THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
56 
Tools, Implements, ihe continued, 
Tools, Implements, &c.—continued. 
used „for haymaking, are best adapted for raking and | using the Scythe, as it is generally necessary to vary 
cleaning large breadths of garden grounds or lawns, and 
also for levelling gravel. If they are too heavy, the 
heads may easily be reduced in width and, consequently, 
Fie. 56. IRON RAKE. 
in weight. Iron Rakes (see Fig. 56) are best for cleaning 
flower-beds, &c.; it is always advisable to have what is 
called a set—that is, four or six different ones, varying in 
width. They should be made light, and not clumsy to 
handle. 
Rammers. These are necessary when new walks are 
being made, or turf relaid; they are also required occa- 
sionally for ramming the soil round posts, &c. The 
handiest form is that with a circular, iron head, with 
socket attached into which a handle is fixed. Iron Ram- 
mers are made in various sizes: those weighing from 7lb. 
up to 10lb. are handy, and not too heavy to work. 
Reel and Line. For all garden Lines of considerable 
length, iron Reels should be provided: the Lines are more 
readily wound up, and they are always subjected to a 
circulation of air, which dries and preserves them better 
FıG. 57. LINE REEL AND PIN. 
than when rolled upon straight, wooden stakes. All Reels 
should be provided with a small handle projecting above 
the upper crossbar for turning it to wind up the Line. 
A strong iron pin accompanies the Reel, for tying the 
line to at one of the extreme ends, the other end being 
fastened to the reel before winding (see Fig. 57). 
Rollers. Where there are walks and lawns, one or more 
Rollers are needed to keep the surfaces even and firm. 
They are made in various sizes, and, consequently, of 
different weights, usually of cast, but sometimes of 
wrought, iron. Some have the cylinder in two halves, 
which revolve separately, and allow of turning more readily 
at the end of a walk, or in another direction to that which 
has previously been traversed, than if there was only one. 
When rolling newly-gravelled walks, it is best to have two 
Rollers—one, a light one, for drawing first, and another, 
heavy, for rendering the walk firm. All Rollers should 
be provided with a balance for the handle; otherwise, the 
weight of this comes on the workman, who should only 
have to pull. The balance, besides effecting the purpose 
for which it is intended, also adds to the weight of the 
Roller. ; 
‘Scythes. For mowing under trees, round shrubs, and on 
sloping banks and in places where the mowing machine 
cannot be used, Scythes are requisite; they may also, 
of course, be used for lawns, but are far inferior to a 
machine. The ordinary form of Scythe and handle 
answers very well, although workmen who have been 
accustomed to cut long grass cannot at first succeed in 
properly cutting lawns. The two projecting handles 
should be regulated for, or by, each person who intends 
| 
their positions to suit individuals. 
Shears. Of these there are several kinds, the most 
necessary being those used for grass-edging, hedge-trim- 
ming, and pruning. Grass-edging Shears of the ordinary 
make, with handles about 3ft. long, are best adapted for 
general use; the handles should be set on a wider angle 
than a right angle, taking the cutting blades for the base 
line. This places the workman, when using the shears, 
a little behind the blades, and thus enables him to perform 
his work more effectually. Hedge-trimming Shears have 
blades nearly equal in length to the handles, 10in. to 12in., 
and are about 2in. in width; they are used with both 
g 
Fic. 58. SMALL HAND SHEARS. 
hands. Small Shears (see Fig. 58), for. using with one 
hand, are invaluable for trimming any kind of edgings on 
a small scale, and for clipping plants which sometimes 
need it in carpet bedding and other designs. Pruning 
Shears vary in size according to the dimensions of 
branches they are intended to cut, from those used 
easily with one hand, to others, some 3ft. in length 
(generally called Parrot-bill Shears), that are adapted 
for severing branches of nearly 2in. in diameter when 
the wood is not hard. 
Shovels. These are preferable to spades for shifting or 
loading loose soil, sand, gravel, &c. The handiest Shovels 
for gardens are those of medium size, with a square point, 
and the side edges slightly turned up. The handle should 
have more bend in it than that of a spade, as this renders 
shovelling easier, Shield-shaped Shovels are best for 
shifting stones, and those made entirely of iron are most 
serviceable for stoking. 
Spade. The Spade and its value as a garden tool are 
matters familiar to everyone; it would be impracticable 
to prepare ground for successional crops without it, as 
there is nothing which could form an efficient substitute. 
The two points in a Spade that it is most important 
should be strong are the back of the part which lifts the 
soil and the handle just where the first rivet passes 
through from the capped end. At one of these places 
Spades will sometimes either bend or break, if they are 
of inferior make, before they have been used many days. 
These points should, therefore, be examined by purchasers : 
it causes great hindrance and loss to have new handles 
put in—work which is rarely very well done a second 
time over; and if the back breaks, there is no chance of 
remedying it. Spades are sometimes broken by improper 
usage, such as wrenching anything too heavy: this is, 
of course, a fault on the part of the workmen using 
them. 
Syringes. A Syringe is especially required in glass 
structures for dewing or washing fruit-trees and plants in 
general at some part of their season of growth. It 
requires careful handling, and the barrel should not be 
knocked against any hard surface, which would cause in- 
dentations, and prevent the piston from working properly 
inside. The best Syringes are usually provided with two, 
or even three, movable roses of different kinds, any one 
of which may be used according to the force of water 
required. The kind most generally useful is that with a 
nozzle in which a ball is placed. When the piston-rod is 
drawn, the ball allows water to pass in, but it must be 
expelled through a small tube placed alongside, as the 
ball fits and closes the nozzle when pressed from behind | 
with water and the piston. By practice, a workman 
