108 EECOED OF HOETICULTIJEE. 



VII. 

 IMPLEMENTS FOR THE GARDEN. 



There are a few implements which have been intro- 

 duced within the past year that are worthy of special 

 notice. 



Anything that will lighten the labors of the gardener 

 and assist him to do his work better than formerly, is just 

 as sure a sign of progress as it is to produce a new variety 

 of fruit or flower. Many of the old clumsy implements 

 used in the cjarden are beino; laid aside, and those that 

 are lighter and better adapted to the work are being in- 

 troduced. The steel spading-fork has in a great measure 

 taken the place of the common spade, and the light, steel 

 rake superseded the malleable iron and wooden one. 



Similar changes are observed in all departments of 

 Horticulture ; and so long as they show that they are 

 improvements upon the old forms, they should be encour- 

 aged by every one who takes an interest in the cultivation 

 of fruits and flowers. 



It is often said that " necessity is the mother of inven- 

 tion," and we have no doubt but that in many instances 

 it is true ; still, we fear that all inventions are not really 

 necessary. Hexamer's Prong Hoe, however, owes its 

 origin to the want of just such an instrument; and as none 

 were in market, the inventor set himself to work to pro- 



