INSTRUMENTS USED IN HORTICULTURE. 



the smaller shoots die, and the hedge becomes thin and naked. The 

 most complete set of instruments of the bill kind is that used in North- 

 umberland, and described by Blaikie in his ' Essay on Hedge-row 

 Timber.' One of these instruments, fig. 42, ought to be in every 



Fig. 42. 



The scimitar bill-knife. 



garden tool-house. The handle of this bill-knife, or scimitar, as it is 

 called, is four feet in length, and the blade eighteen inches in length, 

 the former deviating from the direction of the latter to the extent of 



six inches, as shown by the dotted line 

 in the figure ; this deviation is made in 

 order to admit the free action of the 



operator's arm, while he is standing; 

 i_ ^ i / i T 



by the side of a hedge, and cutting it 



. 43. 



Dress-bill knife. 



upwards. Fig. 43 is what is called a dress-bill, for cutting the sides of 

 very small hedges, or such as are quite young. 



Pruning-saws are of different kinds, but they may be all reduced 

 to draw-saws, fig. 44, #, and thrust or common saws, such as those in 

 Fig. 44. common use by carpenters. Draw- saws 



have the teeth formed so as to point to the 

 operator, fig. 44, b, and only to cut when 

 the blade is drawn towards him. Thrust- 

 saws have the teeth or serratures formed 

 I ?at right angles to the edge of the blade, so 



Fig. 45. 



from the operator, but partly also when 



Garden-saws. drawn towards him. The draw-saw is 



always used with a long handle, and is very convenient for sawing 

 off branches which are at a distance from the operator. In both these 

 saws the line of the teeth is inclined about half the thick- 

 ness of the blade to each side, as shown at d ; the advan- 

 tage of which is, that the blade passes readily through 

 the branch without the friction which would otherwise 

 be produced by the two sides of the section. Draw-saws 

 being subjected to only a pulling-strain, do not require so 

 thick a blade as thrust-saws ; and, for that reason, they are 

 also much less liable to have the blades broken or twisted, 

 and are less expensive. 



Pruning-chisels are chisels differing little in some 

 cases, fig. 45, e, from those of the common carpenter, fixed 

 to the end of a long handle, for the purpose of cutting 

 Pruning- off small branches from the stems of trees at a considerable 

 chisels. height above the operator. The branch should not be 

 larger than 1J in. in diameter at the part to be amputated, otherwise 

 it cannot be so readily struck off at one blow. In performing the 



