208 GARDEN MANAGE5IENT. 



for the purpose of cleaning itself when employed on adhesive soils. The semi- 

 circular spade, used by " nav\'ies, " is useful in hard close soils and new ground. 

 The shovel, having a broader blade, is useful in throwing up the loose soil at 

 the bottom of a trench. 



528. The Fork, of which there are several kinds, is used for filling in dung 

 litter and haulm, and for levelling the surface, or stirring it round the roots oi 

 plants which might be injured by using the spade. The form of the fork is 

 generally three prongs : those used for litter, and for forking up the earth 

 round roots of trees, have only two ; but Parker's fork has five prongs, and in 

 many cases supersedes the use of the spade. The three-pronged fork with broad 

 tines is used for digging potatoes, and is otherwise a very useful implement in 

 the garden. 



529. The Hoe, also of many forms, which may be distinguished by its being 

 a drawing or thrusting implement. Its use is to stir the surface of the soil 

 and destroy weeds in their first leaves. The draw-hoe is set at the end of a 

 long handle at an angle, so that when drawn to the operator, it sinks also into 

 the soil. In the other, generally termed the Dutch hoe, he thrusts it from 

 the angle formed by the height of the hands from the gi-ouud, carrying it 

 gently into the surface of the soil. This is used where the weeds are merely 

 destroyed and left in the soil. 



530. The Rake, a row of small tines inserted in a bar of iron fi*om six to 

 eighteen inches long, and fixed by a socket placed at right angles to the bar, 

 to a handle five or six feet long. This is a most important implement to the 

 gardener, being used to rake his beds smooth and trim, and to remove loose 

 weeds. It is also used in raking the lawn before rolling. 



531. The other requisites in a garden are, more properly, instruments of 

 operation and direction. The common garden-knife consists of a blade of 

 prepared steel, fixed in a handle of horn or bone, without a joint, and carried 

 in a sheath. It generally has a hooked blade, and is used for cutting cabbages 

 and other vegetables, trimming the roots of turnips, and similar purposes, and 

 in pruning gooseberries and other bush-fruit. 



532. The Pruning-knife has the blade quite straight on the cutting side : it 

 may be either with or without a joint. 



533. The Grafting-knife has a thinner and narrower blade, and is generally 

 made with a folding joint. 



534. The Budding-knife has the sharp edge of the blade rounde'd off, back- 

 wards ; while the handle, of bone or ivory, is brought to a fine point at the end 

 opposite the blade, so as to form a spatula for lifting up the bark of the stock 

 for the insertion of the bud. Goodsall's budding-knife has a heart-shaped 

 termination to the handle, which is found more convenient for hfting the 

 bark. 



535. The Grafting-saw. — This has a blade of steel with double teeth, so that 

 it may pass through green wood without choking up. For larger branches the 

 forest-saw, having a handle six or eight feet long, is used to enable the 

 operator to reach the loftier branches. When this instrument is used, the end 



