104 



MANUAL OF GARDENING 



give more than an inkling of the unspeakable merits of these 

 weapons of society and civilization. When Mrs. Tarryer was 

 showing twelve or fifteen acres of garden With never a weed to 

 be seen, she valued her dozen or more of these Hght implements 

 at five or ten dollars daily ; whether they were in actual use or 

 adorning the front hall, hke a hunter's or angler's furniture, 

 made no difference. But where are these millennial tools 

 made and sold ? Nowhere. They are as unkno^vn as the 

 Bible was in the dark ages, and we must give a few hints to- 

 wards manufacturing them. 



''First, about the handles. The ordinary dealer or workman 

 may say these knobs can be formed on any handles by winding 

 them with leather; but just fancy a young maiden setting up 

 her hoe meditatively and resting her hands and chin upon an 

 old leather knob to reflect upon something that has been said 

 to her in the garden, and we shall perceive that a knob by some 

 other name would smell far sweeter. Moreover, trees grow 

 large enough at the butt to furnish all the knobs we want — 

 even for broom-sticks — though sawyers, turners, dealers, 

 and the public seem not to be aware of it; yet it must be con- 

 fessed we are so far gone in depravity that there will be trouble 

 in getting those handles. . . . 



''In a broadcast prayer of this pubhc nature, absolute speci- 

 fications would not be poHte. Black walnut and butternut 

 are fragrant as well as beautiful timber. Cherry is stiff, heavy, 

 durable, and, like maple, takes a slippery polish. For fine, 

 light handles, that the palm will stick to, butt cuts of poplar 

 or Cottonwood cannot be excelled, yet straight-grained ash will 

 bear more careless usage. 



"The handles of Mrs. Tarryer's hoes are never perfectly 

 straight. All the bayonet class bend downward in use half 

 an inch or more; all the thrust-hoe handles bend up in a 

 regular curve (like a fiddle-bow turned over) two or three 

 inches. Unless they are hung right, these hoes are very awk- 



