THE STEWARTON SYSTEM. 135 
A reversal of this proceeding enables possession or 
inspection to be had of the nether box, by with- 
drawing it (upon its bottom board) from behind, the 
stock-hive being entirely undisturbed by the opera- 
tion. 
It is well here to remark that experience has 
shown that it is seldom expedient to apply the 
nether principle to any but strong and populous 
stocks, and especially in any other than moderately 
warm weather, as the bees would then prefer to follow 
the warmth upwards into a super. On their first 
admission into the nether, a few bees will often be 
lost in consequence of their inability to find the 
way out, so that, as a precaution, a frequent in- 
spection of the window is at such time desirable. 
A small aperture behind, at the bottom or side of 
the nether, may be made, as a mode of exit for the 
prisoners, to be closed at pleasure. 
THE STEWARTON SYSTEM. 
The well-known ‘‘ Stewarton Hive’ embraces the 
principles of both nadir and super. We will first 
extract the brief description given in Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd’s ‘‘ Rustic Adornments :’’— 
“This hive is so called from the district of 
Stewarton in North Britain, where it is in general use. 
It consists of a series of octagonal boxes, four in 
number, three of them formed exactly alike, but the 
fourth, which forms the summit, is a little shallower 
than the others. The inside measure of each is 
thirteen inches and three-quarters from side to side, or 
