GENERAL PRACTICE. IMPLEMENTS. 215 



description and quality of tools materially affect the amount of work and the manner 

 in which it is done. " Bad workmen complain of their tools " is an axiom ; but good and 

 bad workmen alike do more and better work with useful, handy, and good-quality tools 

 than with those which are unsuitable, clumsy, and bad. 



Best quality is of primary importance as regards economy, usefulness, and efficiency, 

 inferior articles being the most unprofitable. Bad tools will never make good work. 

 They are always bending, breaking, or getting out of order, which delays operations 

 and wastes money ; but many are made bad by rough usage and neglect. They must 

 not be left out in wet weather, taken in dirty, and neglected while stored away, for 

 wet means rust, and dirt greater labour with indifferent workmanship. All tools 



Fig. 55. TOOLS USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOIL. 



References: I, No. 3 spade ; 2, No. 2 spade ; 3, lifting spade ; 4, diamond-mouthed shovel ; 5, square-mouthed 

 shovel ; 6, four-pronged digging fork ; 7, dung fork ; 8, pick-mattock ; 9, mattock ; 10, drag, or Canterbury hoe ; 

 11, pickfork ; 12, iron rake ; 13, trowel ; 14, draw hoe ; 15, swan-neck hoe ; 16, Dutch hoe. 



should be bright, and if put away for a time, greased or oiled ; so that with proper 

 usage they may be durable and always ready for their respective purposes. Some of 

 the most frequently used and essential tools employed in preparing the ground, planting 

 the trees, and keeping the ground in order are the subjoined. 



Spade. This is the most important of all tools and the most useful. The main 

 points in a spade are strength at the back to lift the soil and at the point in the handle 

 where the first rivet passes through it from the box or hilt end. The rivets must have 

 good and smooth heads, so as not to annoy the user, whilst keeping the blade firm. 

 The spade should consist of a thin layer of steel, hard enough to keep an edge, yet not 

 so short as to break, nor so soft as to bend. The back in good makes is softer than the 



