The billhook is a traditional cutting tool used widely in agriculture and forestry for cutting smaller woody material such as shrubs and branches. It is very common in the wine-growing countries of Europe. In other parts of the world where it is used, it was either developed locally—e.g. in China, India, and Japan—or introduced by European settlers—e.g. in North and South America, South Africa, and Australasia. It is also known as the bill hook (although this more usually (US only) refers to either a metal or plastic hook used to hold bills, common in the US, or a part of the knotting mechanism on a reaper binder).