538 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ December 11, 1884. 
the octag:on. The price is also regulated by its quality and completeness. 
If “ Basil ” forwards his address to me, along with an order for a pattern 
square or octagon hive, I will forward to him a sample box floor and 
stand, price to be stated after, which 1 think will not exceed from 5,?. to 
Is. I think it will suit his purpose as well as drawings, which I think 
are unnecessary for so simple a hive. I may add from being single-cased 
that it is the most serviceable hive, but requires covering or protection by 
an outside case or bee-house. 
I will now endeavour to answer “ Basil’s ” direct queries, impressing 
him first that the size of all hives are regulated in their width by the 
number of combs. Thus, a hive inside measurement containing nine 
combs, inch each, will measure 13|^ inches, but it is necessary that 
the two outside combs should be the same distances from the walls as one 
comb is from another, so these outside combs should have an extra 
quarter inch. This will make the inside measurement II inches. The 
sides of the hive being five-eighths of an inch will now measure 15^ inches 
outside. Hives of this size do not require dividing-boards, and are better 
adapted for bees in every respect than broad hives, which are more liable 
to have an excess of drone comb than narrow hives. In the absence of 
drawings, and to make the construction of the hive easily understood, 
let “ Basil ” take a piece of timber of suitable length about 13 inches 
broad, square these in pairs to 15,{ inches, dovetail the front and back, 
draw in, and put together in the usual way. Gauge one and cut off to 
Gi inches for a body box, another at 2 inches for the floor, and the 
remainder for the stand, which will be ready to receive the feet from 6 to 
8 inches long, which must be firmly nailed. Though the foregoing gives 
a proper idea ( f what is wanted, and makes it more easily explained and 
understood, it by no means conveys to the reader all the necessary details 
required. Nor can the hive be made as above described, serving only as 
a foundation to build upon, noting carefully that the size of the stand 
floor and hive are of the same material, held together either by back- 
flap hinges or straps of hoop iron regularly punched. If brass screws 
are used rust will give no trouble when they are withdrawn. It is not 
absolutely necessary to have these screwed unless when in transit. 
“ Basil ” will easily understand from the foregoing what the stand should 
be like. 
The floor requires a little explanation. The upper edges must be 
flush, and the zinc, five holes to the inch, tacked on to it; a groove, 
however, before being dovetailed must be run in two of the sides on 
the lower edge to receive a three-eighth-inch sliding floor. Here it will 
be observed that the side of the floor where the bottom comes out must 
be three-eighth inch less than the three other sides and the dovetails on it. 
If “Basil” examines a drawer having a flush bottom he will see an 
example, and with a pair of five-eighth inch match ploughs he will effect 
his purpose in grooving and tongueing the floor now finished, unless he 
wishes to insert a feeder, as I have described in another article. 
The body boxes, of which there should be three, the size already 
explained, should be all alike, having a slide for a doorway. The width of 
the hive is half an inch deep, the same planes serve to make the slide and 
groove. The under doorway should be the only one employed, but the 
bees may be allowed tr enter at any one point. I prefer their doing so 
at one end, and in hot weather it may be extended the whole width or 
ventilated from below. A window may be cut in the front and back of 
the hive. A thin shutter with a pivot at each end, these pivots let in 
flush and a staple driven in keeps them in position, acting as a hinge, is 
cheap and effective for the purpose of a cheap hive. A principal thing to 
be observed is that the dovetails or pins must be made on the front and 
back of the hive. When this is strictly observed the front of the hive has 
its under edge unbroken for the slide. As I use half-inch bars for the 
combs the upper edge of the front and back should have the first dovetail 
at least half an inch down, so that when the upper edges are rabbeted or 
checked to receive the end of the bar, there will be no opening. This 
rabbet or check should therefore be half inch deep, and a quarter inch in 
the thickness of the wood, which will leave three-eighth inch solid. Now 
take a piece of strong tin inches long by about 1^ inch broad, place 
between two pieces of iron, of which the edges are straight, leaving a quarter 
of an inch free, now bend over, and you have the proper angled tin. A hole 
at each end and one in the middle for screwnails are sufficient, but a 
piece of strong hoop an inch or so long, with a hole in the centre like a 
button, will keep the tin straight. Cut some pieces of wood 1 inch 
broad by one-eighth inch thick, and of a proper length to slide under¬ 
neath the tin, and the whole is complete. The top bars should be 
inch broad, the hole to receive the end piece should be bored so that 
there will be a quarter inch space between it and the front and back of 
the hive. These end pieces may be about seven-eighth inch broad, 
quarter inch thick, and an inch or so shorter than the depth of the hive. 
A number of these clamped together for tenoning should be shouldered 
square ; these tenons dipped in glue and driven in the round hole of the 
top bar are all that are required, except the groove for the foundation, which 
should be either done with a saw or plough plane before receiving 
the ends. 
The alighting board is supplied with brass hinges to the floor, and the 
ladder is attached to it by a piece of bent hoop iron, liaving an oblong 
hole in one end, through which passes a staple, and is further held down 
by a pin passing through it and above the iron ; but hinges may be 
employed, though not so useful. I trust the foregoing will elicit the 
desired information, and if “ Basil ” succeeds and wishes for information 
how to execute an outside case for it, I will give the directions at another 
time. “ Basil ” will observe that the lateral slides being of the full length 
of the hive hold down the frame, so that if the hive is inverted none 
would fall out; but as the tin does not cover the top bar, any frame may 
he lifted out for examination on pushing the lateral slides aside. It 
might be an improvement if a dividing board were kept constantly at one 
side for the purpose of giving room when manipulating. This form of 
hive has been examined by many experienced bee-keepers, and is highly 
approved of, particularly for the purposes for which it has been designed, 
as well as the form of supers described at page 472. These are not new. 
I have had them in use for twenty years, and have exhibited them 
during the past ten years. Now that bee-keepers have seen that the bees 
abhor sections with a broad bottom rail, the above section or divisible 
super will be more in repute. 
The term “raggle ” is right, and any carpenter or joiner will show you 
what it means ; but “ saw serp ” would have been better than “ slot,” which 
is scarcely correct. By using such supers and emptying them of bees with 
carbolicised paper they only require to be lifted off, and if full several 
may be lashed together, the crowns covered with a thin board, papered 
up, and stored or sent off to market in a cheaper and more expeditious 
manner than sections ; while the only glazing necessary is a sheet of 
glass, while the removal of one or more sections does not mar the beauty 
of the whole as a complete super. Then there is no obstruction to the 
bees entering these, neither should there he any divisional tin, wood, or 
glass used, all of them being great hindrances to bees, which greatly 
reduces the yield of honey.— Lanaekshire Bee-keeper.] 
*All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. AVe 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and we 
do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Creepers for Conservatory {T. J., Chester ).—If you will state the 
number you require, or the height and extent of the wall you desire to 
cover, we will endeavour to answer your question. It is impossible to do 
so usefully in the absence of the suggested information. 
Peaches for Wall {J. W., Hyde ).—One of the late varieties, we think, 
will be quite sufficient. An excellent early Peach is Hale’s Early, and a 
good variety for succeeding it and preceding Royal George is Early Gros 
Mignonne. 
Scale on Fi*uit Trees (A. B .).—Your trees are infested with the muscle 
scale. Scrubbing the branches well with brine will destroy it, as will a 
solution of softsoap and petroleum, dissolving 4 ozs. of the soap in a gallon 
of water, and stirring well in a wineglassful or more of the oil. Apply it 
quickly and quite hot, and the scale will vanish. 
Abnormal Primulas (F. Z.). —It-is not unusual for the calyx of the 
flowers to develops into leaves, as in the case of some of the examples 
before us, though we have seen such freaks occasionally. The same 
peculiarity is observable in that curious form of Polyanthus known as the 
Galligaskin. All the flowers you have sent are good, and indicate that the 
plants have been well cultivated. 
Gros Colman Grape [H. G ).—This variety is longer in colouring and 
finishing than most others. Want of colour may be the result of deficient 
heat, injured foliage, or overcropping. Gros Colman does not usually 
ripen well in a cool house, nor is the quality so good as when what is 
termed Muscat treatment is accorded. 
Seedling Pelargonium {H. Everitt ).—As is usual when the petals are 
not gummed, they had all fallen from the trusses by being shaken in 
transit through the post. We could, however, see sufficient of the freedom 
and colour of the variety to enable us to form a favourable opinion of its 
usefulness. You will be quite justified in naming it, but at the same time 
we doubt if it possesses any material commercial value, as there are others 
closely resembling it in cultivation. 
Gardener Leaving {A. K .).—We sympathise with you, hut under the 
circumstances you cannot claim any expenses. In reference to your other 
question, we advise you to do nothing of the kind suggested, except rmder 
the advice of a solicitor. It is much easier to get into trouble than out of 
it in a delicate matter of that kind. 
Cucumbers and Melons {Twenty-years Subscriber). — We have had 
excellent crops of Cucumbers in summer in a house facing the north, but 
have not tried Melons in a similar position, which we do not consider suit¬ 
able. No doubt the plants might be made to grow very well, and possibly 
to ripen some fruit, but we should not expect it would be of superior 
quality. 
