1.2 TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS 9 Can you think of some sophisticated machinery which can be used in agriculture? FARMING TOOLS As we have seen, agriculture has evolved in different ways over the course of history. Farmers can use a great variety of devices with a wide range of complexity: from simple tools to highly sophisticated machinery . However, farmers and gardeners still use hand tools, too. Farming hand tools The main farming hand tools are the following: ONLINE RESOURCES Up to the Industrial Revolution bush: cespuglio blade: lama to dig: scavare fork: forcone garden bed: aiuola garden trowel: paletta da giardiniere hand fork: forchetta da giardino hand hoe: zappetta hand rake: rastrellino handle: manico hedge shears: cesoie da siepe hoe: zappa load: carico to loose: allentare to mow: falciare to prune: potare rake: rastrello to reap: mietere, raccogliere scythe: falce a manico lungo secateurs: cesoie shovel: pala sickle: falce messoria spade: vanga sprayer: spruzzatore square-shouldered: squadrato tank: serbatoio tine: rebbio wheelbarrow: carriola 26 Agriculture 1. A fork has a long handle with three or four sharp, metal points on the end and is used for digging or lifting; 2. A hoe has a thin flat blade on a long handle and is used especially for weeding or loosening the ground around plants; 3. A rake has a long handle with sharp separated points on one hand and is commonly used to make soil level and remove leaves from the ground; 4. A scythe has a long curving blade and a long wooden handle. It is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia to mow grass or reap grain or other crops; 5. Secateurs are a tool with two short, sharp blades and is used for cutting plant stems; 6. A spade is used for digging and consists of a thick handle and a heavy flat, metal blade that can be pushed into the ground with the foot; 7. A sickle has a curved metal blade and a short handle, used for cutting grass and grain crops; 8. A shovel is used for lifting and moving something such as snow or soil. It consists of a long handle with a curved metal end. Gardening hand tools The main gardening hand tools are: 1. A wheelbarrow, a small single-wheeled vehicle used for carrying small loads; 2. Hedge shears look like giant scissors with their long pair of straight blades; 3. A sprayer has a tank holding substances, fertilisers or pesticides; 4. A hand rake, shorter than a rake, is ideal for cleaning up debris in garden beds; 5. A garden trowel is useful for planting bulbs and small perennials, as well as digging up weeds; 6. A hand fork has a handle and a squareshouldered head with three short tines; 7. A hand hoe has a short, ergonomic handle and is a great tool for controlling weeds.