Implements 



37 



down on one's hands and knees, in the blistering hot 

 dusty soil, with the perspiration trickling down into 

 one's eyes, and pick small weedlets from among ten- 

 der plantlets, is not a pleasant occupation. There 

 are, however, several sorts of small weeders which 

 lessen the work considerably. One or another of the 

 common types will seem preferable, according to 

 different conditions of soil and methods of work. 

 Personally, I prefer the Lang's for most uses (fac- 

 ing p. 38). The angle blade makes it possible to cut 

 very near to small plants and between close-growing 

 plants, while the strap over the back of a finger or 

 thumb leaves the fingers free for weeding without 

 dropping the instrument. 



There are two things to be kept in mind about 

 hand-weeding which will reduce this work to the 

 minimum. First, never let the weeds get a start ; for 

 even if they do not increase in number, if they once 

 smother the ground or crop, you will wish you had 

 never heard of a garden. Second, do your hand- 

 weeding while the surface soil is soft, when the 

 weeds come out easily. A hard-crusted soil will 

 double and treble the amount of labor required. 



It would seem that it should be needless, when 

 garden tools are such savers of labor, to suggest that 

 they should be carefully kept, always bright and 

 clean and sharp, and in repair. But such advice is 

 needed, to judge by most of the tools one sees. 



