AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



Grass-hook. 



The grass-hook (Fig. 48) resembles the old sickle, or reap- 

 Fi g- 48- ing-hook, except in being some- 



what shorter, and having a plain 

 instead of a toothed edge. It 

 is used for cutting the grass 

 from edgings or other limited 

 spaces where the scythe can not 

 be worked. 



The grass-edger (Fig. 49) is 

 a strong, cresqent-formed steel plate, with a socket for the han- 

 Fig. 49. die extending from its inner centre. It is used 

 fir for cutting the edges of grass-paths, plots, or 



edgings, either with a stretched line or by the 

 Ik. I' .A eye, the handle being of sufficient length to ena- 

 j ble the operator to throw his weight on to it as 

 he presses it before him. A slight change is 

 Grass-edger. sometimes made in the form of the knife, and a 

 small wheel geared to run ahead of it, which has the advan- 

 tages of giving it gauge and steadiness. 



FORKS. 



All pronged and toothed implements for working in the earth, 

 rig. 50. rig. 51. Fig. 52. &c. ? should have their prongs or 



teeth of steel, and neither round 

 nor flat, but either oval or four- 

 sided, the thickness or depth of 

 the prong or tooth being made 

 greater than its width, so that its 

 greatest strength may always be 

 opposed to the greatest strain. 



This is of special importance in 

 the implements figured above and 

 in the potato-hook. In rakes it 

 is desirable, though not essential. 

 The spade-fork (Fig. 50) is simply a 

 strongly-made, square-headed, four-prong- 

 ed steel fork, of which the prongs should 

 spade-fork. Manure-fork, be about ten inches long, from one half to 



Hand-fork. 



