Page 67 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

The Florist

357. A FLORIST'S KNOT: A parcel knot which does not slip, as the

HALF BOWKNOT or DRA WKNOT (,#:, 2' ,) does, but nevertheless re-

tains the loop for decorative purposes. This one is from Havana.

The Football Player

Laces his football as in '#: 2036. He tightens the turns with a button-

hook.

The Fruiterer

358. In the banana trade stalks are equipped with a short length

of rope yarn, secured to the stem with a strap or BALE SLING HITCH

('#: '759), so forming a loop at the top of the bunch, which is really

the inverted bottom of the banana cluster.

359. The ends of the sling or strap are tied together with an OVER-

361 HAND BEllm ('#: '410).

358 360. A lanyard of rope yarn, its length depending on the height of

the storage-room ceiling, is secured to a hook with Two HALF

HITCHES ('#: 178 I ). The end should hang about shoulder-high.

361. The BANANA KNOT. A series of three or four STOPPER KNOTS

3&1 (Chapter 3) are tied in the lanyard from eight to twelve inches apart.

The usual knot consists of a SINGLE OVERHAND with a HALF HITCH

taken above it, as pictured. This is very much like the PEARL KNOT

('#:383). Sometimes FIGURE-EIGHT KNOTS ('#:520) are used instead ..

362. The BANANA HITCH is an application of the BurroN AND EYE

('#: '925). A porter enters the storage loft, a bunch of bananas on his

right shoulder, with the knot end to the rear. He "eases" the bunch

forward from his shoulder, and as he does so he reeves one of the

lanyards through the loop at the end of the stalk. He allows the loop

to close above one of the knots, '#: 361, which suspends the stalk at a

height above the reach of various pests. The porter holds the lanyard

taut until the loop has settled snugly around the neck of the knot.

These BANANA KNOTS were shown to me by Edward W. Sherman.

The Gardener

36~

363. ESPALIER KNOT. This draws a plant and its support together

and holds the adjustment without any bother while the knot is being

completed. It is convenient to tie after once being mastered. A length

of raffia is doubled, and a RING or BALE SLING HITCH ('#: 1694) is

placed around both the branch or stem, and the trellis or wire, and is

then hove taut. A DOUBLE HALF KNOT (see the first diagram) is added

and pulled up to give the proper tension. One of the ends is then

hitched somewhat after the manner of a BUTCHER'S KNOT ('#: 183),

but the hitch is not superimposed on the knot already fOImed; in-

stead, it is closed around the neck of the DOUBLE HALF KNOT. The

knot may be tied in rope yarn or cord as well as raffia.

In bagging grapes, the CONSTRICTOR ('#: 1249) works nicely, as the

snugness may be accurately gauged. To tie: See '#: 176 under

"Blaster," this chapter.

364. To mend the garden hose when no wire couplings are handy,

take a stout piece of fishline about one eighth inch in diameter, tie

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