spades as broad at the point as at the heel. We
have used common long-handled spades, cut down with shears at a
machine-shop, into these shapes.

The spade of equal width, works much more easily in the bottom of a
trench, because its corners do not catch, as do those of the other. The
pointed spade is apparently nearer the shape of the sloping ditch, but
such tools cannot be used vertically, and when the heel of the pointed
spade is lowered, it catches in the side of the trench, before the point
reaches the bottom.

Very strong spades, of various width, from three to eight inches, and
thick at the heel, to operate as a wedge, will be found most suitable
for common use. The narrowest spades should have the spur, as shown in
Fig. 64, because there is not room for the foot by the side of the
handle.

The various tools for finishing the bottoms of drains, as figured in
Morton, are the following:

[Illustration: Fig. 75. Fig. 76. Fig. 77. Fig. 78. Fig. 79.

ENGLISH BOTTOMING TOOLS.]

The last implement, which is a scoop for the bottom of trenches for
round pipes, is one of the tools mentioned in Mr. Denton's letter, as
not being found to the taste of his workmen. For scooping out our
flat-bottomed trenches, we use a tool like Fig. 77. For boggy land, soft
clay, or, indeed, any land where water is running at the time of the
excavation, scoops like the following will be found convenient for flat
bottoms.

[Illustration: Fig. 80. Fig. 81. Fig. 82.

DRAWING AND PUSHING SCOOP, AND PIPE-LAYER.]

The pushing scoop (Fig. 81), as it is called, may be made of a common
long-handled shovel, turned up at the sides by a blacksmith, leaving it
of the desired width.

The _pipe-layer_, of which mention has so often been made, is a little
implement invented by Mr. Parkes, for placing round pipes and collars in
narrow trenches, without stepping into them.

The following sketch, by our friend Mr. Shedd, shows the pipe-layer in
use. The cross section of the land, shown in front, represents it as
having had the advantage of draining, by which the water-table is
brought to a level with the bottom of the drain, as shown by the heavy
shading. An "Irish spade" and a pipe-layer are shown lying on the
ground.

[Illustration: Fig. 83.--PIPE-LAYING.]

The _pick-axes_ commonly used in excavation of trenches, are in the
following forms:

[Illustration: Fig. 84, 85.--PICK-AXES.]

Pick-axes may be light or heavy, according to the nature