648
working out a similai* one. In this way proceed across the piece to be trenched, and
then return, aud so on in parallel courses to the end of the plot, observing that the face
or position of the moved soil in the trench must always be that of a slope, in order that
whatei-er is thrown there may be mixed, and not deposited in regular layers, as in the
other case. To effect this most completely, the operator should always stand in the
bottom of the trench, and first picking down and mixing the materials, from the solid
side, should next take them up with the shovel, and throw them on the slope or face of
the moved soil, keeping a distinct space of 2 or 3 feet between them. For want of
attention to this, in trenching new soils for gardens and plantations, it may be truly
said that half the benefit derivable from the operation is lost. In general, in trenching,
those points which were mentioned under digging, such as turning, breaking, dunging,
&c., require to be attended to; and sometimes an additional object, that of producing a
level from an iiTcguiai- surface, is desired. In this case double care is requisite to avoid
forming subteiTaneous basins or hollows, which might retain water in the substratum,
at the bottom of the moved soil; and also to mix inferior with better soil, &c., wliere it
becomes requisite to penetrate into depositions of inferior earthy matters.
2303. R id q in g is a mode of finishing the surface, applicable either to dug or trenched
gi-ounds; which, when so finished, are called ridge-dug or ridgc-trenched. Instead of
being formed with an even surface, ridged gi-ounds are finished in ridges, or close ranges
of parallel elevations, Avhose sections are nearly equilateral triangles. Hence, supposing
the triangles to touch at their bases, two thirds more of surface will be exposed to the
infiuence of the atmosphere and the weather, than in even surfaces.
2304. F o rkin g . The fork is composed of two or three separate, parallel, and uniform
wedges, joined so as to form one general blade; which is acted on like the spade, by
means of a shoulder or hilt, for thrasting it into the matters to be forked; and of a lever
or handle for separating and lifting them. In gardening, forking is used for two purposes
; for pulverising the soil among growing crops, and for moving vegetable
manures. In the first case, the operation is similai- to digging, the only difference being
that pulverisation is more attended to than reversing the surface; in the other, the fork
separates chiefly by drawing and lifting; hence, for moving manm-e, a round-pronged (or
dung) fork (fig . 308.) produces least friction during the discharge of the forkftil and
reinsertion ; and, for pulverising the soil, a broad-pronged (or garden) fork ( fig . 309.)
separates and lifts the soil more readily. Diy weather is essentially requisite in forking
soils, and most desirable for spreading manures; but dunghills may be turned, and hotbeds
made, during rain with no great injury.
2305. H oeing is performed by drawing or thrasting the wedge or blade of the draw
or thrast hoe along the surface of the soil, so as to cut weeds at or under the surface, and
slightly to pulverise the soil. It is used for four purposes, sometimes together, but commonly
separate ; first, to loosen weeds so that they may die for want of nourishment, or be
gathered or raked off, for which either the thrast or draw hoe may be used; secondly,
to stir the soil, and for this purpose, when no weeds require killing, tho pronged hoe is
preferable, as being thrust deeper with less force, and as less likely to cut the roots of
plants; thirdly, to draw up or accumulate soil about the stems of plants, in doing which,
a hoe with a large blade or shovel will produce most effect; and fourthly, to form a
hollow gutter or drill, in which to sow or insert the seeds of plants, for which a lai-ge or
small draw-hoe may be used, according to the size of the seeds to be buried. The use of
the hoe for any of the above pui-poses requires dry weather.
2306. R a k in g is performed by drawing through the surface of the soil, or over it, a
series of small equilateral wedges or teeth, either with a view to minute pulverisation, or
to collecting weeds, stones, or such other extraneous matters as do not pass through the
interstices of the teeth of the rake. The teeth of the rake being placed nearly at right
angles to the handle, it follows that the lower the handle is held in performing the
operation, the deeper will be the pulverisation; and on the contrary, that the higher it is
held, the interstices being lessened, the fewer extraneous matters will pass througli the
teeth. The angle at lyhich the handle of the rake is held must therefore depend on the
object in view ; the medium is 45°. For all raking, except that of new-mown grass,
dry weather is essentially requisite.
2307. C u ffin g is a mode of excavating used in preparing a surface for seeds, and in
covering them when sown; the surface, being well pulverised by digging and raking, is
laid out into beds with alleys between, at least three times the breadth of the operator’s
foot. Then take a woodon-headed or cuffing-rake, and standing on the alley of the
opposite side of the bed, turn the rake on its back, push off the earth from tho one half
of the bed to the purposed depth, as far as the side of the alley marked by your feet, being
careful to keep the eartli so pushed off quite straight. When one side is finished, turn
round and do the other in the same manner. After the seeds arc sown take the rake, and
stand on the alley on the opposite side of the bed ; put in the teeth of the rake immediately
beyond the cuffing or ridge of earth pressed off, and, by a sudden pull, draw it
on the bed so ns to cover its own half equally ; ”
tho same manner, and the operation is completed. {S a n g s K a l., 2 * - )
2308 S c rap ing is drawing a broad and blunt wedge along hard surfaces ; in garden-
inrérénerally those of lawns or walks, to remove excrementitious matters tin-own out of
the foil by worms. Moist weather best suits the operation on lawns, and diy weather
Sweeping, mechanically considered, is the same operation as scraping. In gar-
de7 g;it i?hfefiy’ used after mlwing, and for colleethig leaves ; for b»“ .-«»«
dewy mornings are preferable, as at such seasons, tho leaves or grass, being moist, con-
7 7 o"*'wleSis?modeofearrymg materials in which the weight is divided between
the a te of t e wheel and t e arm! of t e operator. Tho ai-ms or shafts f harrow
thus hccomo levers of t e second kind, in which t e power is at one end and the M®'™
7 h e oth? ate t e weight between them. The weight is c a n - i e d or moved on by t e
continual change of t e fulcrum with the turning of t e wheel ; and this turmng is produced
by tho operator throwing forward his centre of gravity, so as to pnsh against the
theel hy me?s rf the movable ate, &o. The chietehstacles to wheeling are t e
i-ouffhness or softness of the sm-face to be wheeled on. Wliere this is flrm, there wheeling
wdl he best performed with the greater part of t e load resting on the axle ; but
when soft and deep, t e centre of gravity should he nearest the operate^ -who wiU lite
it easier to carry than to overcome excessive friction. Diy weather is obviously pref®]-
? ? ? - this ?ei-ation. “With wheelbai-rows,” Dr. Young observes, “men wall do
7 » L r ; T s 7 » î t e to surfaces or to materials, with a view to
render them mo?-e fit for Zrticular uses. Thus, in new-laid turf verges, or p-avel alloys,
« e t Z s T d adhésion are required and obtained hy beating ; in working clay for
pudSing or claying the bottom of ponds or cisterns, intimate mixtm-e, exclusion of air
“ rs®®® ™ " i - g ® - t a “
turf and Hi-avol The roller, mechanically considered, is the second niochamcal poiver,
¿ t h e im-
S ? fc a le , ? d T e sieve for finer operations with plant-moulds and composts.
S e c t. III. G ard en L a b o urs an P la n ts .
2314 T he simple operations perform ed an vegetables ai-e sawing, cutting, clipping,
r T f ? h e ? w ? è conjoined series of uniform wedges, wMoh, when drawn
■mftemst irsZcesste across a briieh or trunk, gradually wear it thi-ougL In per-
« 7 r » 7 Z » » S ? 7 v p » » ?
£ 7 » » L = : i 7 » » H f » »
=
iTerformed by means of a very sharp wedge, and either hy drawdng
thift i L ? S e f y or across the body to be cut, as in uring t e knife ; or by pressing
o s tte te the a ? oV hedge-biU obliquely into t e body, first on one side of an imagi-
? ? £ ? o f e cS ? and ten on the otoeÎ, so as to work out a treiieh across the braueh
? trate and so effect its separation. The axe, in gardenmg, is chiefly used in fellmg
trees md for separating teir trunks, branches, and roots into parts. The knife is cx-
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