I>OOK -III. 



IMPLEMENTS OF GARDENING. 



This being set in a prepared excavation surrounded by loose earth, the transplanter is 

 then separated as at first, and being wididrawn, one half at a time, the earth is gently 

 pressed to the ball containing the plant, and the whole well watered. Tender plants so 

 transplanted receive no check, even if in flower. 



103 



iOS 



1310. Hoes are of two species, die draw-hoe and thrust-hoe, of each of which there are 

 several varieties. 



1311. The draw-hoe {figs. 94. to 97.) is a plate of iron, six or seven inches long by 

 two or three broad, attached to a handle about four feet long, at an angle less than a right 

 angle. The blade is either broad for cutting weeds f fig. 94.) ; deep and strong for 

 drawing earth to die stems of plants (fig. 95.) ; curved so as to act like a double mould- 

 boarded plough in drawing drills ; formed into two strong broad prongs for stirring hard 

 adhesive soils (fig. 96.) ; or it is formed to accomplish the first and last purposes, as in 

 the double hoe. (Jig. 97.) 



1312. The thrust-hoe (figs. 98, and 99.) consists of a plate of iron attached somewhat 

 obliquely to the end of a handle, either by a bow (fig. 98.), or a straight piece, (fig. 99.) 

 These hoes, which are sometimes called Dutch hoes, are used only for killing weeds, or 

 loosening ground which is to be afterwards raked. As a man can draw more than he 

 can push, most heavy work will be easiest done by the draw-hoe. 



1313. The wheel-hoe (Jig. 108.) is a compound 

 between the draw and thrust hoes, being drawn by one 

 man and thrust by another. It is used for hoeing 

 garden-walks in the Low Countries and France, where 

 the walks are either of sand or earth. In this coun- 

 try it could seldom be employed for this purpose ; 

 and indeed for this or any other object it is a bad 

 implement, as it requires two men to work it ; and 

 two men working with the same tool will never do 

 as much work as if they used separate tools. 



1314. The garden-rake consists of a range of teeth inserted in a straight bar of iron or 

 wood from six to eighteen inches in length, and attached at right angles across the end of 

 a handle. Rakes vary in size, and in the length and strength of their teeth, and are used 

 for covering seeds, or raking off weeds or cut grass, for smoothing surfaces and for 

 removing or replacing thin strata of pulverised surfaces as in cuffing. For the latter pur- 

 pose a wooden-headed rake is preferable, for the others iron is generally more eligible. 



1315. The drill-rake has large coulter- formed teeth about six inches long and the same 

 distance apart : it is used for drawing drills across beds for receiving small seeds, and the 

 same rake serves to stir the soil between the rows after the seeds come up. In very loose 

 soils, where a wide drill is required a sheadi of wood may be fixed to the upper part of 

 each prong to spread die earth, but diis is seldom necessary. When the drills are re- 

 quired not to be quite so wide as six inches, the operator has only to work the implement 

 diagonally. 



1316. The hoe-rake combines a hoe and rake, eidier at opposite ends of the same 

 handle, as in France, or back to back at one end, as in England, (fig. 100.) They are 

 used for giving slight dressings to borders. 



1317. The turf-raser (raser, Fr. to shave or trim.) (fig. 101.) consists of a narrow 



