GARDEN IMPLEMENTS. 



371 



should be set at the hight to which the hedge is to be 

 cut, as a guide to work by. The notch near the heel of 

 the blade of all improved shears is to catch strong 

 branches, which would otherwise slide out when an 

 effort was made to cut them. 



HAND-PRUNING SHEARS (figures 167 and 168). These 

 are very efficient and useful, and will cut off 

 a small branch as clean as a knife. They are 

 indispensable in pruning small trees and vines, 

 and for use in grapery and garden. 



Fi~. 166. Fig. 167. Fig. 168. 



LOPPING OR BRANCH PRUNING SHEARS (figure 169). 

 These are powerful shears for cutting large branches. 

 They have wooden handles from two to three feet long, 

 which enable the operator to reach up a considerable 



Fig. 169. 



distance. For thinning out and trimming up old shrubs, 

 such as Lilac bushes, they cannot be equaled. Figure 

 170 shows another style, called the Slide Cut Lopping 

 Shears. These are so made that the cutting blade is 

 drawn through the branch like a knife, which prevents 

 bruising and crushing. 



