Horticultural Implements, Appliances, etc. 253 



is no tolerating them any longer, and they are thrown by with the 

 old iron or the oyster shells. 



The reason why people have resorted to them is, that the 

 edgings ordinarily used prove disappointing and dirty, and they 

 long for something that will be neat and tidy at all times. To 

 abuse a bad thing without offering a better, or any at all, is often 

 better than to stand still and tolerate a nuisance ; but in thi s 

 instance I am able to recommend a capital permanent edging 

 everlasting, in fact, and with nothing that could offend the most 

 critical taste. This is simply made of rustic rods of cast iron, in 



FIG. 75. 



imitation of the little edgings of bent branches that everybody must 

 have seen. They are evidently cast from the model of a bent 

 branchlet, generally about as thick as the thumb, but they are of 

 various sizes. The marks where the twigs are supposed to have 

 been cut off are visible, and altogether the thing looks as rustic as 

 could be desired, is firm as a rock when placed in position, and, in 

 a word, perfect. These irons are of course stuck in the ground 

 firmly, and as shown in the figure. But, while prettier than any 

 stick edging ever seen, they are, when fastened, also the most 

 firm and permanent of all. They may be set up by any boy. The 

 fact that they are not stiff and ugly tile-like bodies prevents their 



