588 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 27, 1894, 
the bark where insects abound is also a sure remedy, especially if 
followed up whenever the insects appear. 
For those who prefer them, the various advertised insecticides are 
good and reliable remedies for most of the diseases and enemies of fruit 
trees. They possess the advantage of beinfi; handy and ready for use, 
only requiring in most cases to be combined with water for convenient 
distribution in the form of syringing, spraying, or brushing. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peacbes and Nectarines. —Early Forced Houses .—The buds of 
the trees started at the beginning of the present month are swelling 
freely and showing colour, so syringing should cease, as the water 
often causes the flowers to damp. Maintain, however, a genial condition 
of the atmosphere by sprinkling the floor and border with water in the 
morning and afternoon of fine days. Provide a little ventilation con¬ 
stantly at the top of the house. Raise the heat early in the day to 50°, 
and not exceeding 55° from fire heat, and admit a little air, yet not so as 
to lower the temperature below 50°, Increase the ventilation with 
the sun heat, having it full at 65°, and gradually reduce it with the 
declining temperature, closing (subject to a small amount of air being 
left on) for the day at 55°. On cold nights the minimum temperature 
should be maintained at 40° to 45°, between the latter and 50° is ample 
on mild nights. Nothing is gained (but the prospect of a crop may be 
lost) by undue haste until the days have turned, and there is an increase 
of light and length of days. Nevertheless, aim at steady progress, 
allowing the trees abundance of air, and a genial warmth by day with 
rest at night. 
Second Early House .—The very early Peaches Alexander and 
Waterloo have not proved satisfactory forcing varieties in many places 
through casting the buds, and Early Louise is generally too pale in 
colour for marketing purposes. Hale’s Early is everything desirable as 
regards size, colour, and quality, but the tree has the bud-drooping 
defect in degree only less marked than in Alexander. Stirling Castle 
forces quite as well as Royal George, but it is smaller and not so good in 
appearance as that variety which has no rival equal to Dymond. In 
Nectarines the old Elruge is unsurpassed, Stanwick Elruge having a 
habit of dropping its fruit when commencing ripening, and Lord 
Napier in nine cases out of ten has the fruit shrivelled at the apex. All 
these things tell in marketing returns. If the house has been open to 
receive the autumn rains, the border will be thoroughly moist to the 
drainage. If, on the other hand, the lights have not been removed, 
there may be need for repeated waterings to bring the soil into a moist, 
but not sodden condition, as is often the case by dosing trees with liquid 
manure at the time of starting or just before. Judicious applications of 
liquid manure to weakly trees benefits them immensely, and where 
the drainage is efficient there is little danger of the soil getting sodden 
by the rainfall or applications of water. Fire heat will only be neces¬ 
sary at the commencement to prevent the temperature falling below 
freezing point at night, and to maintain 50° in the daytime, admitting 
air freely at and above that heat. 
Succession Houses .—The cleansing of the houses and trees should 
be pushed forward, and brought to a close as soon as possible. Where 
the trees have been infested with brown aphis, red spider, or scale it is 
desirable to syringe the whole house with hot water at a temperature 
of 140°, which will soften the dirt and destroy all the pests it reaches. 
The woodwork should then be thoroughly cleansed with soap and water, 
using a brush, and the glass inside and outside with clear water. The 
trees may be syringed with a solution of soap, 1 lb. to a gallon of water, 
dissolving by boiling in a pan, and on removing from the fire add half a 
pint of petroleum, and stir briskly, so as to thoroughly amalgamate the 
oil with the soapy solution. For syringing the trees dilute to 6 gallons, 
using hot water, and apply at a temperature of 130° to 140°. This is a 
wasteful plan, and not so effectual as applying the mixture with a brush 
thoroughly, taking care not to dislocate the buds. Prior to this the 
trees will have been pruned, and after dressing the branches can be 
re-arranged and the growths tied to the trellis. The walls should be 
limewashed. Remove the loose surface soil, add fresh lumpy loam with 
a fourth well-decayed manure, and supply a handful of some approved 
fertiliser per square yard. Dissolved bone five parts, sulphate of potash 
three parts, and ground gypsum two parts (mixed) may be used. If 
the soil be rich and inclined to dampness employ basic slag phosphate 
at a similar rate. The rain or watering will wash the ingredients into 
the soil. If the roof lights are fixed ventilation should be given fully, 
the trees being afforded rest as completely as possible, care being taken 
not to allow them to become dry at the roots. If the roof lights are 
moveable, and have been removed, they may remain off until the time 
arrives for starting the trees or until the buds commence swelling, when 
the lights must of necessity be replaced to insure the safety of the buds 
and blossoms. 
Unhealed Houses .—These structures are often made receptacles for 
other plants, and the welfare of the trees is more or less interfered with. 
The better plan is to remove the roof lights and let the trees and soil 
have the benefit of the exposure, which insures complete rest, thorough 
moistening of the soil and retarding the blossom, which is of consider¬ 
able importance. The trees will not take the least harm, no matter how 
severe the weather may be, provided the wood be well ripened; but if 
there is any doubt about that the lights are best retained over the trees, 
as frost acting on such whilst wet may cause their destruction. In the 
latter case, and also when the lights are removed, pruning may be 
deferred until the buds commence swelling. 
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HE BEE-KEEPER. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Lanarkshire Storifying Hive. 
{^Concluded from page 574.) 
But little remains to be said as to how to make the Lanarkshire 
storifying hive. The divisions of the hive and roof are painted, 
but all other parts are tarred, which the amateur may finish 
according to his purse and taste. 
If the instructions given in previous issues are studied and 
carried out the making of this useful hive will become an easy 
task, and they will find in packing cases a cheap wood for the 
purpose. Fig. 103 shows the Lanarkshire storifying hive with the 
bee-keeper in the act of putting the frames filled with foundation 
FIG. 103.— THE LANARKSHIRE STORIFYING HIVE. 
into the hive, which is folded back and resting on a piece of wood 
by inch, having little brackets fixed to it at the various 
heights required.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
Hives for Beginners. 
Beginners often have a difficulty in deciding which is the best 
hive for their purpose, and with a view of assisting them I will 
describe some that have come under my notice. The double hives 
with two queens have been advocated, and are no doubt good for 
wintering bees, as they may be warmer than single hives, but after 
experimenting with these hives some persons have not been 
successful with them. 1 prefer having a single queen in a separate 
hive of fair size. These can always be strengthened if necessary 
from other stocks, and can be worked either on the supering or 
storifying system. They have the advantage of being easy to 
manipulate, and two hives worked separately will compare favour¬ 
ably with any other two-queen stocks. 
My favourite hive is about 18 inches square. This I have 
found the most useful size, and have all hives and frames inter¬ 
changeable. This hive if ay be made with either single or double 
sides, and will hold ten standard frames and division board. The 
frames are 14 inches by SJ- inches outside measurement. Hives of 
this description may be made out of old packing cases, or any 
sort of boxes that have good sound pieces of wood of the desired 
length, 9 inches in depth, and about half an inch in thickness. 
They are inexpensive, and are as good for all practical purposes as 
the most elaborate hive. 
The hive should be provided with a loose floor board, and if 
required with double sides for packing, as a protection in severe 
weather. The best material that I have used for the purpose is 
cork dust, such as foreign Grapes are packed in, and may be 
obtained from tradesmen who deal in them. I do not think it is 
necessary in this country to use much packing of this description. 
I have some hives that are thus protected with cork dust, others 
that have no packing but a clear air space round the sides of the 
hive, and others again that have no packing or air space. I have 
never been able to detect any difference in the way they have 
wintered, as I have sometimes lost stocks in the best packed hives, 
and others again in those with single sides, but always through 
queenlessness.— An English Bee-keeper. 
