The Spitzenberg Planting Tools 97 



opened by a lever, worked from the top of the handle, to allow 

 an acorn to fall out. The lower end is pointed and thus it can 

 be used for making an opening in the soil. The tube is filled 

 with acorns or whatever seed are to be planted and the process 

 of planting is made quite simple, requiring no bending over, nor 

 making of openings in the soil to receive seed other than that 

 made by the pointed end of the planter. 



Plant-lifter. In plate C, figures III, IV, and VII represent 

 three types of spades for lifting plants with a ball of earth 

 without disturbing the roots. These are used also for making 

 openings in which to transplant seedlings with the ball. Another 

 form useful in less compact soil is shown in figure VII, plate A, 

 which holds intact the ball of earth around the seedling when 

 lifting it. 



Figures VI and VIII, plate C, show the type of heavy Ger- 

 man spade used in forest work, well made and evidently with 

 a view to lasting ; but the weight of which would not be toler- 

 ated by the ordinary American laborer. 



In plate D are shown a number of instruments for pruning, 

 such as the pruning-saw, pruning-shears, pruning-hook, pruning- 

 cane, etc. There is no elaborate mechanism about these and no 

 explanations are thought necessary, as the illustration shows the 

 different forms. The pruning- cane (I) is the only one to be 

 especially noticed. This consists of a small saw which, when 

 not in use, fits snugly in a groove in the side of the cane. 



In plate A, at the top, are shown several kinds of receptacles 

 for holding seed when planting, the ordinary German seed-horn, 

 etc., and the square tube for holding acorns, with an opening 

 at the bottom, worked by the lever on the side, the whole 

 instrument to be slung over the back of the planter by means of 

 the strap. 



J NO. D. Guthrie. 



