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THE RAISED-EDGE PUSH MOWER

This is the deal.
Side-wheel push mowers appeared because of the desire to make mowers cheaper,
and therefore, more accessible to the working classes.

Just like the automobile, the mower first appeared as a plaything for
the wealthy. The introduction of the British Climax in 1869 by Follows & Bate
opened-up a new direction in producing cheaper mowers. Get rid of the rear roller and replace
it with narrow wheels.

But...their was considerable social pressure to have gardens and lawn.
The cheapest way to have a garden and a lawn was to just dig the garden bed.

The defect was that a side-wheel machine could not cut up to the border, whereas
a more expensive roller/reel machine could. Solved:-



These attachments were sold in Australia and in New Zealand:-
[Photo courtesy National Library of New Zealand]