[or-roots] more Fresno

[Leslie Chapman]

I have been corrected a couple of times for calling the device that worked
in a similar fashion to the previous description of a Fresno by that name by
my Aunt Nell; she informed me that a "Fresno" had wheels or some such, I
really don't remember the exact distinction. I have however a bit of advice
for anyone wishing to try it, grasp the handle(s our similar tool had two
handles) in a manner that will easily allow you to let go of it, I was
running it while dad drove once and was grasping the handles in such a
manner that when the front hit a root and the back flew up I was thrown over
the top of and in front of it. Not a pleasant experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresno_Scraper

gives a fairly good history of the invention, but I was unable to find a
picture to give a URL for. I probably have a picture of ours around
somewhere, and possibly one of them being used on the road out of Safford.
Okay, that triggered an idea and while I didn't actually get what I thought
I would get, I did find a picture of a Fresno, or what is called a Fresno
and if the caption is correct my memory or Auntie's is defective. It has no
wheels, but IS different from the tool I worked with on our ranch, ours was
shallower, about two thirds as wide and I would say at least twice as long
as the one shown here;

http://www.jtraintours.com/articles.htm

Les Chapman