STRAW DEPRIVING HIVES. 57 
inches across and nine in height (if as flat as the 
one below, it will be all the better). Through the 
top he will cut a hole three or four inches in 
diameter, and fit to it a lid of worked straw for 
closing this hole when the super is not required— 
placing a small weight upon it or else securing it 
by pins. The result will be represented by the ac- 
companying figure, except that Mr. Taylor is now 
considered to have gone a little too far in advoca- 
ting hives of a shallow form. At the 
proper time for applying a super, the 
straw mat cover can be removed, and 
its place supplied by what is termed 
an adapter or adapting-board, which is a thin board 
to lie upon the crown and sufficiently large for the 
super to stand safely upon it. It must have a cor- 
responding hole through its centre; thus in fact 
adapting it as the floor-board to a super. It will be 
preferred by some, instead of one thick adapter, to 
have two very thin ones, of equal form and size, 
placed together. These should be made of mahogany 
or some hard wood, as a security against warping. 
When the super is ready for removal, a detachment 
of the two boards can be effected by passing between 
them a knife, or some fine wire (if there is only one, 
this is detached from the super). A piece of thin 
metal may first be used to stop the communication. 
With a little additional trouble the bee-keeper may 
cut away the top of a common skep and 
substitute a wooden crown-board in 
the manner here represented. The 
pins driven into the hive will pre- 
