234 THE YOUNG FAKMER's MANUAL. 



lower end mounted with an iron plate over the end, and a 

 good band around it to keep it from splitting. It should be 

 made of heavy, durable wood. The upper end of the knob 

 need not be but one inch in diameter. Rammers are often 

 made by boring a hole in a piece of scantling, and putting in a 

 handle. But a turned one is a little neater. A handle may 

 be turned of the proper size, and driven firmly in the head, 

 after which the head may be turned. Recollect that a rammer 

 is not a tool to pry with, nor to strike sideways with. 



THE CROWBAR. 



" Behold here the crowbar, a lever for prying 

 And lifting stone, standing or lying." EDWARDS. 



316. Here we have something that you do not break and 

 stave up without some extra exertion. This is not a shovel ! lift 

 FIG 102 w ^ ^ as neav ^7 as y u please! It is not a spade ! 

 pry with it till you are tired ! It is not an axe-helve, 

 nor fork-handle ! And now, friend, you who are 

 always breaking and staving up tools that were never 

 designed to pry with, when you have anything to pry, 

 get the crowbar. A crowbar is a very useful tool, and 

 its efficiency depends, in a great measure, on its form 

 and size. For ordinary purposes on the farm, a crow 

 bar of the following dimensions is of a fair proportion 

 and good form and size, and as small as one ought to be. 

 ~II-" p or h an d} m g heavy stone, crowbars may be heavier 

 than this, but never lighter. It is better, for gene 

 ral purposes, to have the basil from a to the edge 

 tapering like a wedge, instead of being pointed. 

 From a to the edge, four inches, made of steel, and 



I tempered as hard as it can well be and not break 



when punching on stone. From a to I eight inches, 



a.....L and one inch and three-eighths square. From Z> to the 



\ I upper end, which is about one inch in diameter, round, 

 it should be of a true taper. From 5 to c it is twenty 

 BAK. inches, with the corners hammered, as in the figure. 



