1956 



MACHINERY 



MACHINERY 



of gniss for ap]H\iranoo serves two purposes: it induces 

 Uiiok pn>\vth and insvires ai> even surface. 



The la\m-rv>ller is tlie lirst lawn tiiol useil with ailvei\t 

 of spriiij;. It closes the surface of the lawn wliicli has 

 been honeyconilicvi by the frosts and freezinf; during 

 the winter months, tinfis the soil and ni:uss roots into 

 close pr^ixiniity, and also presses down the mole-runs. 

 After sowinn grass stHxi, whether in the idready estal)- 

 lisheil lawni or in a new one. the rolling |)rocess is csscn- 

 ti:il. Ever>' horse- or other lawn-mower is equipiicd 

 with a roller and can be used as a roller only. 



Dock-extractors, tlandelion-hftcrs, steel spuds and 

 knives for cutting plantain are all use<l for extermina- 

 tinc objectionable weeds, which infest lawns. Scytiies 

 and grass-hooks (sickles) are the grass-cutting tools to 

 be uscil where the lawT.-niower caimol be employed. 

 Grass-shears and border-shears are essential for cutting 



2288. Various commendable forms of lawn and garden rakes, 

 forks and hoes. 



grass along the edges of foot-paths, walks, flower-beds, 

 and also along the edge of carriage-roads. Lawn-shears 

 are us«l for cutting grass under fences and under trees 

 that grow close to the groiind. Grass-edging knives 

 and narrow spades are also used for cutting along bor- 

 ders and beds in the spring to secure an even edge. 



The leaf- and rubbish-cart, the leaf-rack of wire placed 

 on a broad-tired wheelbarrow, make excellent vehicles 

 of man-power to transport all kinds of rubbish, tree 

 branches and leaves from the lawn to the deposit for such. 

 Lawn-rakes for leaves, scarifying rakes for reseeding and 

 removing moss surfaces in sha<led portions of lawns are 

 ascful. Lawn-sprinklers are obtainable! for the Rm;dl 

 grass-plot, and for large areas of almost indescribable 

 patterns and capacity, .stationary and revolving. 



For even distribution of fertilizers and grass seeds, 

 the u-sc of the "velvet lawn seeder and fertilizer sower" 

 is recommended. These machines are so constructed 

 that they cut .shallow grooves in the sod, sowing th<! 

 seed directly into the openings to insure gemiination, 

 also covering and rolling in the same operation. The 

 fertilizer machine is arranged with a comb similar to a 

 rake, thus scarifying the lawn before the distribution 

 of dry fertilizer, as bone, shf^p-manure, nitrate of soda, 

 ashes, ground lime or plaster. 



Tooh for the garden. 



Garden tools are in endless variety and there are 

 special types for either light or heavy soils. The spade 

 ia still the best tool for the heavy soils, and the dig- 



ging-fork for light soils; the hoe persists for all soils. 

 The .sculllc-lioc is standard for cultivating and weed- 

 cutting; the Warren hoc for cullivating, furrowing and 

 ridging; the conunon garden hoc in one, two and three 

 prongs for cutting weeds and breaking the soil; the 

 S(]uare and half-moon hoc arc used |)rincipally for cut- 

 ting weeds and leveling the surface (Fig. '22(S7). 

 Steel garden rakes, narrow and wide (Fig. 22S8), are 

 necessary for leveling broken soil. Stccl-bow rakes are 

 useful for handling coarse cloddy soil. 



\\'hcel-hocs, and cultivators with adjustable teeth 

 for cultivating, iliscs for lircaking clods, plows for 

 ridging and furrowing, and also for opening the earth 

 for ])lanting and sowing, are the most practical garden 

 tools, being great labor-savers. Wlien ])roi)erly and 

 frequently use<l, they will keei) a garden neat and clean. 

 Seed-drills are not practicabl(> for a small garden, but 

 for the market-garclcn they are most imi)ortant, both 

 for imiformity and economy in sowing the seed, 

 obviating thinning by hand. The han<l-thinning is an 

 ex])ensivc operation, wasting the plants that are jiuUed 

 out, and injuring what are left. The modern seed-drill 

 is so constructed that it will drop seed at intervals as 

 well as distribute them in a continuous line. This 

 form is known as the hill-dropi)ing drill. Some drills 

 are equii)ped with interchangeable cultivating tools. 

 The market-gardener does not consider this feature 

 practicable, and therefore prefers separate drills and 

 cultivators; but for hotel and private gardens the com- 

 bined tool is used. 



All vegetable seeds, except lima beans, can be sown 

 with seed-drills; they open the furrow, sow the seed, 

 cover, press it down and make the mark for the next 

 row to be sown, all in one operation. The first row being 

 marked out with garden-line, the marking-iron is set 

 at the required distance. The double wheel-hoe and 

 cultivator is the market-gardener's favorite, as it can 

 straddle the row and cut from each side, thus throwing 

 to center of row. The operator then rakes out the center, 

 following between the rows with teeth attached to the 

 hoe to break the soil. The hand-plow is a favorite tool 

 for the private garden. It can be set at different depths. 



The wheelbarrow-drill in 14- and 16-foot lengths is 

 the most uniform distributer of grass seeds. Over large 

 areas, it is arranged with an agitator inside to force 

 the seed through the openings. The lawn-seeder is 

 equipped with discs which cut shallow openings into 

 which the seed drops. Fertilizer-drills are used, as 

 already indicated, for the field, garden an(l lawn, and 

 distribute evenly and in the required quantity. 



J. Otto Thilow. 



Spraying machinery and tools (see also pp. 1057-1060). 



In recent years, the appliances and devices for the 

 application of sprays to destroy insects and fungi have 

 become numerous and much specialized. As the pests 

 to be met are many and very different, so is the machin- 

 ery of the most diverse patterns. Certain standard 

 practices, however, have developed a line of imple- 

 ments that meets perhaps four-fifths of the needs, and 

 some of these constructions may be briefly considered 

 here. Spraying is now one of the established practices 

 in the growing of plants. 



Pumps. 



The spray-pump is the ordinary lift-pump found in 

 most wells to which has been abided a means of regu- 

 lating the discharge, thus changing the lift-pump to a 

 force-pump. If a tight-fitting plunger moves up m a 

 cylinder, it pushes in front of it a certain amount of aur 

 and an (uiu.al amoimt rushes in behind the plunger to 

 fill the space. If the lower end of the cylinder is placed 

 in water, as the plunger moves upward air is still 

 driven out at the top l)ut, since none can now enter at 

 the bottom, there is a tendency to create a vacuum 



