AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



211 



angled beak or finger (c) catches, and presses the stem of the 

 head or bud when cut off. They are convenient in gathering 

 flowers that have to be reached after, or the seeds of Phlox 

 Drummondii, and other plants where there is danger that any 

 jar in plucking one head may scatter the seeds of others. 



Fig. 93. 



THE FRUIT-GATHERER. 



The fruit-gatherer is an instrument for securing the 

 few extra-fine fruit which are often found upon the ex- 

 tremities of limbs, out of the reach of ordinary hand- 

 picking. There are several kinds, but the accompany- 

 ing figure shows one of simple form, which any tin- 

 worker can make, and which, when rigged upon a sin- 

 gle or jointed pole, with a little cotton batt or other 

 soft material in it, will gather the scattered fruit quick- 

 ly and safely. 



BUDDING KNIFE. 



Fig. 94. 



The budding knife has a flat bone handle, which is usually 

 made with a rounded end, and the blade is often straight-edged 

 and sharp pointed. The rounded, recurved blade and the 

 square-ended handle, with the outer corner not too sharp, and 

 a small, smooth, dull notch in the inner one, to aid, if needful, 

 in pressing the bud downward beneath the bark, will be found 

 very superior in actual operations, especially where rapid work 

 is desired (Fig. 94 a). The smaller and still more obtuse- 

 formed blade, Fig. 94 Z>, is also well adapted ; this generally 

 has a common round handle, with a flat bone end inserted. 



PRUNING KNIFE. 



The pruner is a strongly-,, 

 made knife, clasp or other- 

 wise, the blade of which is 

 usually made about an inch 



Fig. 95. 



