272 Horticultural Implements, Appliances, etc. 



of numbers ; 3rd, a block to receive them; and 4th, a hammer to 

 strike and indent the figures in the leads. This apparatus there- 

 fore becomes troublesome, especially when it is necessary to change 

 its place, as is the case when it has to be used in different parts of a 

 large garden, or in a field. Besides, it suffices for one of the little 

 figures to be lost to render the whole series useless. A considera- 

 tion of these inconveniences induced an ingenious cutler, M. Hardt- 

 ville, of the Rue St. Jacques, in Paris, to invent the Numeroteur, or 

 Numbering Pincers. This instrument in its general form resembles 

 a large pair of scissors, in which the blades instead of being cutting 

 are flat and blunt, with the upper extremity prolonged. On the 

 inner side of the upper of these blades is fixed a series of ten figures 

 arranged in order, from i to 9, followed by o. These figures are 

 placed at the end of small steel shanks screwed into the blade, and 

 upon the opposite blade, which is flat, the figures are marked in 

 hollows, so that, without grouping, one is able to effect with cer- 

 tainty any necessary numerical combinations. A pressure of the 

 blades suffices to indent the figure in the piece of lead that has been 

 placed between them, and the lead is then withdrawn and placed 

 in the same way beneath whatever other figure or figures may 

 make up the number required. The blades of these numbering 

 pincers work upon a movement similar to that of a pair of scissors, 

 the alternate opening and shutting of the curved portion or handle 

 also opening and shutting the two opposite blades, so that it is only 

 necessary to put the plate of lead straight with the figure which is 

 wanted, and then to make a pressure, to have this figure indented 

 on the lead. At the end of one blade, in a line with the figures, is 

 a small punch, with which, if necessary, to pierce the lead, in order 

 to admit of passing through it a wire thread, by which it may be 

 suspended. To complete this instrument M. Hardiville has added, 

 on the side of one of the branches, a small blade, which by means 

 of a spring adapted to the other branch, forms a pair of scissors 

 with which to cut the leads. When the scissors are not needed, 

 the spring is unfastened, being made to do so easily and quickly, 

 and the blade then tightens itself against the branch of the pincer 



