AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



51 



rig. 40. 



the edge, there is about equal power, 

 and no " wring" upon the hand of the 

 workman. 



The goose-necked crane's-bill hoe, 

 Fig. 40, is a light, long, tapering hoe, 

 with a socket for the handle, which 

 may sometimes be found useful for 

 loosening the earth among flowers, or 

 when taking out strong weeds, or 

 around young vegetable plants after 

 beating rains. . 



The thrust-hoe (Fig. 41 a) is a thin 

 steel blade, about two inches deep and 

 of any desired width, welded or riveted to a nearly semicir- 

 cular frame attached to a socket, into which a pretty long and 

 stout handle is inserted, and the hoe is thrust instead of being 

 drawn in the various uses to which it is put. 



Fig. 41. ,, Fig. 42. 



Goose-necked crane's-bill Hoe, or 

 Weeding-hoe. 



Missionary Hoe. 



Fig. 41 b is a somewhat 

 improved form, in which 

 improved Thrust Hoe. the socket and frame are 

 of malleable iron, and the ends of the frame, or arms, are riv- 

 eted near the middle of the blade, which should be about three 

 inches wide, and so set that it can 'be used either in thrusting 

 or drawing. 



Hoes of this kind are calculated for shallow hoeing upon a 

 level surface, as among very young vegetable or other crops, or 

 for cleaning paths, &c. Their proper management requires 

 some experience, and their width should not exceed eight inch- 

 es, which is exactly enough to pass safely between rows that 

 were sown a foot apart. Any larger size than this becomes 

 unwieldy even for a strong man. 



