CHAPTER XXII 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

 TOOLS 



The spading fork. The wide-tined spading fork is one 

 of our most useful garden tools. It is used for spading 

 the land and breaking the large clods ; it will also take 

 the place of the regular manure fork in a small garden. 

 Crops that grow under the ground are harvested with the 

 spading fork. On account of the use made of it in dig- 

 ging potatoes, it is sometimes called the potato fork. 



The rake. A good steel rake is of much importance 

 in the garden. The soil may be pulverized with it after 

 spading, and by raking the garden after a rain a sur- 

 face mulch may be made that will hold the moisture in 

 the soil. 



The hoe. There are various types of hoe, each of 

 which has its special use, but the common one will 

 answer practically all purposes. It is used in making 

 drills for beans and other large seeds, in mixing the soil 

 in hills, in cutting weeds, and in cultivating the soil 

 where the wheel hoe is not used. 



The trowel. A trowel with a curved steel blade about 

 five inches long is valuable for making drills for fine 

 seeds and for transplanting cabbages, tomatoes, and 

 other large plants. 



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