1956 



MACHINERY 



MACHINERY 



of grass for appearance serves two purposes: it induces 

 thick growth and insures an even surface. 



The lawn-roller is the first lawn tool used with advent 

 of spring. It closes the surface of the lawn which has 

 been honeycombed by the frosts and freezing during 

 the winter months, firms the soil and grass roots into 

 close proximity, and also presses down the mole-runs. 

 After sowing grass seed, whether in the already estab- 

 lished lawn or in a new one, the rolling process is essen- 

 tial. Every horse- or other lawn-mower is equipped 

 with a roller and can be used as a roller only. 



Dock-extractors, dandelion-lifters, steel spuds and 

 knives for cutting plantain are all used for extermina- 

 ting objectionable weeds, which infest lawns. Scythes 

 and grass-hooks (sickles) are the grass-cutting tools to 

 be used where the lawn-mower cannot be employed. 

 Grass-shears and border-shears are essential for cutting 



2288. Various commendable forms of lawn and garden rakes, 

 forks and hoes. 



grass along the edges of foot-paths, walks, flower-beds, 

 and also along the edge of carriage-roads. Lawn-shears 

 are used for cutting grass under fences and under trees 

 that grow close to the ground. Grass-edging knives 

 and narrow spades are also used for cutting along bor- 

 ders and beds in the spring to secure an even edge. 



The leaf- and rubbish-cart, the leaf -rack of wire placed 

 on a broad-tired wheelbarrow, make excellent vehicles 

 of man-power to transport all kinds of rubbish, tree 

 branches and leaves from the lawn to the deposit for such. 

 Lawn-rakes for leaves, scarifying rakes for reseeding and 

 removing moss surfaces in shaded portions of lawns are 

 useful. Lawn-sprinklers are obtainable for the small 

 grass-plot, and for large areas of almost indescribable 

 patterns and capacity, stationary and revolving. 



For even distribution of fertilizers and grass seeds, 

 the use of the "velvet lawn seeder and fertilizer sower" 

 is recommended. These machines are so constructed 

 that they cut shallow grooves in the sod, sowing the 

 seed directly into the openings to insure germination, 

 also covering and rolling in the same operation. The 

 fertilizer machine is arranged with a comb similar to a 

 rake, thus scarifying the lawn before the distribution 

 of dry fertilizer, as bone, sheep-manure, nitrate of soda, 

 ashes, ground lime or plaster. 



Tools for the garden. 



Garden tools are in endless variety and there are 

 special types for either light or heavy soils. The spade 

 is still the best tool for the heavy soils, and the dig- 



ging-fork for light soils; the hoe persists for all soils. 

 The scuffle-hoe is standard for cultivating and weed- 

 cutting; the Warren hoe for cultivating, furrowing and 

 ridging; the common garden hoe in one, two and three 

 prongs for cutting weeds and breaking the soil; the 

 square and half-moon hoe are used principally for cut- 

 ting weeds and leveling the surface (Fig. 2287). 

 Steel garden rakes, narrow and wide (Fig. 2288), are 

 necessary for leveling broken soil. Steel-bow rakes are 

 useful for handling coarse cloddy soil. 



Wheel-hoes, and cultivators with adjustable teeth 

 for cultivating, discs for breaking clods, plows for 

 ridging and furrowing, and also for opening the earth 

 for planting and sowing, are the most practical garden 

 tools, being great labor-savers. When properly and 

 frequently used, they will keep a garden neat and clean. 

 Seed-drills are not practicable for a small garden, but 

 for the market-garden they are most important, both 

 for uniformity and economy in sowing the seed, 

 obviating thinning by hand. The hand-thinning is an 

 expensive operation, wasting the plants that are pulled 

 put, and injuring what are left. The modern seed-drill 

 is so constructed that it will drop seed at intervals as 

 well as distribute them in a continuous line. This 

 form is known as the hill-dropping drill. Some drills 

 are equipped with interchangeable cultivating tools. 

 The market-gardener does not consider this feature 

 practicable, and therefore prefers separate drills and 

 cultivators; but for hotel and private gardens the com- 

 bined tool is used. 



All vegetable seeds, except lima beans, can be sown 

 with seed-drills; they open the furrow, sow the seed, 

 cover, press it down and make the mark for the next 

 row to be sown, all in one operation. The first row being 

 marked out with garden-line, the marking-iron is set 

 at the required distance. The double wheel-hoe and 

 cultivator is the market-gardener's favorite, as it can 

 straddle the row and cut from each side, thus throwing 

 to center of row. The operator then rakes out the center, 

 following between the rows with teeth attached to the 

 hoe to break the soil. The hand-plow is a favorite tool 

 for the private garden. It can be set at different depths. 



The wheelbarrow-drill in 14- and 16-foot lengths is 

 the most uniform distributer of grass seeds. Over large 

 areas, it is arranged with an agitator inside to force 

 the seed through the openings. The lawn-seeder is 

 equipped with discs which cut shallow openings into 

 which the seed drops. Fertilizer-drills are used, as 

 already indicated, for the field, garden and lawn, and 

 distribute evenly and in the required quantity. 



J. OTTO THILOW. 



Spraying machinery and tools (see also pp. 1057-1060). 



In recent years, the appliances and devices for the 

 application of sprays to destroy insects and fungi have 

 become numerous and much specialized. As the pests 

 to be met are many and very different, so is the machin- 

 ery of the most diverse patterns. Certain standard 

 practices, however, have developed a line of imple- 

 ments that meets perhaps four-fifths of the needs, and 

 some of these constructions may be briefly considered 

 here. Spraying is now one of the established practices 

 in the growing of plants. 



Pumps. 



The spray-pump is the ordinary lift-pump found in 

 most wells to which has been added a means of regu- 

 lating the discharge, thus changing the lift-pump to a 

 force-pump. If a tight-fitting plunger moves up in a 

 cylinder, it pushes in front of it a certain amount of air 

 and an equal amount rushes in behind the plunger to 

 fill the space. If the lower end of the cylinder is placed 

 in water, as the plunger moves upward air is still 

 driven out at the top but, since none can now enter at 

 the bottom, there is a tendency to create a vacuum 



