FRUIT-PICKER.--Fruit-picking is such an easy matter for boys that I
think it is the girls who will chiefly appreciate this contrivance. It
too often happens that there will be a very tall tree with fruit well
out of reach, and a girl at the foot of it who is not an expert climber.
Her mouth need no longer water in vain. This fruit-picker is very
ingenious. It consists of scoop-shaped jaws worked by cords and springs,
and mounted on a pole of suitable length. Attached to the jaws is a
long, funnel-shaped bag, which receives the fruit and allows it to drop
without injury right into the fruit-picker's hands.
[Illustration: Fruit Picker]
[Illustration: Safety-Brake]
SAFETY-BRAKE FOR CHILDREN'S CARRIAGES.--So many accidents occur with
baby-carriages that this ought to be a great comfort to mothers, and a
great help to the "little mothers" who mind the babies. Children's
carriages are made so light that their weight is very slight, and a puff
of wind is often enough to set them in motion; and if they chance to be
on an uneven sidewalk they are likely to roll into the road among the
vehicles. This simple brake, which keeps the wheels from moving when the
handle is released, will render this impossible, and make it safe to
leave the carriage, baby and all, without the fear of harm coming to it.
It seems as if the danger to the children attracted the attention of
more than one person at the same time, for other brakes also have been
brought to our notice, the same in intention, but differing in design.
[Illustration: Garment Hanger and Stretcher]
GARMENT HANGER AND STRETCHER.--This is a very simple and ingenious
arrangement to combine a garment hanger and stretcher. The two are made
in one, and consist of a single piece of wire bent backward on itself.
The ends are secured to a support which can be attached to the wall, and
at the other end of the double wire it is bent upward and downward, so
as to form a strong spring holding the two parallel parts closely
together.
[Illustration: Combination Eraser]
COMBINATION ERASER.--The combination eraser is a handy little tool, and
seems calculated to find its way to every writing-table. As its name
implies, we find combined in the one tool an eraser, a blade, and a
smoothing-tip fitted in the stem of the blade. Besides this, a brush can
be at will secured to an extension of the tip, thus bringing together
all the implements necessary for erasing.
[Illustration: Corn-Holder]
CORN-HOLDER.--Corn is never so sweet as when it is eaten off the cob,
and in spite of burned and greasy fingers too, most people prefer to
enjoy it in that way. This corn-holder will enable one to so enjoy it
without any such drawbacks. It consists of a pair of lever-arms which
work like scissors or shears. One end of each curves inwardly and has a
pointed end which will enter the corn. There is a chain below which will
keep them fixed in the necessary position for firmly holding it.