The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-08-05
Use Of the Hand-Hge.

With the introduction of the horse.
cultivator, the hand-hoe went out of
use on most of the Western farms.
More work could be done with the cul.
tivator, and it could be done with
greater ease. The more the cutivator
was improved the more farmers became
attached to it, and the greater was their
reluctance to handle the hoe. At pres
ent the implement that has been used
longer and to better advantage than
any other in the cultivation of crops is
generally discarded on Western farms.
Indeed, many market gardeners manage
to raise most of their vegetables without
using the hoe to any considerable eX-
tent. The horse-cutivator is certainly
very desirable implement to employ
in both the field and the garden, but its
the hand-hoe. 1t is profitable to con-
tinae the use of the hoe in every gar
den and cultivated field. Work can be
performed with it that cannot be done
with any implement drawn by horse.
The hoe should be used in every corn
and potato field before the cultivator is
put in operation. 1t should be en-
ployed to remove stones, turfs and
pieces of hard earth that may be over
the plants that are making their appear
ance above ground, and for stirring the
soil around them. The cultivator is ex-
cellent for working the ground be-
tween hills. but for cultivating the hill
itself there is no implement like the
hand-hoe. 1t is very difficult to keep a
field devoted to any cultivated crop en-
tirely clear of grass and weeds without
using the hoe. A field that has been
worked at least once with hand-hoe is
always more productive than one that
has been tended with the cultivator
alone. The truth is, the former per-
forms some work which the latter can
not do.
To be "as dull as q hoe'-that is, as
most hoes are-is to be very dull in
deed. 1t is TO have the edge battered
and worn and the entire surface covered
with rust A hoe in that condition can
not be expected to do very good work
or to be an easy implement to operate
with. But hoe should never be in
that condition. 1t should be sharp and
bright. 1t should have an edge that
will cut roots W ithout tearing them,
and pass through the soil like a we'll
polished knife-blade. Only the best
steel hoes are profitable to use in the
field or garden. They should be of
material that will take good edge and
high polish, and should have both
when they pass into the hands of the
purchaser. They should be kept sharp
and never be allowed to become rusty.
They should be sharpened by the use of
the file, grindstone or milestone as often
as the scythe is, that is constantly en-
ployed in cutting grass. Both surfaces
and the shank should be rubbed with
polishing material as often as there is
any appearance of rust. To prevent
rusting they should be thoroughly
cleaned every time they are put away,
If it is but for single night. The en-
tire surface, including that of the shank,
should be covered with oil to prevent
the formation of rust Hoes kept sharp
and well polished cut any kind of roots
readily and move through the soil with
out difficulty. A man with sharp and
polished hoe can do twice the work in
a given time that one can with a hoe
that is dull and rusty. There is econo-
my in keeping hoe sharp, if it is worn
out in week in consequence of fire.
quent contact with a grindstone. La
borers who object to using the hoes
that are often placed in their hands are
entirely satisfied TO use those that are
sharp and well polished. Chicago
Times