THE HANDLING OF THE LAND 107 
: tools will last several years and may he used in hard 
ground, but the cheap trowels are generally hardly 
worth the buying. A solid wrought-iron trowel all in 
106.Long- 107. Improvised 108. Weed- 109. Agood 110. Weed-cutter. 
handled trowel. spud. weed-spud. 
trowel. 
one piece is also manufactured, and is the most 
durable pattern. A steel trowel may be secured 
to along handle; or the blade of a broken trowel 
may be utilized in the same way (Fig. 106). A 
very good trowel may also be made from 
a discarded blade of a mowing machine 
(Fig. 107), and it answers the purpose of a 
hand-weeder. 
Weed-spuds are shown in Figs. 108 to 111. 
The first is particularly serviceable in cutting 
docks and other strong weeds from lawns and 
pastures. It is provided with a brace to allow 
it to be thrust into the ground with the foot. It 
is seldom necessary to dig out perennial weeds to 111. A weed- 
the tips of their deep roots, if the crown is severed spud that lifts 
a short distance below the surface. Ahead 
