the tab and unwind or divest the twist of the silver or gold, thereby exposing the internal part of it, which is to be evenly and closely bound over as you work towards the barb of the hook: the twist, then, has a smooth space to cover in its finishing return over the well-waxed tying silk. If floss silk follows the twist which is generally directed, the first coil of the tag should be immediately above the point of the barb, depriving it of its silver at the other end; the same care being taken with the tying silk, as in the former instances, in preparing the way for the floss to have a uniform surface to encircle to the tail. If all the tag is twist, as with "Sylvia, "Col. Rocke," "Kingfisher," &c., it should not extend so far on the hook, but started at such place supposing you took an upright line midway between the root of the barb and the point of the hook; too much tag on the bend causes rudder-action in some streams and the fly wobbles. When you have cut off the required length of floss, susppend it from the thumb and forefinger of the left hand to get any curl out with the same fingers of the right hand, by manipulation at the other extremity; strech and flatten it, but in so doing be very careful that the hands are clean, especially the thumb and finger, when they are drawn down the shreds afterwards to smooth it. Wind it closer as you progress to insure a gentle taper to the tail, continuing the smoothing process with each turn, and fix it under the bare hook up to the gut, where another half-hitch can be made and touched with varnish; this, in a minute or two, will be nearly dry, then level it with the stiletto. If silver or gold twist, ribs the tag, either of them can be made sure with the floss under the hook, also to meet the gut, stripping it again under the tying silk.

Before continuing with the tail of topping, touchan, summer duck, ibis, or what-not, I may remind the pupil of the importance of protecting his feathers against insects and moths. Mr. Rollason's cabinet is adequately suited, not only to preserve those valuables, but because the whole of it can be packed or unpacked in a minute. I have tried no ends of dodges, but have never found anything else so convenient and complete as one of these boxes, which for some years I have had in use. All amateurs should be provided with a bottle of naphthaline crystal. Sir John Lubbock writes: "It is the best antidotem, I believe, and this poninion is kindly endorsed by the authorities at the British Museum." The ingredient can be purchased of Mr. Thomas, chemist, 103, Talbot-road, W. I have tried other preventives, but find this the most pungent; some in a diminutive pillbox with pinholes in the lid, is a conventient way of distributing its odour, which is neither redolent nor offensive. As evaporation takes place the pillboxes will require replenishing; but where moths or insects actually exist benzonline should be employed.

The Emerald Gem which I have the pleasure of describing this week is made as follows: -
Tag: Gold twist and purple silk (same shade as throat of chatterer).
Tail: Topping.
Butt: Black herl.
Body: Of gold tinsel in three equal sections, butted with black herl.
Hackle: Green mackaw at the termination of each division.
Wings: Golden toppings.
Horns: Blue macaw.
Head: Black herl.

We have in this "Gem" an unusual effect; there is a deal of show for very little work. The iridescent hues in the hackles are heightened in bright water, and although in coloured water they are entirely extinguished, their other qualities are rendered more effective.

Painters - at least, some of them, with all their fame in the restless track of their wanderings, with all their talent, their growing wealth, their adoration of their art - are liable to be misled by friendly or perhaps biased criticism: they can blend with their colours, "touch up," and more or less imitate Nature's most beatiful tints to the satisfaction of those customers for whom they angle. But we - we who incite that which to us is more precious perhaps than the eloquence of speech - are only guided by the compensative instinct or information occasionally conferred by the shy recognition, the downright refusal, or the hounoured reception by well-educated and "bona-fide judges," "customers" in their element ten times more diffucult to please.

Fly-dressers as well as anglers have, perhaps, little idea how they must encounter misfortune, or of the time they must spend before attaining the golden fruit of knowledge; the recompense, though tardy, may be eventually secured by forging hard in the flame of adversity the power of endurance to wrestle with the waters of disappointment - those debatable fords through which they reach the shores of wisdom.

My readers have  not looked in vain for variety and frequent contrast in these magnificent patterns - in these inimitable specimens of inventive ingenuity; indeed, if I may candidly express my opinion, an artist more fertile in device it would be hard to find.

I shall be happy to notify in the next week's issue the address of any firm who keeps a stock of these flies.