RAK 



R A K 



widths as may be wanted; and then with .the 

 line placed crossways, to race out the sward ac- 

 cordingly in yard ' lengths. The sward heing 

 thus raced out,' the turf-cutter with the turfing- 

 iron should proceed to cut thorn up, and flay 

 them oft". See Turf. 



RADISH. See Raphanus. 

 RADISH, HORSE. See Cochlf.aria. 

 RAGGED ROBIN. See Lychnis. 

 RAGWORT. See Senecio. 

 RAKE, GARDEN, a well known sort of tool 

 for raking the ground, as well as for putting in 

 seeds, Sec. with. In order to suit every kind of 

 gardening work with rakes, there should be 

 Three or four different sizes, from about six to 

 eighteen inches long in the head, having han- 

 dles from six to eight feet in length, and the 

 heads toothed with iron teeth two or three inches 

 lon£, being placed from one to two inches 

 asunder, according to the respective sizes. 



The first or largest rake should have the head 

 about fifteen to eighteen inches long, the teeth 

 three inches, and placed two inches asunder, 

 which is proper for raking stubborn or rough 

 duo- ground, and for putting in large kinds ot 

 seetls, raking off large weeds after hoeing, and 

 many other purposes in large gardens. 



The next size should have the head twelve 

 inches [one, the teeth three inches, being placed 

 one inch and half asunder, which is proper for 

 all common raking in ordinary light ground, 

 and for raking in most kinds of small seeds, as 

 well as other purposes. 



A third sort of small rake should have the 

 head about nine inches long, the teeth two and 

 a half, being placed one inch asunder ; proper 

 tor tine-raking beds, borders, &c, and raking 

 in some particular fine seeds ; as well as between 

 rows, &8., of certain plants occasionally, where 

 larger rakes cannot be introduced. 



The smallest sort should have the head six 

 inches long, the teeth two and a half, and placed 

 one inch asunder; being very useful for raking 

 between small plants in beds and borders and 

 other small parts, where the plants stand close, 

 a-; well as several other purposes of that kind. 



These sorts of rakes are constructed both with 

 wooden heads and iron teeth, and with the heads 

 wholly of iron in both; of which the teeth are 

 generally flattened, the back edge rounded off 

 and narrowing gradually to the point, the other 

 straight, and placed on the heads edge- ways 

 across^ with the back edge outward, and with 

 the points all inclining very moderately inward, 

 jn-a regular manner: the wooden -headed rakes 

 havjng each end of the head hooped with a thin 

 flat iron ring, to secure it from splitting. 



The first sort are generally lightest and cheap- 

 3 



est, being proper for any kind of garden raking; 

 but the latter, or iron-headed rakes, when made 

 neat, and as light as possible, with the teeth 

 well set, in a proper position, and firmly 

 fastened, arc equally proper, and in some 

 cases preferable, such as in wettish or moist 

 soils, as not being liable to clog so much as 

 wooden rakes, and more durable. They are, 

 however, more proper for middling and small 

 rakes, than for large ones ; as, in strong raking, 

 the teeth are more liable to get loose, than in the 

 wooden-headed rakes. 



Roth the sorts, in their different sizes, are 

 sold at the principal ironmongers' shops, both 

 with and without handles. 



Rakes having the heads, teeth, and han- 

 dles, wholly of wood, are sometimes used for 

 particular purposes ; such as raking in light kinds 

 of kitchen-garden seeds in light ground, and 

 taking off large hoed- up weeds in wide clear 

 spaces, rakmg up swartbs of mowed short trrass 

 before the sweepers, also fallen leaves of trees in 

 autumn, and clippings of hedges, Sec, as well 

 as several other uses. 



RAKING, a necessary operation in garden- 

 ing, to break the surface of the soil small, and 

 render it fine for the reception ot particular sorts 

 of small seeds and plants previous to sowing 

 and planting, as well as to render it neat and 

 even. 



It is also employed in raking in seeds, as be- 

 ing an expeditious mode of covering them in. In 

 all kinds of small seeds of hardv plants, the 

 ground being dug, Sec, and the surface remain- 

 ing rough after the spade, the seed is sown, and 

 then raked in with an even hand, once or twice 

 in a place, as a back and a fore stroke. 



This operation is useful also among growing 

 plants that stand distant enough to admit the 

 rake, particularly where the surface is inclina- 

 ble to bind : or where numerous small seed- 

 weeds appear, as it loosens the soil, and retards 

 the growth of the weeds, and promotes the 

 growth of the young plants : it is also good cul- 

 ture at particular seasons, to annoy slugs, espe- 

 cially in kitchen gardens, to rake between the 

 rows of small plants in autumn and winter, Sec. 



And raking the beds, borders, and other com- 

 partments of pleasure-grounds, now and then, 

 smooth and even, gives an air of culture and 

 neatness. 



This sort of work should generally be per- 

 formed in dry weather and when the ground is 

 also moderately dry, as when done in rainy wea- 

 ther, or when the ground is very moist and 

 cloggy, the surface is apt to cake and bind hard ; 

 this should he well attended to in sowing seeds. 

 Routrh dun ground does not rake well when it is 



