47 
right angles to the handle. Then a small wire may be 
passed through these holes or notches and brought 
tightly together at the top. One may elaborate on this 
by placing a turnbuckle just underneath the back of the 
rake and use it in tightening the wire from time to 
time. This is the greatest weeding device we have ever 
found and we would not think of getting along with¬ 
out it. If the soil has been carefully prepared, this 
weeder can be drawn between the rows with hardly any 
effort and a man can weed 20 beds of the size we have 
just described in from one to two hours and it does a 
good job of cultivating at the same time. The wire 
passes beneath the surface of the soil, possibly half an 
inch deep, takes out every weed, and leaves the soil 
level. 
A little later in the season we use a little rake six 
inches in width, with all the teeth in it. This does a 
fine job of cultivating. A wire may be stretched across 
it through notches sawed in the ends of the teeth, or 
in notches sawed in the back and front alternately of 
every tooth near their points. This makes a combined 
weeder and cultivator. We prefer this narrow rake as 
soon as bulblets are beginning to form for they may 
easily be torn off if cultivation is too close to them. Our 
soil is very fine and easily passes through such a rake. 
If the soil is coarser, some of the teeth would have to 
be removed. If the turnbuckle is left off the rake first 
above described, some of the teeth could be left in it, 
one or two in the middle, and they would hold the wire 
more firmly and aid in the cultivating. 
The best hoe we have found is a little one seven 
inches wide, with a blade about two inches high. Where 
the rows of bulbs are a foot apart, this little hoe may 
