K-oveai'ier 29, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAirE GARDENER. 
507 
nourishment from the soil when it is frozen. A thorough soaking o£ 
water should be given to the inside border, and if the trees are weakly 
a soaking of liquid manure (not too strong) will tend to a more vigorous 
break. Sprinkle the trees in the morning and afternoon of bright days, 
but do not keep them dripping with moisture, especially at nights, for 
this has a weakening tendency and tends to encourage wood rather than 
blossom development. 
Svcccssion Houses .—All the leaves are off the trees except in the 
latest house, where they still hang somewhat unduly, probably from the 
comparatively dull and wet weather, also absence of frost, but they 
should not be forcibly removed. When, however, they come easily by 
brushing with the hand or a light broom the process may be assisted, 
and when they are all off unfasten the trees from the trellis, prune 
them, cleanse the house thoroughly, and if needed paint the woodwork, 
ironwork, and the trellis. Wash the trees with soapy water, and after¬ 
wards dress them with an approved insecticide, but do not dislocate 
the buds. Tie the trees to the trellis, leaving room for the branches to 
swell. Remove the loose surface soil and supply fresh, giving a top- 
dressing of some approved fertiliser, and supply water to the inside 
borders, so as to keep them thoroughly moistened down to the drainage. 
Keep the atmosphere of the houses as cool as possible. 
Lifting and Root-pruning -Fresh-Trees .—Any lifting, root-pruning, 
or other root requirements of the trees should be attended to without 
delay ; but it is not safe to interfere with too vigorous trees until the 
leaves are all down or nearly so, a few soft lateral growths being of no 
consequence, as they will have to be removed. The introduction of 
fresh trees should be performed at once, the planting being proceeded 
with as soon as the leaves are off, or nearly so. Trees for houses are 
best if trained for two or three years to wa'ls or under glass, those of 
five or more years moving safely if prepared for lifting by digging 
round them, so as to cause the production of fibres, a year previously. 
Such trees can be lifted with abundance of roots, and being carefully 
planted they force readily the first season, and the results are satis¬ 
factory provided they are not brought on too rapidly, and a moderate 
crop taken. It is always preferable to select these trees, as young ones 
do not fruit much the first two or three yeais, hence the advantage of 
planting trees in a bearing condition. 
Melons. —The Melon season is over in most places, but well ripened 
fruits are good in quality even in December. The latest plants have the 
fruit w'ell netted, and will only need sufBcient water or liquid manure 
to maintain a healthy condition of the foliage. The latter must be 
discontinued directly the fruit gives indications of ripening, also the 
watering and atmospheric moisture be lessened. Where the plants are 
not so advanced damping will be needed in the morning and afternoon, 
putting on a small amount of air in the early part of the day to insure 
the dissipation of moisture that may have accumulated or been 
condensed, and induce evaporation from the foliage. Maintain the 
night temperature at 60° to 65°, and 70° to 75° by day artificially, 
advancing as much as can be had from sun heat after the middle of the 
day. Plants ripening their fruit should have ventilation constantly, a 
temperature of 70° to 75°, with as much sun heat as can be had by 
husbanding it, but not closing the house, withholding water, as before 
stated, from the roots and atmosphere. 
IE BEE-KBEPBR^ 
s| 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Lanarkshire Hive. 
Bee-keepers frequently express their gratefulness to me for 
instructions given in bee-husbandry. To enable such persons to 
be in the possession of a good hive at a small costand a little labour 
I designed and modified the Lanarkshire storifying hive, as illus¬ 
trated (fig. 76). This shows the hive complete, divested of its 
cuter wrappings and oil cover. It consists of roof, super protector, 
three divisional boxes, which forms the hive proper, stand, with 
floor complete, and pedestal. 
The roof measures 2 feet 3 inches both ways, and gives about 
6 inches drip all round. It is made from the ends of margarine 
boxes too short for other parts of the hive, and from barrel staves, 
the whole practically costing a very minimum sum ; a few nails, 
one pair back flap hinges, and paint being all the actual outlay, which 
amounts to 4d., or barely that. The boards being planed on one 
side, and not requiring to be cut, are jointed with match ploughs. 
Four barrel staves form the bars to clamp them together, and one 
stave forms the ridge. The bottom bars are nailed to within an 
inch of the ends of the boards, and the upper ones to within five- 
eighths. Four nails at each end are ample, driving these in at about 
an inch from the edge of the boards, as shown in fig. 77, avoiding 
nailing in the centre. After nailing level the upper end so as to 
bring it close, and when this is done, fasten the hinges to keep 
it in its place. This completes the roof, and when tarred beneath 
and painted outside it will last for years. I have several that have 
been in use for fifteen years, and are as good as ever. To secure 
the roof against wind obtain two rather stout wires, each about 
18 inches in length, bent in the form of fig. 78. Fasten to the 
upper edge of the under bar with small staples, forming a hinge to 
fold in or out so as to be fastened to a cross cord or by screens 
to the side of the hive. 
The super protector is of the same dimensions as the body 
boxes inside measure, but from 15 to 16 inches deep, enabling it 
to hold three stories of supers or section crates. It has a close- 
FIG. 76.—THE LANARKSHIRE STORIFYING HIVE. 
fitting lid to keep all clean. A strip of wood is fastened at each 
side corner, projecting down the hive sides about 3 inches. An 
inch No. 8 brass screw passes through them into the hive, and 
makes all rigid. It is important that these protectors do not vary 
in size. The one shown in the woodcut is made of packing cases 
from various sources, and the bars which clamp them together and 
to the hive are obtainable for a nominal sum, the chief cost being 
the four screws and a few nails, and one hour is sufficient for its 
construction. Within the protector are twelve small supersand 
an adapting board. The wood of these supers are also from barrel 
staves and margarine boxes, the latter being well planed on one 
side. The twelve only cost 2d., but had they been all from the 
margarine boxes 4d. would have been the price. Two and a half 
hours were occupied in making them. 
I will now commence to describe how they are made. One edge 
of the board and one face is planed straight, the edge of the one 
half of them is rebated to hold the bar. A half-inch plow plane is 
handy in making the rebate quarter deep, leaving a face lip of fully 
an eighth of an inch, which leaves ample beiring for the bars. 
They are now gauged to 4 inches and five-sixteenths broad, and 
planed exactly to that breadth, and the other side is also planed. 
The pieces from them form the bars, are 1 inch and five-eighths broad 
by quarter thick. They are now ready for grooving. A special 
made drawer bottom plane is cheap and handy for the amateur. As 
a template for cutting neatly and to one size, take a piece of board 
about 3 feet long by 7 inches broad, nail firmly near the edge a 
piece of dressed wood about IJ inch square, leaving the breadth of 
supers. In the centre of the square, across and down, make a saw 
kerf with the saw to be employed after ; next size an end or a side 
exactly, leave the saw in the kerf, and but the pattern hard to the 
u 
FIG. 77. FIG. 78. 
saw nearest to your left hand, and drive in at the other two nails. 
By using nails the end is open and does not clog with sawdust, 
which is liable to cause inaccuracy in cutting as if closed with 
wood. 
Eepeat this for the other parts of the super, as there is 
necessarily a difference in the lengths of the sides from the front 
and back pieces of a square box. A good plan is to put the blade 
of a square into the first made kerf, then place the pattern hard to 
it, mark oflf the exact length of pattern square, and cut as before. 
Care must be taken not to have nails where the saw kerfs are to be 
made, and that two nails be employed between the kerfs, otherwise 
they would shift. IVhen commencing to cut, first square one end, 
then draw the board towards the nails at the left hand, and when 
