64 THE PLANT WORLD 



obtainable receptacle for baggage called a "telescope," with two tin 

 trays or coverless boxes fitted to the inside. One of these boxes slips 

 inside of the other, and has half-inch flanges turned inward from the 

 ends. Wlien filled, this is set below the outer box, to which the flanges 

 afi^ord a firm support. To make these boxes so that they will slip in 

 and out easily, and so as not to waste any space, is a nice job for a tin- 

 smith. "Wlien both are in use, the upper part of the " telescope " laps 

 a half-inch over the lower. If the material be canvas, a piece of rub- 

 ber cloth should be pasted inside the top of the upper part, but " fiber 

 leather " is far better, being strong, waterproof, and not easily soiled. 

 It is well to bear in mind that it shrinks a little. My "telescope " is of 

 this material, and measures 16 inches in length, 9 in width, and either 

 7 or 12 in depth. I arrange the straps by reversing one so that they 

 buckle ' together on opposite sides, having the holes marked which 

 should receive the buckles whether one or both of the inner boxes be 

 in use, both straps meeting together snugly in the hand in either case. 

 When through collecting, the straps may be adjusted in the usual way. 

 The only inconvenience is the catching up of the two straps at every 

 fresh start, but this is slight. 



The advantages of this device are numerous and important. First 

 of all, either canvas or ''fiber leather" is a non-conductor of heat, while 

 a tin receptacle exposed to hot sunshine becomes so heated as some- 

 times to injure the specimens inside, especially such as incHne to dis- 

 articulate. In the two open-topped boxes, specimens can be arranged 

 and sorted better than in a vasculum, and taken out more handily. 

 The advantages of the quadrangular form are obvious. Moreover, the 

 " telescope " is such a familiar object, that it does not excite curiosity 

 and inquisitiveness as does the vasculum, which I have heard described 

 as " something like a piece of stovepipe with a door on one side." The 

 adaptability of bulk to material collected is a manifest advantage. 

 Then again, space may be spared in the bottom for stowing a vest or 

 light coat. 



As to the other articles of my ordinary collecting outfit, they are, 

 as I have stated, few and simple. I always carry one or two folded 

 sheets of oiled manilla paper in the bottom of my " telescope," some 

 I)ieces of newspaper tucked in at the sides, or laid inside the tin boxes, 

 in the inner of which is placed on starting a stout pruning or hawk's- 

 bill knife, a four ounce bottle of water, and sometimes a lunch done up 

 in oiled paper. Later the knife is transferred to the right hip-pocket, 

 and the bottle sometimes to the left. The knife is used mainly for dig- 

 ging, and the amount of work that can be done with it is surprising. 

 The lower part of the blade is kept barely sharp enough for cutting. 



Oiled paper I find extremely serviceable, and was surprised to see 



