IMPLEMENTS AND MATERIALS. 369 



to plant small subjects with, and making holes for bedding 

 out potted plants ; they are of various sizes, but one size is 

 sufficient ; it is also used to take up plants with, so as to save 

 all the fibres. 



6. The Hoe. — Of these there are several sizes ; one sort 

 has the blade fixed across the end of the handle, and is used 

 for chopping up weeds, loosening the earth on the surface, 

 dra^ving the soil up to the stems of plants, drawing drills, 

 thinning out crops ; the -svidest may be six to nine inches, 

 the narrowest may be one and a half to two inches, and one 

 between them. The Dutch or thrust hoe has a sort of horse- 

 shoe form, a blade being fixed across the two points, and the 

 handle fixed to the centre of the bend ; this is used to chop 

 weeds by thrusting it forward, just below the surface ; some 

 have two sizes, one for rough work, where there is plenty of 

 room to move, and the other to use in flower beds and 

 borders. 



7. The Rake. — This, which is only a coarse comb set across 

 the end of a long handle, is used to level and regulate the 

 surface after digging or hoeing, to clear off loose weeds, stones, 

 and rubbish, and to rake in seed after sowing. These also 

 should be of two sizes, one of eight or ten teeth and one 

 of five or six. A large wooden rake is also necessary to clean 

 up the lawn after mowing. 



8. The Edging-knife is in the form of a cheese-knife at the 

 end of a handle like a spade handle. This is to cut the edges 

 of the la^vn when the grass encroaches on the beds or paths. 

 It is also used to cut out clumps upon the lawn. 



9. Turf Cutter, or Turf Iron as it is called, is used to 

 take up turfs for laying do^vn as a lawn, and is only required 

 in places where there is turfing to do. In establishments 

 where there is much lawn it may be required for occasional 

 mending ; some use what is called a turf racer, to cut the turf 

 a proper width, and the turfing iron is then thrust under 

 sideways, and is made to reach from the outer edge to the 

 cut made by the racer. Where there is not a great deal to 

 cut, the edging knife will do it quite as well. 



10. Brooms. — These are required to keep the walks clean^ 

 and sweep the la"v\Ti after mowing and raking. Tiie birch- 

 broom is best adapted for this. Some have a different broom 

 for the inside of the houses. 



11. Garden-knives. — A large and small pruning-lmife and 



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