THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXIX.- 



JULY, 1896. 



[No. 398. 



MR. STURT'S FORCING APPARATUS. 



The idea of this invention was suggested to Mr. Start by the 

 modern seed-incubators. It is a great improvement on that of- 

 my friend the late Dr. Boswell Boswell (better known as Prof. 

 Syme). Its principle, which I here publish with Mr. Sturt's 

 permission, and indeed at his wish, appears, though simple, to 

 be as excellent in conception as I am assured it is effective in 

 practice. Mr. Sturt kindly went to the trouble of bringing up 

 from Kingston one of his glass flower-pots, together with an 

 explanatory sketch and notes, and also two lovely, but small, 

 varieties of Sphinx convolvidi, the result of forcing ; and left 

 them with Mr. Cooke, of Museum Street, for my inspection and 

 information. He has since obligingly furnished me with further 

 details on points upon which I desired to be enlightened. 



The annexed figure will show the arrangement of the com- 

 ponents of this forcing-cage : — 

 A represents a hot-water soup- 

 plate. 

 B a glass flower-pot inverted. 

 C a stout wire tripod stand, simi- 

 lar to those used for baking 

 meat. 

 D a small paraffin-lamp to burn 



at least twenty-four hours. 

 E a tin tray. 



If the soup-plate A be thought 

 to be too costly, your readers 

 will easily, if necessary, impro- 

 vise a substitute by placing an 

 ordinary soup-plate upon a shal- 

 low tin pan ; and, similarly, if a 

 difficulty is found in obtaining 

 the glass flower-pots, a bell-glass will answer the purpose, but 

 it should be tilted in such a manner as to admit air below, for 



ENTOM. JULY, 1896. Q 



