The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

CHAP. XVII.

Observations concering Nets, very useful in Fishing.

THe next thing shall be to Treat of the ta∣king Fish with Nets; and by the way 'tis not amiss to give some few Directions concerning the Making, Buying, Fitting, and Preserving them; not that I intend to insert the Art of ma∣king Nets, but only to give some necessary hints; nevertheless take notice, that one Home∣made Net will out-last three Sale ones, and yet not cost the tenth part so much; besides, with good usage it will do three times the service; and without Nets you can be no Fisher, or Fowler,

which are two delightful Country Divertions. The charge, or Difficulty of making them is easy, for almost every Barber is a proficient therein, and for the expence of about five Shil∣lings, you may be provided with all Instruments and Tackle necessary to be used therein.

Now taking it for granted, that you will learn this easy and cheap Slight of Net-making, I shall proceed to some Directions how to preserve them, in which observe especially these three Cautions, [ 10] First, that you Dye them into good Colours, where∣in there is a double Advantage, as not frighting the Fish, which white ones are apt to do; and they will last strong and sound much longer. Second∣ly, that you mend them upon the least Breach, for which end you should always have your Implements about you, when you go to Fish with them; and Lastly, that you lay them well up, which consisteth in these two things, first, that you carefully dry them after usage, and [ 20] secondly that you keep them from damp Walls; and such places where Rats and Mice may anoy them; to prevent which, keep them in some close Press, or let them hang down from the middle of some Beam remote from any Wall, as tyed thereto by a Cord.

For the Dying of Nets, there are but these Co∣lours proper for Fishing, viz. Green, Yellow, and a Sad Russet, the latter is effected by the help of some Tanners Vate, which is a great preserver of [ 30] them; and in case you have not that Conveni∣ency, take about half a Bushel of the outward Rind or Bark of a Walnut-tree, and cut it into small pieces, then Boyl them in a reasonable quan∣tity of fair Water about two Hours, then take it off the Fire, and put your Nets into the bot∣tom of the Vessel, laying the Bark upon them, and so let them lye a Day and a Night to Infuse; and when you take them out, they will be a good brown. The Yellow is made by rubing over the [ 40] Nets with Celandine well bruised, so that the Juice may soak into the Thread; And the Green Colour is made by Boyling young Wheat, Barly, or Grass chopt small, and let the Nets lye a Day and a Night in the said Liquor. But if you would be at the charges, it were better to have them done by a Dyer.