Fig. i68.— Orchardist's Hook. 



IMPLEMENTS USED BY FRUIT CULTIVATORS. 1 15 



the graft-cutter, or the fruit-gatherer, the operator may stand 

 on a ladder or his stool, as an additional assistance in reach- 

 ing the higher parts of the tree. 



The orchardist's hook consists of a light rod, with an iron 

 hook at one end, and a piece of wood made to slide along it. 

 In using it the fruit-gath- 

 erer draws down the end "^IL 

 of a branch with the hook, ^ 



and fastens it by the slid- 

 ing-piece to another branch below. The slider passes freely 

 along the rod, but ceases to slide by the friction of the side- 

 strain whenever it is in use, Fig. 168. 



Fruit on the ends of long and tall branches may be gath- 

 ered by means of the fruit-picker shown in the annexed fig- 

 ures (Figs. 169 and 170). Fig. 169 con- 

 sists of a piece of stiff wire about two 

 f e;et long, bent into the form shown at a ; 

 the two ends are then thrust through 

 gimlet-holes in the end of a pole ; a small 

 bag, large enough to hold half-a-dozen 

 apples, is sewed to the wire. This com- 

 pletes the instrument. The narrow part 

 of the wire assists in removing the stem 

 from the branch. A picker of some sort 



Pig. 169. 



Fruit-Picker. 



Fig. 170. 



is especially valuable in gathering any valuable fruit, such 

 as pears or peaches, which would otherwise be bruised and 

 spoiled. 



Vine Scissors. — Neat and convenient instruments for thin. 



ning out the berries from bunches of grapes which have grown 



.too thick, for removing unnecessary shoots, leaves, etc., and 



for gathering the fruit, are shown in the annexed cuts (Figs. 



171, 172, and 173). The uppermost one is commonly used. 



Garden Heel. — Fig. 174 represents the reel for the garden- 

 line and stake for stretching the same, all made of iron. The 

 Stakes should be at least a foot long. The line should be a 



