Book III. 



IMPLEMENTS OF GARDENING. 



277 



weeds are, when large {Jig. 146.), formed of wood pointed with plate-iron, and ara used 

 for pulling out large weeds, particularly thistles and other large plants in hedg ;s, or 

 other bulky crops. They are also sometimes used, for common weeding, to prevent 

 stooping and treading beds and borders ; but their chief use is to weed ponds, either 

 reaching from the shores or from boats. A small sort foiTned of iron is sometimes used 

 for weeding very hard gravel-walks. Gloves, having the first finger and tliumb points 

 cased with iron or steel, brought to a wedge shape, are also used for the same purpose. 



1353. The grape-gatherer (^5. 147.) is a pair of scissars, combining also tweezers or 

 pincers, attached to the end of a rod six or eight feet long, and worked by a cord and 

 pulley, or lever and wire. The bunch of grapes to be gathered from the roof of a lofty 

 vinery, or the sprig of myrtle to be culled from the summit of a green-house stage, is not 

 only clipped cleanly off the plant by the sheers, but held fast by that part of them acting 

 as pincers till it is brought down to the operator. 



146 147 150 



H8 151 



149 



1354. The peach-gatherer (Jig. 148.) consists of a tin funnel or inverted hollow cone, 

 fixed on the end of a rod or handle at an obtuse angle, the funnel is first introduced under 

 each fruit, and then gently raised or moved sideways ; if ripe, the fruit will fall into the 

 funnel. It is used for gathering the peach tribe, apricots, and plums. 



1 355. The pear-gatherer resembles the above, but the funnel is deeply notched or ser- 

 rated, in order to aid in gently drawing off ripe fruit. It is used in gathering the finer 

 sorts of pears and apples from walls. This and the last instrument are also sometimes 

 used for gathering mulberries. Common pears and apples are often gathered by Lane's 

 instrument. (Ji^s. 142. & 151.) 



1356. The berry^gatherer (Jig. 149.) is the combined scissars and pincers above men- 

 tioned, worked by the hand like common scissars, and is used for gathering gooseberries, 

 strawberries, raspberries, and such fruits as should be touched by no other hand than that 

 which conveys them to the mouth. Some opulent proprietors have branches of fruit 

 shrubs cut off and brought to table, as bouquets, in elegant china vases ; or have their 

 strawberries grown in pots, and thus served up to be gathered as used, &c. Jerome 

 Buonaparte, when king of Westphalia, passing through Warsaw, on his way to Moscow, 

 in the campaign of 1812, had branches of cherry-trees laden with fruit held upright by 

 soldiers round his table like a sort of grove, from the branches of which, extending over 

 their heads, he and his guests gathered the fruit. 



1357. The seed and cherry gatherer (fig. 150.) consists of a valvular pocket placed on 

 the end of a long rod. One valve or jaw of the moutli or pocket is fixed, and the other 

 is kept open by a spring, and closed at pleasure, and made bite or pinch off' seeds of 

 forest-trees, or even fruits, especially cherries, 

 by operating on it with a string and pulley, 

 or wire and lever. It is peculiarly use- 

 ful for gathering ash and sycamore keys, 

 haws, and such like seeds. 



1 358. Floioer-gatherers&re of two sorts, the 

 long-handled and the small flower-gatherer. 

 The latter may be the same implement as the 

 berry-gatherer, (fig. 149.) The long-han- 

 dled flower-gatherer (fig. 152.), and which 

 is also an excellent grape-gatherer, cuts and 

 holds on the same principle as the wire- 

 worker's pincers, or berry-gatherer. It is 

 worked by means of two small cords, one 

 (a) serves to vary the direction of the cutting 

 part or scissars, and the other (b) to effect 

 the amputation and retention of a flower, 

 twig, or bunch of fruit. 



T 3 



