MOULDS KEFERRED BY AUTHORS TO FUMAGO. 243 



gardens. True, it has been considered good management to skim 

 the surface of the ground with the Dutcii Iioe, and scratch the 

 weeds off with the rake, leaving the surface half an inch down un- 

 broken, and hence a hard solid calie through which neither mois- 

 ture nor air can jienetrate. Sucli gardening is now avoided even 

 by apprentices. Reason and common sense blush at such a prac- 

 tice. We therefore for once dispute the wisdom of our ancient 

 brethren, and strenuously recommend the Pichfork until a better 

 implement can be devised. 



The soil of my nursery is principally a stiff loam on a bed of 

 gravel. If worked in wet weather its friability is completely de- 

 stroyed for a year or more. It becomes, when dry, as hard nearly 

 as sandstone rock. This cohesion of its parts is retained in spite 

 of any ordinary tool, how effectively soever it maybe brought to 

 bear upon it. In fact, under such conditions common tools are 

 utterly and totally useless. 



It was in this predicament that the Pichfork suggested itself 

 to me ; I therefore described my wants to a common smith, and 

 detailed to him by a rough sketch the subject of the present re- 

 marks. It was at once found to be an implement all important 

 to us. If modified, it may advantageously be rendered an uni- 

 versal garden tool, in truth a ladies' implement, eminently 

 fitted for flower-garden work. For cottage gardening and for 

 hand field-labour I know not its fellow. And one of the great 

 advantages attending it is, that any village smith, with very little 

 instruction, may easily manufacture it, making it heavy or light 

 according to the particular use to which it is to be applied. 



It should be observed, that the best time to use the pickfork is 

 when the ground is between the wet and the dry. An astonish- 

 ing amount of labour may be advantageously got over when it is 

 in this condition ; and to incalculable advantage. 



XXIX. — On some Moulds referred by Authors to Fumago, and 

 on certain allied or analogous Forms. By the Rev. M. J. 

 Berkeley, M.A., F.L.S., and J. B. H. J. Desmazieres. 



To these names might be added with equal propriety that of 

 Dr. Montague, since the most important matter in the memoir 

 is due to his observations. We had already examined the mate- 

 rials in our hands, and had satisfied ourselves as to their systematic 

 affinities, when an accidental communication from our esteemed 

 friend induced a complete revision, in which he has most 

 materially assisted, and the results of which it has fallen to our 

 share to conmuinioate, simply from the circumstance of our 

 having been previously occupied with the subject. 



VOL. IV, s 



