THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 261 



the blows been applied in such a manner that the face of the beetle 

 and head of the wedge came together square, as they should come. 

 It is most surprising to witness how long a good beetle will last 

 some laborers, and how much they will use it at hard pounding, 

 while, on the contrary, it is still more surprising to see how very 

 soon another laborer will use up a good beetle, before he has used 

 it enough to begin to even think of its being worn out. The first 

 alluded to always strike very true and square, while the latter 

 deal their blows in every imaginable way but square and true. 

 A laborer who handles his beetle with skill, will pound very hard 

 on his wedges all day, and the faces of the beetle will be battered 

 but little, while he who strikes awkwardly with a beetle just as 

 good as the other, will use it up in one day, as if it had been in 

 hard service for a week or more. It is all folly to use up beetles 

 at such a rate, and a laborer ought to know better than to strike 

 a ring on an iron wedge, or to strike a corner of a wedge with the 

 face of the beetle. 



343. In whatever position a wedge may be standing, place the 

 face of the beetle and head of the wedge square together, then grasp 

 the hilt of the handle firmly, and be careful to make every blow 

 square, and not on one side of the face of the beetle, but as nearly 

 in the centre of it as may be. If a wedge leans a little, or varies 

 its position as it is driven in, let the position of the beetle be 

 varied accordingly, so as to have the beetle and wedge strike each 

 other exactly square. By exercising a little skill in this respect, a 

 laborer will very soon find that he will be able to drive a wedge 

 with half the number of blows, and not use up his beetle one- 

 fourth as much as when he deals his blows every way lut square 

 on the head of the wedge and face of the beetle. (Read the 

 paragraphs on the HAMMER AND SLEDGE, 331.) As beetle and 

 wedges are used together, I shall now notice 



