CHAP. I VILLA GARDENING 391 



useful rakes for gravel roads aud walks, with iron teeth set in 

 wooden heads. As a rule, among amateurs the rake is too much 

 thought of and the hoe too little ; but in ordinary culture the latter 

 is far the best tool. The rake, of coiu'se, is uecessarj^ for the 

 proper preparation of seedbeds, but in the after-culture of the 

 surface the less it is used the better, as weeds should never be 

 allowed to get so large as to require removal. I have only briefly 

 glanced at a few of the indispensable tools necessary to a garden 

 of only moderate dimensions. There are many others, such as 

 shears of various kinds, baskets, hammers, thermometers, wheel- 

 barrows. Regarding wheelbarrows I may mention a two-wheeled 

 handcart, which is very usefid for the removal of Grass or rubbish. 

 In the autumn, when the leaves are falling, something larger than 

 a wheelbarrow is required to convey away the rubbish. This 

 handbarrow, running on two broad wheels, is very useful; it is 

 superior to any of the large wheelbarrows commonly employed, 

 because it can be worked with more ease, and it is incumbent on 

 all of us not only to economise labour, but to lighten it as much as 

 possible. The dimensions of the handcart I am alluding to are as 

 follows : Length, 4 feet 6 inches ; width, 2 feet 6 inches ; and 

 depth, 2 feet 3 inches. The body of the vehicle is made of Elm, 

 strong but light, and the edges at the top are protected Avith 

 hoop iron. I have used a good many kinds of mowing machines, 

 but I still retain Green's, though occasionally I have tried new 

 inventions. Boulton and Paul's water barrels are very useful, and 

 are the lightest things of the kind known. Tools require a tool- 

 house, and a properly arranged set of pegs, etc., to hang up each 

 man's tools in an easily accessible place, so that there may be no 

 distm-bance about one man taking another's tools Hn mistake. 

 Very often a good deal of time is lost in seeking for tools which 

 have been mislaid; but if each person employed is made responsible 

 for his own tools, and for their proper order and condition, it will 

 be an easy matter to have a well-regidated tool-house. 



The Preparation of Land. — The word " preparation " has 

 a very wide meaning, but the sense in which I use it here is to 

 make ready, or, as we say in gardening, get the laud ready for the 

 crop. Now, I suppose gardeners, above and beyojid all other men, 

 know the bearings of the word " preparation " upon the result of 

 their work. The grafting of the Anldling stock or the planting of 

 the cutting is only the beginning of the preparation of the future 

 crop ; in fact, it is not really the beginning, for neither of these 

 operations can be efficiently done without preparation. Indeed, 

 the greatest and most important part of the gardener's work may 

 be described under that one word "preparation." In vegetable 



