SOWING SEEDS. 



479 



SPADE. 



where they are sown, nor will they last so 

 long." Planted timber, in fact, has never 

 in any case been found to be " equal in 

 durability and value to that which is 

 sown," and " every kind of forest tree 

 will succeed better in being reared from 

 seeds in the place where it is to grow to 

 maturity, than by being raised in any 

 nursery whatever and from thence trans- 

 planted to the forest. ' / 



With regard to the actual operation of 

 sowing, it may be said that for forest trees 

 the same rule holds good as for vegetables, 

 nr.mely, that the depths at which to sow 

 must be estimated by the size of seed, 

 smaller seeds being placed in the soil at 

 less depth than larger kinds. Larger seeds 

 are merely dibbled in ; smaller seeds are 

 sown in drills or patches in the spots where 

 trees are wanted, and are afterwards thinned 

 out, ultimately leaving the largest and finest 

 specimen to occupy the site alone. 



Sowing Seeds. See Seeds, Sowing of. 



Spade. 



This indispensable tool is a broad blade 

 of plate iron, rectangular in form, attached 

 to a handle of tough ash, the upper end 

 of which is in the form of a Q, or fitted 

 with a transverse bar, like the head of a 

 crutch. The D form is most convenient 

 for digging. The lower part, or edge of 

 the blade, should be of steel, and the 

 upper part of the best scrap iron, well 

 welded together. The blade is hollow at 

 the top, for the reception of the lower end 

 of the handle, and from it run in an up- 

 ward direction two straps, one in front 

 and the other behind, which are fitted to 

 the handle, and secured to it by rivets. 

 The space between the front and back 

 part of the blade is covered with a narrow 

 iron plate, called the tread, which affords 

 support to the foot of the operator when it 

 is pressed on the blade in order to force 



it into the soil. The transverse bar of the 

 D- shaped handle is apt to split, as the 

 grain runs transversely to its length. It 

 should therefore be strengthened by boring 

 a hole of small diameter through it, into 

 which is inserted a piece of iron wire, 

 riveted over a small plate at each end. 

 All the best spades 

 are made in this 

 way. There are 

 many different va- 

 rieties of spade for 

 trenching and dig- 

 ging, distinguished 

 by some slight 

 peculiarity of con- 

 struction ; but all 

 of them are suffi- 

 ciently similar to 

 the type shown in 

 the London Treaded 

 Spade, in the ac- 

 companying illus- 

 tration, to require 

 no separate de- 

 scription. The 

 gardener's spade is 

 made with a broad 

 straight edge, be- 

 cause this form is 

 better calculated to 

 hold and lift masses 

 of earth, and to 

 penetrate equally all 

 over the bottom of LONDON TREADED SPADE. 

 the trench, than a pointed tool. Spades 

 suitable for the gardener's use are made 

 in four sizes, numbered I, 2, 3, and 

 4, proceeding from the smallest to the 

 largest. Of these, Nos. 2 and 3 are useful 

 sizes for amateurs. Common spades, ac- 

 cording to these sizes, are supplied at 

 2s. 2d. for No. i, with an increase of 2d. 

 for each size ; cast steel spades at 35. 3d. 

 for No. i, with an increase of 3d. for each 

 size ; cast steel spades, with centre strap. 



