November 6, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
427 
the earliest rested plants may be introduced into heat and moisture to 
brin^ them into flower. These plants, for instance—such as D. nobile, 
D. Wardianum, D. heterocarpum, and others—are invaluable for conser- 
tory decoration when in flower, provided they are kept free from damp. 
In this position the flowers last longer than in a heated moist structure, 
and have a beautiful effect unequalled by any other flowers. While these 
plants are employed in a cool structure no more water should be given than 
just sufficient to keep their pseudo-bulbs plump. 
Odontoglossums .—The shading employed for these and other cool 
Orchids may be dispensed with for at least the next three months. Light 
and a good circulation of air are necessary for the product! m of stout 
sturdy flower spikes. The spikes of Odontoglossum Alexandra will be 
showing freely, and must be protected from snails either by suspending the 
plants from the roof, or by placing a little cotton wool around them until 
they become hard, firm, and capable of resisting the attacks of these 
enemies. The useful and beautiful Masdevallia tovarensis will be throw¬ 
ing up its flower spikes in abundance, and is invaluable, flowering as it 
does at this season of the year. It should be grown in good numbers 
where buttonholes and bouquets are in demand. The whole of the plants 
in this department should be supplied with water, Lycastes and Maxil- 
larius excepted, for they require to be comparatively dry after growth is 
completed. A night temperature of 50° should be maintained in this struc¬ 
ture, and by day 10'’ higher from sun heat may be allowed without 
injury. 
BEE HOUSES. 
Like your correspondent, “A Dumfriesshire Bee-keeper,” I have 
observed articles by the despisers of bee houses ; but I cannot, like 
him, endorse the opinion that they were experienced bee-keepers, 
because no experienced bee-keeper would do so, nor have a bee house 
unless it was one of great advantage in many respects, which a 
proper bee house is, therefore would not condemn it. Bee houses 
have been in use for a very long time of all shapes, from the most 
primitive up to the most costly and ornate style. There are two 
styles of bee houses—viz., those that admit the proprietor to manipu¬ 
late inside, and those that are merely outside protectors. The latter 
are the most expensive ; still are much enjoyed by their owners, who 
take not only great delight in their construction and position, but 
in the bees as well, because they know full well that the nearer the 
thoroughfare the milder the bees. One of the oldest bee houses I 
know (octagon in shape) is within a few miles of where I reside, and 
was built % the owner nearly a century since, who long enjoyed it 
as a quiet retreat for study, and as a security against bee thieves, more 
common in those days than now. The bees facing all the points of the 
compass were a careful study for their owner to discover which was 
the best aspect, his opinion being that of a sheltered north aspect 
being the most favourable. The above is a stone building, and has 
three or four rows of pales for entrances for bees in the height. 
I have observed that bee houses hold from three to four hives, which 
cost the owner £30 ; but it is not such as these 1 recommend, but one 
which is commodious, useful, and cheap, and which few bee-keepers 
may lack. 
There are some important points in connection with bee houses 
which require careful consideration. The door should open inwards 
and have a verandah, which in an oblong house may be a continuation 
of the roof, so that the door is not affected by the weather, but 
opening easily at all times. This verandah will be found useful in 
many respects. The next thing is that the centre part of the floor 
should be detached from the shelf which runs round the house for the 
support of the hives, and must all be rat and mice-proof. 
Another very important thing is the entrance way to the hives. 
In form I have found a half circle, with a circle facing, to lead 
the drip off the landing-board, and this circle need not be of greater 
diameter than 5 inches by 2^ high. As we wish to economise all the 
space we can, and as we have found any aspect to suit bees provided 
they are not subjected to high winds, the cutting these holes must 
be carefully performed. In a bee house 12 feet long by 6 to 7 feet 
wide there is ample room to hold fi-om eighteen to twenty hives of 
the Stewarton type, or of any other sort which diameters are not 
more. The entrances must be cut either in twos or threes. With a 
long house the latter is to be preferred, and such as the hives may 
either touch each other or nearly so, but never equi-distant. If a 
house of 12 feet high is pierced for twos they should be so— 
Q Q Q Q 
n n n n 
But if in threes thus — 
QQQ 
n n n n n n ! 
By this arrangement it will be observed there is no one hive 
right above another, and with the entrances either varied in colour 
or device the bees will not mistake their proper entrance nor be liable 
to fall down upon its neighbours. The first row should stand on a 
level with the top of the base, which must not be attached to the 
house, but come only to the lower edge of the walls and be fastened 
at each corner. This plan, to prevent decaying, will be obvious to the 
merest tyro. The other row should be about 9 inches higher. Both 
should have a ladder to assist weary bees to creep up, and with a 
piece of perforated zinc placed horizontally underneath the alighting 
boards will prevent mice ascending to the hives. Bees seem to have 
the sense of height, so that they do not mistake the lower entrances 
for the higher, nor vice versa. In order to allow freedom of 
manipulation the higher hives must not rest upon a shelf more than 
they require, so that tiering is never interrupted. 
It will be observed that the gable end Avill have room for two or 
more hives. Bees when placed in such a house require less covering 
than when placed outside, and if there be no communication from 
one entrance to another, and none of the entrances Avhere there are 
no bees left open, draughts will be avoided, and the bees will not only 
be comfortable but more forward in spring. Such a bee house is 
also invaluable for holding small seeds, and is a capital place for 
drying herbs and holding other requisites for the apiary, &c. It 
must have the indispensable Avindow pivoted in the centre so as to 
admit air at times, as well as to alloAv the bees to escape that find 
their way to the interior during manipulation. 
A h’adesman bj'' the foregoing description would know how to 
make such a house ; but I wish to initiate the poorer class Avho can 
neither afford to have an expensive bee house nor to employ a 
tradesman, but who may enjoy the luxury of having a cheap yet 
useful bee house, and of such a form that there could be as much 
decoration as desired. 
The following explanation may suit any form of a house, but I 
think one 12 feet by 7, and about 6 feet high, a very suitable one. 
First take something solid, such as bricks or stones, for the foundation 
at each corner, placing them level and to the required dimensions, 
after which take scantlings 3 feet by 2 feet of the proper lengths, 
and either half cheek on the flat or simply place one on the top of 
the other ; bore a hole right through the one into the other, in which 
a brass screw or pin may be put, but Avhich will be easily withdraAvn 
if the house requires to be taken down, as it is a portable not a fixed 
house. When the three frames are thus coupled take a feAV racks 
and one or two persons to assist to fasten them temporarily. Have 
sufficient boards cut to the proper height, |-inch lining is heavy 
enough. Noav commence to nail these boards on to the framework 
with l|-inch nails. Mark out where the door is to be, cut one 
or two of the boards at both ends, and relieve the opening side of it 
so as to enable the maker to have no difficulty in cutting the 
door out. The hinges will be better put on before cutting, as well 
as the extra bars to hold together. It will be observed that the 
bottom runner naust not be cut, but kept entire, so as to hold the 
house better together. After the gable ends have been fair cut four 
purlins, two for each side, of the same size as the other scantlings, 
but longer if a verandah is to be over the doorway, these to be let into 
the gable ; then the roof is better to project a good way, so as to 
throw any drip over the entrances, but if an efficient conductor is 
used there Avill be very little drip. Over the wood nailed on to 
purlins may be fastened corrugated iron, which makes an efficient and 
lasting roof. Of course a ridge is necessary, also that there be no 
openings to admit bees from outside. 
The advantage of such a bee house need not be specially pointed 
out. Only imagine the convenience and comfort manipulating and 
feeding hives in such a house is from attending to the same number 
outside, while the bee-keeper may take a rest after a hard day's 
labour in such a house. At all events it affords a quiet retreat for 
reading and study over and above the other advantages affords. The 
price of such a house need not be more than £3 tirst outlay.—A 
Lanarkshiee Bee-keeper. 
EXPERIENCES IN BEE-KEEPING, 
Seeing the retrospect in the Journal of October 23rd by Mr. T. 
Marriott, I thought if I were not encroaching too much on your valuable 
space I would also send my experience in bee-keeping. Although I have 
been accustomed to bees all my life, it was not till the summer of 1883 
that I gained any practical knowledge of their management. After 
reading several books on bees and articles in the Journal of Horticulture 
