SCHOOL AND HOME GAKDENING 



larly near the plants, the hoe is better than the rake in killing 

 them. 



The quality of these hand tools should be very good. 

 Those made from good steel are always to be desired. The 

 handles should' be rigid, not flimsy. The sizes of hoes and 

 rakes should be suited to the ages of the pupils. Four-inch 

 hoes and ten-inch rakes are large enough for pupils ten years 

 old or younger. Six-inch hoes and twelve-inch rakes are 



FiQ. 20. Fig. 21. Fig. 22. 



Fig. 20.^The spadiag-fork, rake, and hoe constitute the simplest garden outfit. 

 Fig. 21. — An inexpensive hand cultivator. ^ 



Fig. 22. — Hand weeder, pruning shears, trowel, and two forms of dibbers. 



suitable for pupils of ten to twelve years or older — ^but the 

 older pupils may also make use of tools, each two inches larger. 



Other Useful Tools. — There are many other tools and 

 articles which may be found useful in the garden — at school 

 and at home. To mention some of them and their uses may be 

 suggestive, particularly to the beginner. 



A spading fork (Fig. 20), sometimes Imown as a potato 

 fork, is useful in " spading up " or turning over the top soil to 

 prepare it for planting. This is for small areas only, where 

 a horse and plow cannot well be used. It is used also in 



