Fig. 165. (S. 1–6.) Typical oval spades. Missouri Historical Society collection.
A classification of agricultural implements would be, it seems to me:—
(a) Notched, flint or stone digging-tools. (See Figs. 163, 164.) (b) Oval spades. (See Fig. 165.) (c) Increasing diameter towards digging-end. (See Fig. 166 and several in 168.) (d) Flaring or convex or angular digging-end. (See Figs. 167, 170.)
Objects of the general shape of those shown in Fig. 182 are scattered throughout a considerable portion of the United States. Of course, some of the notched, chipped objects may be axes instead of hoes or agricultural implements, and I have illustrated such in Figs. 173 to 177. But there are roughly notched and shouldered objects which may be hoes instead of axes. These are not necessarily all flint, for some are of shell, limestone, and other materials.
Fig. 163 is a group of six from Mr. F. P. Graves’s collection, Doe Run, Missouri. Three of them are certainly digging-tools, whereas the other three may be axes.
Fig. 166. (S. 1–5.) Collection of Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, Missouri.
In Fig. 164 are shown notched or shouldered hoes of more primitive type than the hoes in Fig. 166. Many of these, together with rough spades, are found in Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois. The beautifully chipped flint spade is the exception. But there are a large number of spades which are graceful in outline and well made, and which are typified in the exhibits from the Missouri Historical Society shown in Fig. 165.
The long spade-like objects are never notched, but they are frequently narrow at the top, or flaring at the base. Note the lower specimen to the right in Fig. 167.