INSTRUMENTS USED IN HORTICULTURE. 



when I saw how useful the secateur is to the fruit-growers of France, 

 and how easily and effectively they cut with it exactly as desired, I 

 became at once converted. A secateur is seen in the hands of every 

 French fruit-grower, and by its means he cuts as clean as the best 

 knife-man with the best knife ever whetted. They cut stakes with 

 them almost as fast as one could count them ; they have recently 

 made some large ones for cutting stronger plants such as the strong 

 awkward roots of the briars collected by the rose-growers. Of these 

 secateurs there are many forms, two of the best being figured 

 here. 



First we have the secateur Vauthier, a strong and handy instru- 

 ment. Its sloping, semi-cylindrical handles have their outer side 

 rough, which gives a firm hold ; the springs, though strong, resist 

 the action of the hand gently ; the curvature of the blade and the ad- 

 justment are perfect; and lastly, the principal thing, the action is so 

 easy as never to hurt the hand. "During the many years of my ex- 

 perience," observes M. Lachaume, a fruit-grower, who describes this 

 implement in the ' Eevue Horticole,' " I have used tools of all kinds, 

 and the tools have also used me a little ; but I have never met with 

 anything which gave me so much satisfaction as the secateur Vauthier. 

 Every desirable quality is combined in it, and I recommend it with 

 perfect confidence. The strongest branch will not resist its cutting, 

 nor a single branch, however well concealed, be inaccessible to it. 

 Moreover, the double notch on the back of the blade and hook 

 will enable the operator when employed at his trellises to cut every 

 wire without using the pincers." 



The secateur Lecointe (fig. 54) is another variety recommended by 

 the leading French horticultural journal. The inventor was led to 



devise this kind of spring in order to avoid 



the annoyance arising from the frequent 



breakage of the form usually employed. It 



is said that this form of 



spring secures an easy 



and gentle action of the 



instrument, and has the 



advantage of lasting 



longer than others, from 



not being so liable to 



break, while it secures a 



firmness and evenness in 



working which is not 



otherwise attained. A 



further improvement is 



pointed out in the fas- 

 tening, which consists of 



a stop which catches 



when the two handles 



are drawn together, a 

 projecting portion on the outside acting as a spring which is to be 



Fig. 54. 



Fig. 55. 



The secateur Lecointe. 



The common secateur. 



