574 



HORTICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS, ETC. 



put the plate of lead straight with the figure which is wanted, 

 and then to make a pressure^ to have this figure indented 

 on it. At the end of one blade^ in a line with the 

 figures, is a small punch, with which, if necessary, to pierce 

 the lead, in order to admit of passing through it a wire 

 thread, by which it may be suspended. To complete this 

 instrument M. Hardiville has added, on the side of one of 

 the branches, a small blade, which, by means of a spring 

 adapted to the other branch, forms a pair of scissors with 

 which to cut the leads. When the scissors are not needed, 

 the spring is unfastened, being made to do so easily and 

 quickly, and the blade then tightens itself against the branch 

 of the pincer without any trouble. At the base is a move- 

 able spring which sei'ves to open the branches. Thus we 

 see that this instrument is very complete, but its value is 

 augmented by its not being complicated, and especially by 

 its being of a reasonable price — ten francs.^^ 



The Secateur. — Of garden cutlery I will only mention 

 the secateur, and this is an instrument that every gardener 

 should possess himself of at once. I know well the pre- 

 judice that exists in England among horticulturists against 

 things of this kind, and their almost superstitious regard 

 for a good knife. I also believed in the knife, but 

 when I saw how useful is the secateur to the fruit 

 growers of France, and how easily and effectively they 

 cut with it exactly as desired, I became at once con- 

 verted. A secateur is seen in the hands of every French 

 fruit grower, and by its means he cuts as clean as the best 

 knife-man with the best knife ever whetted. They cut 

 stakes with them almost as fast as one could count them ; 

 they have recently made some large ones for cutting 

 stronger plants — such as the strong awkward roots of the 

 briars collected by the Rose growers. Of these secateurs 

 there are many forms, several of the best being figured here. 



First we have the Secateur Vauthier (Fig. 326), a strong 

 and handy instrument. Its sloping semi- cylindrical handles 

 have their outer side rough, which gives a firm hold ; the 

 springs, though strong, resist the action of the hand gently ; 

 the curvature of the blade and the adjustment are perfect ; 



