235 



From c to the end, thirty to thirty-four inches, round and smooth. 

 The upper end should be laid with steel, so that it will not 

 become battered up in hammering or driving stone with it. Let 

 the edge of the crowbar be kept sharp, and it will not be difficult 

 to work a hole in almost any soil. 



317. The most efficient and proper manner of using a crowbar 

 when making holes in the ground is, to clasp it with both hands 

 close together, when it stands perpendicularly before the work 

 man, with the hands about as high as the elbows, and then lift it 

 perpendicularly, and plunge it down perpendicularly. By hand 

 ling it in this way, it is easy to thrust it straight in a hole at 

 every thrust. But when a man attempts to make a hole by tak 

 ing hold of the crowbar as he would take hold of a pitchfork or 

 spade, he finds it very difficult to thrust twice in one place. In 

 digging up the earth in the bottom of a post hole with a crow 

 bar or spud, first make a hole three or four inches deep in the 

 .centre of the post hole, and then thrust in the bar about three 

 inches from this hole, and pry the dirt towards the centre of the 

 post hole. Let the dirt be loosened all over the bottom of the 

 hole, and then take it out with 



THE DIET-SPOON. 



" There is a choice in spoons." BARLOW. 



318. A dirt-spoon (Fig. 103) is not calculated to shovel dirt, 

 nor to spade with ; its office is to scoop out the loose dirt in dig- 



Fia. 103. 



THE DIET-SPOON. 



ging post holes. It is better for such a purpose than a spade, or 

 any kind of shovel, because it is not so pointed as some shovels, 

 and has a deeper bowl, like a scoop shovel. They are seldom 

 made to hang correctly, and the bowl is usually too long to do 



