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glass and at every joint is a movable foot to project in the case of training trees on such
surfaces, in order that their leaves, &c., may not be injured. Such ladders ai’C particulai-ly
useful for repairing curvihnear hothouse roofs. , • ,
1902. The vinery-ladder (fig. 510.) is used for thinning grapes. The three-quarter-inch
fron rod (a a), wliich reaches from one
end of the vinery to the other, is suspended
about two feet from the rafters
by the iron rods (h h), tho ends of which
ai*o tm-ned up to support it. On the
rod hang the irons (c) which support
the ladder (d). This ladder is very
useful for pruning vines and thinning
grapes which are on a roofed trellis
over a stage of greenhouse plants.
1903. The step-laddei', instead of
round rods on which to place the feet,
has steps or boai-ds ; an improvement
es sen ti^y necessary, where much work
is to be done, because less fatiguing to
the feet. Such ladders have generally
a back or fulcrum by which they stand
independently of any other object, and
which is removable at pleasure by _______________
drawing out an iron bolt. _
1904 The portable wheelbarrow-ladder (fig. 511.) combines a whcclbaiTOW and a
ladder. Half the ladder (a ) may either remain
on the harrow frame (b), where it will serve, by
its pressure, to keep down any light bulky matters,
such as pea haulms ; or it may be removed
altogether by withdrawing the bolt (c c). A
man standing on the third step, and holding with
one hand by what foims the tram of the baiToiv,
may easüy gather frait or flowers at the height of ten or twelvc feet from the ground.
(Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 66.)
1905. Platforms are of tAvo species.
1906. The portable platform (fig. 509.) combines a step-ladder and a platform, which
in part comes to pieces, and in part folds together, so as readily
to be can-ied from place to place, and to occupy little room in a
tool-house ^ ^, .
1907. The wheel-platform (fig. 512.) is a flat smface of boai-ds,
o-eneraUy five or six feet square, elevated by a frame Avith
wheels : it can thus be moved along laAvns or walks, and is used
chiefly in clipping lofty hedges. A variety of this, used in some
places, has folding steps or boards on two sides, supported hy
brackets, by which three men at different heights, and one on
the ground, can proceed with dressing the whole side of a hedge
a t once. Such a machine is used in shearing the magnificent
hornbeam hedges in the imperial gardens at Schonhi-uun, aud
those of spruce fir at Petrowsky, near Moscow. , ,
1908 The boat-sctjihe, for moAving weeds in ponds, is a machine invented by General
Betancourt of St. Petersbm-g, consisting of a boat with a system of wheels and pinions
placed in the head, Avhich gives motion to a vertical shaft, on the lower end (Avhich
passes through the bottom of the boat into the water), on wliich are fixed three scythes :
two men work the raachinei-y, and one man rows the b o a t; the upright shafts, on Avhich the
scythes are placed, can be raised or lowered according to the depth of the weeds, &c.
Tliis machine has been improved by General Betancourt, but it is capable of being further
simplified.
1909. Budding’s mowing machine (fig. 513.) is an admirable contrivance for cropping,
or shearing lawns, grass-plots, or indeed any kind of short gi-ass. In the operation of
pushing fonvard the machine, the cylinder (a) rolls upon the ground like the wheel of
a whcelban-ow; aud, by the Avheels and pinions connected Avith it, causes the revolving
cutters to act rapidly, hy their smooth outer edges, against the edge of the fixed rectangular
steel plate (c), so as to crop or shear the gi-ass or vegetable sm-face. Tlie smaller
cylinder (5) serves effectually to regulate the height, and to ensure the steadiness of the
rectangular fixed cutter (c), against which the revolving cutters act. To keep the small
roller (h) sufficiently fi-ee from any adhering substances, there is a horizontal box
Avhich serves as an axis for a thin iron scraper, Avhich is curved so as to foi-m a portion
of a cylinder, having its loAvcr edge beai-ing on the surface of the roller. There is a
box (d) in which all the grass cut by the machine is collected, thus saAung the expense
of sweeping. The machine may be easily rolled from one place to another without
cutting by merely lowering the handles, so as to lift the gauge-roUer from the ground.
Another mowing machine of larger dimensions is occasionally used for mowing extensive
lawns.
1910. The garden sharpening-engines are of several sorts.
1911. The grindstone (fig.
Avell as a whetstone, a scythestone, and
a hone fo r penknives (used in making
cuttings of heath and such like
plants), ai*e necessary in evei-y gai--
den. I31unt spades, hoes, or laiives
should never be used, as they cannot
operate properly in the hands of the
most expert gardener.
1912. Tree-transplanting machines
of two or more species have been invented.
The pole and wheel-machine
is, for general purposes, one of
the best, and is, indeed, the foundation of all the others. I t consists of a long beam or
pole, attached to an axle and Avheels. The tree being prepared for removal, and the
pole placed in a vertical position against it, the stem or trunk is attached to it by
ro p e s; thus attached, the tree and pole are brought into a horizontal position, by men
or horses, with the ball of cai-th attached to the tree. Horses may then be yoked to
the axle at the opposite end of the pole, or root end of the tree, with or Avithout the aid
of another axle, and the tree draAvn to any distance, and planted. Figures and descriptions
WÜ1 be given of some other transplanting machines under Ai-boricnlture.
1913. The Gei-man devil is a f r a m e o f t im h e r , w i t h a c y l i n d e r m o v e d b y a c o m b i n a t i o n
of AAÜiceis, a n d a Avinch s im i l a r t o t h a t u s e d i n r a i s i n g c l a y o r c a i- th f r o m p i t s o r m in e s