COLDFRAMES 46 



to keep the soil soft and open by maintaining a dust 

 mulch. 



The best tool for this purpose and for all-around 

 work in the garden is the scuffle hoe. This tool's flat 

 blade, about nine inches wide and four inches deep, is 

 set at an angle of about thirty degrees to the handle. 

 In using it is pushed from one, stirring or scuffling 

 the earth and producing a dry mulch of from one 

 to three inches in depth according to the angle at 

 which the handle is held and the vigor with which it 

 is used. As there are no projections or parts to 

 catch on the plants it can be pushed close to the 

 stems and under the leaves without in the least dis- 

 turbing them. In using, the worker walks backwards, 

 JJius avoiding the tramping on the newly worked 

 ground as is necessary with all other forms of cultiva- 

 tors. I know of no other tool or combination of tools 

 with which one can accomplish the same amount of 

 work with so little fatigde. By going over the gar- 

 den with it the morning after a rain, a dust mulch is 

 established which will, ordinarily, carry the garden 

 on to the next rainfall. Its use in the eradication of 

 weeds in the garden is invaluable. By going over the 

 ground as soon as the first seed leaves of the weeds 

 appear one can keep the garden entirely free from 

 weeds the entire season with no more trouble than is 

 required to maintain a dust mulch. In fact, with this 

 tool there is no excuse for weeds. 



