134 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



handles are indispensable for cutting the ends of long 

 shoots in the tops of trees, and cutting off clusters of 

 insects and their nests. The thorny dead canes of the 

 blackberry plantation are best cut out with a hooked 

 blade attached to a fork-handle about four or five feet 

 long. 



The hand pruning shears are needed for pruning 

 vines, shrubs, currant bushes, and the ends of raspberry 

 and blackberry canes, etc. 



Horses and Wagons. The labor conditions are such 

 at the present time that little or no profit can be made 

 from farm or garden crops if we have to hire much help ; 

 therefore we must do all that is possible with horse 

 power, and horses and wagons are needed upon the 

 farm both for pleasure and profit. Wagons are needed 

 to draw supplies and carry produce to market. For 

 soft, perishable stuff a spring wagon is useful, but for 

 carting manure, and heavy farm products, a wagon 

 without springs is better. By using bolster springs a 

 wagon may be quickly changed from one to the other. 

 The manure spreader, mowing machine, horse rake, and 

 weeder, are desirable even upon a small place and become 

 a necessity when a large business in general farming is 

 done. 



Packing and Storage Room. With almost all kinds 

 of fruit some place is needed in which to prepare it for 

 market or store it for a greater or less time after it is 

 gathered. For small fruits we need a place where they 

 can be put into a cool atmosphere after being picked 

 and be kept until shipped. This may be a cool cellar or 

 basement room on the north side of the house or other 

 building, or it may be a cool room with ice stored over- 

 head or along the sides. The former, however, is better, 

 the atmosphere being dry while the latter will often be 

 quite moist. For storing fruit and vegetables during the 



