212 



AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



broad, and from two and a half to three inches long. The edge 

 should have a fair sweeping inward curve from heel to point, 

 as shown in the figure (95). The handle, if small or twisted, 

 is apt to cramp or strain the hand by continuous use ; it should 

 therefore be large, and bent and set so as to lie fair in the 

 hand, and balance. As these knives are commonly made, the 

 point is too much hooked, so that they almost invariably snap, 

 and have to be ground up again, which generally spoils the 

 knife for some of its special and most delicate uses, though it 

 converts it into an excellent splitter or stock knife. 



STOCK KNIFE. 

 Fig. 96. 



This is a short, strong knife, intended for splitting stocks 

 of ordinary size and opening the cleft wiiile inserting the 

 graft, thus saving the edge of the grafter. It may also be 

 used instead of the pruner for heading down stocks. 



GRAFTING KNIFE. 

 Fig. 9T. 



The grafter, or, more properly, the graft-cutter, should have 

 a rather long, light blade, its point being set a little forward, 

 but with a perfectly straight edge. 



If it is used both for cutting the grafts and splitting the 

 stocks it will require to be rather stronger, and must be care- 

 fully handled, using it near the point for cutting and the heel 

 for splitting. 



It is used for cutting the various graft wedges in all the 

 modes of grafting, and its edge should be kept clear and keen 



as a razor. 



