Guest
I have experimented with many different styles of carrying way too much stuff. I have found several methods which work well. Depending on length, type of trek, etc... some work better than others.
On a 1-2 day trip a simple haversack works well. I become annoyed at too many straps criss crossing my body. Canteen, haversack, shooting pouch, powder horn, bed roll strap...TOO many darned straps.
A friend uses a belt pouch for his misc. small items and a fire building kit. He has a set of saddle bags, with matching pommel bags. He made it so the pommel bags tie to the saddle bags. He likes this arrangement as it gives him two larger bags, and two smaller bags all in one unit. Not having a horse today he carries them over his shoulder.
At a walk in event I carry over one shoulder shooting pouch /powder horn, and my bedroll strap over the other shoulder along with a canteen. I use a belt pouch for my fire building kit. * If I'm attending a comfortable camp (easy walking) I use a small period wooden wheel barrow (Amish made), with bed roll, canteens, ground cloths and my favorite item - a vasculum case to keep and carry my edibles and extra tender (its mouse proof too). * These camps are usually a week long or longer, the longest was a 24 day event in southern Kansas - small game hunting and finally a fall deer hunt.
I'm interested in hearing of others set ups ....
Shown below is an interesting article about vasculum cases and their use for those that are not sure what they are.
“An Old Case for Collecting"
By Vernon W. Bigsby (USN Retired - PHD)
_______________________________________
Vasculum (collected 1914) (Fig. 1)
(Photo courtesy Daniel Mosquin, UBC Botanical Garden of British Columbia )
_______________________________________
Vasculum (collected 1914) (Fig. 2)
(Photo courtesy Daniel Mosquin, UBC Botanical Garden of British Columbia )
_______________________________________
A vasculum is a botanist’s collecting case (scientific instrument case) were carefully crafted of wood, glass, and metal. These most of these special cases were made of tin in the shape of a compressed cylinder and used for carrying freshly collected specimens (Fig. 1). They had handles or woven cotton shoulder straps for ease of carrying, they came in various sizes. Wet towels were put inside the vasculum case to keep the materials fresh and prevent wilting of the specimens, until they could be properly cared for.
The first written accounts of the vasculum appear by 1704 during The Enlightenment when botanical collecting became practical and profitable for medicine. By the 1770s literature was available in English, as opposed to Latin, which increased the readership. The British physician William Withering is recognized for writing a popular manual on British plants, and credited with introducing, in print for the first time, the importance of the screw down plant press and the tin vasculum. In this country Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson knew of and used these cases in their studies. When Jefferson assembled the Corp of Discovery this tin vasculum case was part of the supplies for collecting, carrying and shipping freshly collected specimens.
Jane Mygatt - UNM Herbarium wrote:
In 19th century Britain, knowledge of the local flora was required for qualification in the medical field. Renown physician-botanists at the major universities undertook regular botanical excursions. Field collecting became popular and as a result of advances in technology, field equipment such as the vasculum became more available and affordable. By the 1820s students were expected to supply their own vascular which they used widely. Botanists now had that special air, that esprit de corps when equipped with their vascula.
In the 1830s the size of the vasculum increased and the shoulder strap was added. The length of the vasculum increased to accommodate larger specimens to fit the new standard of larger sized herbarium sheets. Notable at this time was the secondary use of the vasculum for accommodating another British invention, the sandwich.
"The Naturalist in Britain” by D.E. Allen, wrote:
"...it seems to have been British botanists' repeated use of their vascula for holding and preserving sandwiches - to such an extent that J.C. vasculum (for sandwiches)' - that caused the standard design of this implement to be heavily influenced by that of the sandwich-box, and so led to a British vasculum that is still markedly different in aspect from the usual models on the Continent."
Dale, in 1838, actually dared to recommend, quite unequivocally, 'a Few remote areas remained in the U.S. where new genera were likely to be found. The old science of taxonomy, once predominated by field collecting and describing and naming new species, took a back seat to the new taxonomic techniques used in the laboratory.
Plant collecting continues, but to a much lesser extent. Some of the older vascula are still in use by the more traditional taxonomists.
In the United States, the vasculum saw its heyday from 1870-1945, when botanical explorations accelerated after the Civil War. Professionals and amateurs collected in search of new species. University faculty and students were encouraged to collect in the field and many individual state Floras were written during this period.
Sadly, the stories of the older botanists and their equipment they used have passed into oblivion. The well-preserved vasculum case is now highly collectible. Botanists who have used these cases say they worked well for the "gentleman botanist", one’s who didn't have to hike long distances. The straps will entangle in shrubs and foliage, the case itself chaffed the wearer’s hip. They would become scorching hot in the desert heat and they were heavy. They may have seen and had more use in cooler or wet areas.　
This vasculum case was made by Peter Goebel of "Goose Bay Workshops". Copied from pictures and measurements from the Smithsonian Museum of one issued by Jefferson to the Corp of Discovery for collecting specimens.
Vasculum Case (GBW manufacturer).
Covered Copper Canteen & Vasculum Case by GBW.
GBW Vasculum Case with Beaded Strap by "Hook" Ben Thompson.
The botanists case measures 12" X 9" X 4" matching the sample's size at Smithsonian Museum, even the attachments, hinge arrangements and closing pin are correct thanks to Mr. Goebel. The best part it help keep your goods organized and free from critters.
On a 1-2 day trip a simple haversack works well. I become annoyed at too many straps criss crossing my body. Canteen, haversack, shooting pouch, powder horn, bed roll strap...TOO many darned straps.
A friend uses a belt pouch for his misc. small items and a fire building kit. He has a set of saddle bags, with matching pommel bags. He made it so the pommel bags tie to the saddle bags. He likes this arrangement as it gives him two larger bags, and two smaller bags all in one unit. Not having a horse today he carries them over his shoulder.
At a walk in event I carry over one shoulder shooting pouch /powder horn, and my bedroll strap over the other shoulder along with a canteen. I use a belt pouch for my fire building kit. * If I'm attending a comfortable camp (easy walking) I use a small period wooden wheel barrow (Amish made), with bed roll, canteens, ground cloths and my favorite item - a vasculum case to keep and carry my edibles and extra tender (its mouse proof too). * These camps are usually a week long or longer, the longest was a 24 day event in southern Kansas - small game hunting and finally a fall deer hunt.
I'm interested in hearing of others set ups ....
Shown below is an interesting article about vasculum cases and their use for those that are not sure what they are.
_______________________________________
“An Old Case for Collecting"
By Vernon W. Bigsby (USN Retired - PHD)
_______________________________________
Vasculum (collected 1914) (Fig. 1)
(Photo courtesy Daniel Mosquin, UBC Botanical Garden of British Columbia )
_______________________________________
Vasculum (collected 1914) (Fig. 2)
(Photo courtesy Daniel Mosquin, UBC Botanical Garden of British Columbia )
_______________________________________
A vasculum is a botanist’s collecting case (scientific instrument case) were carefully crafted of wood, glass, and metal. These most of these special cases were made of tin in the shape of a compressed cylinder and used for carrying freshly collected specimens (Fig. 1). They had handles or woven cotton shoulder straps for ease of carrying, they came in various sizes. Wet towels were put inside the vasculum case to keep the materials fresh and prevent wilting of the specimens, until they could be properly cared for.
The first written accounts of the vasculum appear by 1704 during The Enlightenment when botanical collecting became practical and profitable for medicine. By the 1770s literature was available in English, as opposed to Latin, which increased the readership. The British physician William Withering is recognized for writing a popular manual on British plants, and credited with introducing, in print for the first time, the importance of the screw down plant press and the tin vasculum. In this country Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson knew of and used these cases in their studies. When Jefferson assembled the Corp of Discovery this tin vasculum case was part of the supplies for collecting, carrying and shipping freshly collected specimens.
________________________________
Jane Mygatt - UNM Herbarium wrote:
In 19th century Britain, knowledge of the local flora was required for qualification in the medical field. Renown physician-botanists at the major universities undertook regular botanical excursions. Field collecting became popular and as a result of advances in technology, field equipment such as the vasculum became more available and affordable. By the 1820s students were expected to supply their own vascular which they used widely. Botanists now had that special air, that esprit de corps when equipped with their vascula.
In the 1830s the size of the vasculum increased and the shoulder strap was added. The length of the vasculum increased to accommodate larger specimens to fit the new standard of larger sized herbarium sheets. Notable at this time was the secondary use of the vasculum for accommodating another British invention, the sandwich.
________________________________
"The Naturalist in Britain” by D.E. Allen, wrote:
"...it seems to have been British botanists' repeated use of their vascula for holding and preserving sandwiches - to such an extent that J.C. vasculum (for sandwiches)' - that caused the standard design of this implement to be heavily influenced by that of the sandwich-box, and so led to a British vasculum that is still markedly different in aspect from the usual models on the Continent."
Dale, in 1838, actually dared to recommend, quite unequivocally, 'a Few remote areas remained in the U.S. where new genera were likely to be found. The old science of taxonomy, once predominated by field collecting and describing and naming new species, took a back seat to the new taxonomic techniques used in the laboratory.
Plant collecting continues, but to a much lesser extent. Some of the older vascula are still in use by the more traditional taxonomists.
In the United States, the vasculum saw its heyday from 1870-1945, when botanical explorations accelerated after the Civil War. Professionals and amateurs collected in search of new species. University faculty and students were encouraged to collect in the field and many individual state Floras were written during this period.
Sadly, the stories of the older botanists and their equipment they used have passed into oblivion. The well-preserved vasculum case is now highly collectible. Botanists who have used these cases say they worked well for the "gentleman botanist", one’s who didn't have to hike long distances. The straps will entangle in shrubs and foliage, the case itself chaffed the wearer’s hip. They would become scorching hot in the desert heat and they were heavy. They may have seen and had more use in cooler or wet areas.　
________________________________
This vasculum case was made by Peter Goebel of "Goose Bay Workshops". Copied from pictures and measurements from the Smithsonian Museum of one issued by Jefferson to the Corp of Discovery for collecting specimens.
Vasculum Case (GBW manufacturer).
Covered Copper Canteen & Vasculum Case by GBW.
GBW Vasculum Case with Beaded Strap by "Hook" Ben Thompson.
The botanists case measures 12" X 9" X 4" matching the sample's size at Smithsonian Museum, even the attachments, hinge arrangements and closing pin are correct thanks to Mr. Goebel. The best part it help keep your goods organized and free from critters.
:wink: :v :bow:
