SHEARS FOR GRASS. 



464 



SHEARS FOR GRASS. 



closes the blades, and the bunch is cut and 

 held by the pressure exerted by the machine 

 on the extremity. 



Shears for Grass, Hedges, &c. 



These instruments are made on the 

 principle of the scissors, but much larger 

 and heavier, the blades being thick at the 

 back and bevelled thence to the edge, 

 which is perfectly straight from heel 

 to point in most kinds, but curved 

 coi\vexly and concavely in others, in 

 order to give greater power in cutting. 

 Various types of shears are shown in 

 Fig. I, in which A represents the 

 common garden shears, used for all 

 ordinary purposes of clipping grass and 

 hedges. In B a form is represented that 



FIG. 2. SPRING HAND SHEARS. 



is used in trimming the edges of lawns, 

 beds, verges, &c., being furnished with 

 long handles, so that the necessity of 

 stooping on the part of the operator 

 is entirely obviated. At C a form is 

 shown which is used for branch 

 pruning : in this type, which is fur- 

 nished, like B, with long handles, a 

 heavy blade with a rounded pro- 

 tuberant edge is brought against one 

 that is hollowed out in the same 

 degree. Garden shears are made in 

 sizes of 7, 8, 9, and 10 inches, the length 

 of the blade only being taken into account. 

 The form shown at A is sold in these sizes, 

 at 35., 33. 6d., 45., and 43. 6d., respec- 

 tively, and notched shears at an advance 

 of 6d. on these prices. Edging shears, as 

 at B, are sold at 6s. ; and branch pruners, 

 as at c, at 6s., 75., and 8s., according to 

 size. 



Everybody who has witnessed t3ie opera- 



tion of sheep shearing knows how deftly 

 and quickly the sheep shearers can divest a 

 sheep of his fleece with the shears. The 

 spring hand shears shown in Fig. 2 are 

 somewhat similar to them, although the 

 blades of the sheep shears are in the same 

 plane with the handles, and not inclined 

 to them at an angle, as in the accompany- 

 ing illustration. They are grasped by the 



FIG. I. TYPES OF SHEARS. 



i hand across and over the handles, and the 

 blades are brought together by the pres- 

 sure exerted on them. It requires con- 

 siderable strength of wrist to use them for 

 any length of time, but they are extremely 

 handy for cutting grass on narrow verges, 

 for trimming edges, and for cutting round 

 shrubs and plants in places where the 

 mower cannot reach. They are sold ac- 

 cording to length of blade, namely 5^ 



