THE TURFING IRON. 



167 



ture, and one warm enough for them 'above, without 

 much covering. 



The building of these turf pits can be done by any 

 man. Late in the autumn, say November, cut the 

 turves from a moist place on a moor, or common where 

 the sward is old and tough ; cut them with the turfing 

 iron, a tool well known to gardeners ; but as of late 

 some new kinds have made their appearance, I give 

 a sketch below of what I consider the best. 



FIG. 32. THE TURFING IRON. 

 a ; with a section of the turves, lined into three feet by one foot divisions, B. 



The crank in this tool brings up the handle to the 

 knee of the man cutting the turves, and obviates the 

 necessity of stooping so low as becomes necessary if no 

 crank is made to it. The operator has more power by 

 this means, by placing the back of the hand holding 

 the handle against the knee, and thus giving the power 

 to drive the tool with ease under the sods ; the blade 

 should be of the best steel, and seven inches long by 

 six wide ; the stem from the blade to the crank should 



