50 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



as shoTYia in the figm-e. The smaller end of this slightly-ta- 

 pering eye-band stands in-\vard, with a very slight inclination 

 toward the edge, or downward, to give set to the blade. Ihis 

 hoe has almost no capacity for ordinary work, where force upon 

 the edge is required. Its advantages are that it may be pre- 

 pared for use in a moment by slipping it downward to the butt 

 of a tapering handle, or smoothly-dressed light bean-iiole, and 

 tftat its peculiar lightness, size, &c., enables an ambidextrous 

 workman to hill more rapidly than with any other hoe in all 

 loose soils tolerably free from stones. Inferior ii-on-bladed hoes 

 of this description are worthless. 



'S 



Goose-necked steel Garden-lioe. 



The goose-necked steel garden-hoe. Fig. 30, long and exten- 

 sively known as Tuttle's patent, is probaljly perfect for its pm-- 

 poses, no essential change having 1jeen found desirable in its 

 material or form from the first, though of late attempts have 

 been made to improve it as a hilling-boe by welding the goose- 

 liill more nearly upon the back edge of the blade, and lessen- 

 ing the curve ; Imt it loses value as a garden-hoe by the 

 change. In its original and proper shape, it has a forged and 

 polished steel Ijlade, slightly incm'ved, welded to an iron goose- 

 necked shank, which is firmly keyed into a rather liglit han- 

 dle about fom- feet long, the tapered end of which is sheathed 

 and secured by a sufficient iron ferule. The blade is lessened 

 a little in width from the edge backward, and by beating out 

 portions of the back part of the blade toward the ends, two 

 wings are fonned, rising slightly above the neck of the shank, 

 between which, thus spread, the goose-bill is welded to the 

 lalade, being set in a little toward its centre. By this ar- 

 rangement the direction of the force in using it is so balanced 

 that, whether the stroke be made mth the centre or corner of 



