VII STOCKS 123 
other article of dress is wanted ; evenif not used for 
pruning, strong thick gloves are necessary for stock- 
getting, for there are no thorns in England like the 
curved scimitars of Rosa canina. Summer thorns 
may be disregarded, for whilst they are green they 
are fairly pliable and soft; in winter they are as 
hard and sharp as steel, and as brittle as glass. 
Under the microscope, the point of a fine needle looks 
like a great coarse blunt cone compared to the sharp 
point of a Rose-thorn. Get the white stiff hedger’s 
gloves at the village shop, made I believe of horse- 
GRECIAN Saw. 
skin: they are very hard and uncomfortable at first, 
but become more supple by use. 
For instruments, first and most useful is the 
‘Grecian’ pruning draw saw, which might perhaps 
be kept in a sheath attached to a waist-belt, though 
I have always simply carried it: any of the large 
seedsmen will supply this tool, which must be 
sharpened occasionally as you have to cut through 
the earth with it. Next in importance is a small 
stock axe : I have quite a miniature one which was 
made on purpose for me and can be used with one 
hand: the small amount of digging that is required 
can be done with this, and there is no use for aspade. 
A pruning-knife and strong sécateurs or pruning- 
shears in the pocket complete the equipment. It is 
here, I suspect, in his instruments, that the amateur 
