[TheForge] Spring projects? - A book on gardening tools

[Bruce Freeman]

For those of you with an interest in gardening (or customers of that
persuasion), you may be interested in a book I've had for some time
which is still available - used, if nothing else on Amazon.com.    The
book is "Everyday Things - Garden Tools" by Slesin, Pellerin, Cliff &
Rozensztroch, with a multitude of color photos by Touillon & Schwarz.
Abbeville Press, NY, London, Paris1996, c..  ISBN 0-7892-0087-2

This book is eye candy for those who like old fashioned wrought iron
and steel tools.  It includes the usual long-handled digging tools:
spades, spading forks, hoes, rakes &c., as well as the smaller tools:
dibbles (aka dibbers), shears, trowels, reels, knives, saws, bilhooks,
sickles, uzw.  Most of these are displayed in wonderful one- or
two-page layouts from some collection, showing the range of
variability.  (I think this was a French collection, but most of the
tools are similar to those we know.)

Although much of the book is of iron or steel implements, it is by no
means restricted to such.  Brass and copper watering nozzles, wands
and cans are also featured.  Plant spayers, cloches (bell-jars for
covering seedlings) of glass or terra cotta, baskets, wooden measuring
tools (line reels, enormous compases, terra cotta "flower" pots, etc.

The book is laid out rather like a "coffee table book" - folio size
and many color photos, but with so much practical information (if only
in the photos) as to not quite fit that category.  A joy to read.

-- 
Bruce
NJ

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