Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/15

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The Rake (Fig. 1) should be of the best wrought iron, with teeth about 2½ inches long and 1½ apart. The head is of any size, from six to twenty inches. There are also rakes of malleable iron, and wooden rakes with stock teeth: the latter sort are very convenient for rough ground. The handle should be round, made of pine, or any other light wood, and from six to eight feet long.

Beet Rake (Fig. 2). This very useful implement is composed of hard wood, with steel teeth, obtusely pointed, about two inches wide, five inches bong, and from nine to twelve inches apart. It is exceedingly useful for drawing drills in which to sow Beets, Carrots, Onions, and all small seeds or roots. In using it, strain the line, and draw with some strength; when three drills will be made at once, saving the labor of moving the line so frequently as when the work is accomplished by the hoe.

Hoes are of many and varied descriptions, sizes and shapes. Fig. 3 gives an idea of the most useful. They should be of the very best of steel, with rather strong, round handles, five feet long. They are in sizes from three to ten inches. Those of three, five, seven and nine inches are generally used.

Pronged Hoes, Fig. 4, are very useful, indeed indispensable, for stirring the soil and destroying weeds. They are of steel or malleable iron; the latter generally used, though the former is preferable; handles four and a half feet long.