CHAPTER NINE 
TOOLS FOR THE GARDEN 
When putting away the tools for winter, lay aside those 
which need repairs so that they will not be forgotten. 
Old Farmer’s Almanac 
In buying the first tools for gardening work, it is best 
to select the kinds most commonly in use. Buy only 
those that are strongly made and of good material. Poor 
tools break easily and wear out quickly, and are there- 
fore a source of discouragement. Most hardware stores 
carry well-made sets of the most important garden tools ; 
especially sets consisting of a hoe, a spade, and a rake. 
These may be had in small sizes suitable for women and 
children. Many of the “combination” tools (two or 
more tools attached to one handle) are poorly made and 
are so clumsy to use that they are not to be recom- 
mended. 
Tools for spading. For the work of spading, a fork 
with four or five flat tines is the best tool. It should be 
strongly made, and the tines should be of good steel to 
stand the strain of the work. Even then, care must be 
used not to break or bend the tines, especially if the 
ground is stony. An ordinary square or round-pointed 
spade may be used when sod is to be spaded under; 
it may also be used for any spading work, but it is 
harder to force into the soil than a fork, and it-does not 
break up the earth so finely. 
The rake. After the spading fork, an iron or steel rake 
with numerous fine teeth is the most necessary tool in 
the garden. It is used for making the soil fine after 
spading and also for cultivating the growing crops. The 
rake is the best tool for making a good surface mulch on 
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