THE KINDS OP HOES 25 



modifications, but there are various patterns of 

 hoe -blades which are greatly superior for special 

 uses. The great width of the common blade does 

 not allow of its being used in very narrow rows 

 or very close to delicate plants, and it does not 

 allow of the deep stirring of the soil in narrow 

 spaces. It is also difficult to enter hard ground 

 with such a broad face. Various pointed blades 

 have been introduced from time to time, and al- 



18. Double-pointed hoes. 



most any of them have distinct merit. Some per- 

 sons prefer two points to the hoe, as shown in 

 Marvin's blades, in Fig. 18. Persons who fol- 

 lowed the entertaining writings of Mr. A. B. Tar- 

 ryer (a pseudonym for a well-known experimenter) 

 in "American Garden," a few years back, will 

 recall the great variety of implements which he 

 advised for the purpose of extirpating his hered- 

 itary foes, the weeds. A variety of these blades 

 and tools is shown in Figs. 19 and 20. Mr. Tar- 

 ryer contends that the wheel-hoe is much too clumsy 

 an affair to allow of the pursuit of an individ- 



