AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 53 



of loose trowels and an iron ring of suitable size, which, being 

 passed over the head of the plant, and the trowels thrust per- 

 pendicularly down within it, will afford the necessary fulcrum 

 to each when strained upon. 



GRASS AND BUSH SCYTHES, &C. 



The scythe (Fig. 45), not being intended for ordinary mow- 

 ing, but for cutting grass while short upon lawns, and plots, 



Fig. 45. 



Grass-scythe. 



and paths, if such are made, and in odd corners, ought to have, 

 as represented in the figure, a pretty short blade, with a " sneath" 

 so bent as to lay the edge almost perfectly level with the sur- 

 face ; and instead of the old-fashioned wedged " knebs" and 

 "heel-ring," let it be fitted with the screw knebs and the 

 screw or clamp heel-ring of Lamson's patent, or some other 

 equally convenient and stanch. 



The bush-scythe (Fig. 46), which is often found useful for 

 rig. 46. cutting coarse weeds, has a very short blade, 



strongly, even rather heavily made, and 

 should have a short strong sneath, not 

 Bush-scythe. much bent, and hung with extra strong 



clamp heel-ring, or with the heel-ring doubled. 



rig. 47. The bush-hook (Fig. 



47) is a powerful in- 

 strument for cutting 

 brush at arms' length, 

 Bush-hook. but is less efficient 



than the bush- scythe, which will generally supersede it. 



