October £9, 1885.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
891 
ties such as Princes3 of Teok, Princess Louise, an 1 other dwarf plants 
grown for flowering after Christmas, may be left outside for a short time 
longer provided they are plunged in a sheltered position and protected 
during unfavourable weather by means of mats, tiffany, or other 
material. It is sometimes necessary to keep them covered by day as well 
as by night to insure their remaining in good condition until they are 
housed. When these plants are housed they should be sorted into 
batches, and all the late-flowering varieties arranged by themselves, so 
that they can be kept back as much as possible by leaving full ventilation 
on the house which they occupy both day and night when the weather 
will allow of this being done. The plants struck late in from 3 to B-inch 
pots can he kept late by protection in cold frames. The lights should 
only be placed over them during bad weather, and if this is attended to 
there will be found no difficulty in keeping a good number of these dwarf 
useful plants for flowering during January. If there are aphides upon 
the plants they should be destroyed by fumigating the house with 
tobacco when the plants are arranged. Mildew should be watched for, 
and directly its appearance is observed the affected parts must be well 
syringed with a solution of softsoap and water in which a little sulphur 
ha9 been mixed. Continue feeding the plants until they bloom. It is 
necessary to use a little fire heat occasionally for those developing their 
large flowers from crown and terminal buds, for the petals are liable to 
damp if due care is not taken. The house in which these are unfolding 
should be kept perfectly close during fogs, or the flowers will be 
ruined. 
1 inantophyHums .—These are very frequently seen with the tips of 
their leaves brown, which is the result of careless watering at this season 
of the year. If too much water is given at their roots the foliage is 
certain to become spotted, which destroys their beauty, for the foliage is 
effective even when the plants are not in flower. From the time growth 
ceases no more water should he given than is sufficient to keep the 
foliage healthy. From the present time keep them rather dry, and then 
the foliage will remain perfectly good. Some of the earliest plants are 
showing their flowers, but as these will not be wanted for some time keep 
them back by having the house as cool as possible. 
Abutilons .—Plants in small pots for flowering during the autumn and 
winter should now be placed in a temperature of 50° to 55°. These must 
be kept slowly moving if they are to unfold a good number of their 
useful flowers. They should occupy a light position, and have free venti¬ 
lation daily when the weather is favourable. Small plants soon cease 
flowering under greenhouse treatment. The plants have filled their pots 
with roots, and weak stimulants should be given every time water is 
needed. 
Epipliyllunis .—Keep these cool, or they will flower before they are 
needed. The flowers are more useful after Christmas than they are 
before. While under cool treatment very little water will be needed at 
their roots ; in fact, in this position they should be kept rather dry. The 
roots soon perish if the soil in which they are growing is too wet while 
the plants are in a state of inactivity in a cold house. Plants with stems 
varying from 9 to 18 inches in length are very effective when in flower 
arranged amongst Adiantum cuneatum. The heads of the plants should 
be slightly elevated above the Fern», which should be employed only to 
form a groundwork. 
Luculia gratissima .—Where this beautiful flowering plant is grown 
in the conservatory or other comparatively cool structures it should be 
examined, for it is very subject to thrips. If any are present sponge the 
leaves with weak tobacco water. The flower trusses are advancing 
rapidly, and any insects that may be present must be destroyed, for it is 
impossible to do so when the flowers are expanded. 
THE BEST HIVE IN CREATION. 
The reason I have given the hive about to be explained the above 
name is that its principles have been advocated in this Journal by 
some, while it at the same time was as strongly condemned by others. 
Some of the latter, as well as many continental and transatlantic 
brethren, affirm it is the “ best hive.” Its explanation will give my 
reasons for saying so. Although I never made myself a prominent 
exhibitor I have been a successful one ; almost, though not every 
time my hives have been exhibited, they were placed first. At the 
first Crystal Palace Show, though I entered some exhibits, paid the 
entry money, and received the receipt for the same, they were 
not allowed to compete. No writing could wring an explanation 
from the Secretary. In 1875, at the Caledonian Show, I also had 
several hives in competition, was unsuccessful, and some parts of my 
hives received severe criticism from the Judge, yet the very parts 
found fault with are faithfully copied by him now. 
In 1876, at the Kibble Palace Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, I again 
competed. My hive was then awarded the first prize, but on consult¬ 
ing with the Judges and consideration that Mr. Abbott had come a 
long distance, and that he claimed properties in his hive suitable for 
the south, I agreed to share the honours with him. One feature my 
hive possessed that year was a shade. The weather previously had 
been so hot that many hives’ combs collapsed. This shade was 
raised above and around the hive by light frames of wood or wire. 
Pockets at each corner weighted are sufficient to prevent its being 
blown away. Although the Editor of the British Bee Journal was 
an eye-witness to this shade he announced a short time after that, 
though shade was essential, no person had up till the time of his 
writing suggested such a thing. 
It is not through any bravado that I mention these trifles, but to 
impress your bee-keeping readers, particularly those of the “ Cam¬ 
bridgeshire Bee-keeper’s ” type, that I am not, nor have I been, 
either a follower or a copyist, as some would like to make it appear. 
Surely I am entitled to my own. I will patent nothing nor lift my 
voice against those who do so honourably, but let us be all straight¬ 
forward and help one another. 
In describing this hive I need not set forth in detail all the 
advantages it possesses. Its construction will suggest to the merest 
tyro its advantages. There are several things bee-keepers should 
bear in mind—that the useful and economical hive is one that any 
person can make either from old or new wood, and when made it is 
capable of being handled with ease and moved about from one place 
to another. This cannot be said of many of the hives of the present 
day. 
A free circulation of air, too, without a draught is as essential to 
a hive as a dwelling house. In the external appearance and construc¬ 
tion of “ the best hive in creation ” and that of the cheap, thin, 
weather-boarded outside case lately described there is no difference. 
Internally there is. The outside case is suitable for any hive, 
octagon or square. If the octagon is used, then it will be necessary 
to have the doorway extending on three sides. The need of this will 
be explained shortly. For lightness the perforated floor will be the 
bottom of the case, which may be either hinged or sliding. 
The case may have its posts any size, but I prefer 1^ by 2 inches, 
allowing inch between the wall of the case ; and as it is now ceded 
by so many practical bee-keepers that the tiering system is the best for 
all purposes, we will adhere to what I have found the best size—viz., 
15£ inches over the hive, or the same size and material as the Stewarton. 
Less in size and deeper would not be wrong, but larger superficially it 
must not be. The case when finished will measure about 19 inches, 
quite a handy size for removing to the Heather ; and, owing to the 
lightness of the material it is made from, equally light of itself—a 
desirable quality. Fifteen inches and a quarter being the outside 
measure of the hive, must also be the exact size between the posts. 
Before the lining is nailed on outside the case there must be a thick 
rail let into the posts on the two sides just where the handles are to 
be screwed on ; then, though very heavy, it can be lifted with safety. 
On the inner sides, at the junction of the lower and upper edges of 
the divisions of whatever number and depth they may be, a strip of 
wood about 2 inches broad by half an inch thick must be let in flush 
with the inner side of the posts. In the centre of this groove cut as 
much as will admit one flat of seven-eighths angled iron which forms 
the slide on which the hive or division runs. Before this is com¬ 
pleted, however, it might be well to give the inner side of the lining 
a coat of tar. If the case is inverted when that is done none will 
escape to outside to injure the paint, which should be white or of a 
light colour. After the tar is dry pack the space between outside 
boarding and inner side of posts with straight straw. The door the 
same, which is also light, having two upright bars 2| inches broad by 
five-eighths thick, to which the boards are nailed. 
Underneath the door, as well as above it, there must be a strap of 
galvanised strong hooping both to keep it rigid, but the upper one 
must be portable, fixing with brass screws. This is desirable if the 
hive is to be practically workable. When the door of the case is open 
the hive proper will have the appearance of a number of drawers all 
having handles at the back. This hive being particularly adapted for 
examining any division without interfering with the other parts, and 
that to be done without killing bees. The entrances to all the 
divisions must extend the whole width, the mouthpiece of which 
must be a fixture between the front posts, bevelled a little on both 
sides, so that it may not only part with the hive easily, but that it 
may enter as easily into place when the division is pushed in. The 
slides must be put in exactly, and the divisions rather slack than 
tight. If the divisions are made to fill neatly and easily between the 
guides it does not matter, though there is a slight opening between 
the upper edge of a division and the underside of the angled iron 
slide, which is only one-eighth of an inch thick. The only opening 
that will affect the hive is at the back, but the opening there is filled 
with a little block kept at hand. 
Slides are employed for sections or supers similar to those for 
divisions ; only if small supers or sections are used a frame of 
angled iron must be made suitable to sizes used. This can be done 
cheaply. The zinc-covered roof, too, will be all the better to have 
the underside covered with straw, but the ventilation must not be 
closed. 1 do not consider any hive complete unless it has its crown 
