SUPPLEMENT. 161 



the bees are in full swing, eagerly panting for work, 

 the whole six boxes are used as one hive, 30 inches 

 high and 14 inches wide. Such a hive is capable 

 of gathering a great amount of honey, and in some 

 seasons the Stewarton hive has done wonders. Here 

 again it will be seen that the secret of success lies 

 in its size. But the peculiarity of the hive lies in 

 its construction, and the way in which it is worked 

 or supered. The three breeding - boxes and the three 

 honey-boxes have bars in them, but no tops. Every 

 part of the hive resembles somewhat a riddle rim, with 

 bars running across it. There are slides that run in 

 and between the bars, and these slides in use form a 

 top to any one of the compartments. Suppose only 

 two of the breeding-boxes are used in winter, the slides 

 are used on the top box. If the other breeding-box be 

 placed below the other two, the slides remain where 

 they have been — thus an addition or eke 6 inches 

 deep, is made to the hive. If the box were placed 

 above the other two, the slides would be withdrawn 

 from the second box and placed in the top box. Thus 

 the three breeding - boxes would be together, with 

 scarcely a division between them. As soon as the three 

 boxes are full of bees and brood supering commences, 

 the slides in the top box are withdrawn, and one of the 

 honey-boxes or supers is placed on the top of the other 

 boxes, and receives the slides. The shdes of course are 

 always in use in the topmost box Some who use the 

 Stewarton hive withdraw only a few slides between 

 the super and the breeding - box, and those near the 

 outside, to prevent the queen from going into the honey- 

 boxes to lay. As soon as the first super is nearly filled 

 with honey, another is placed above it, and so on tUl 

 aU are fiUed. These 4-inch supers hold from 20 lb. to 

 30 lb. of honeycomb each — and many beautiful octagon 

 supers of comb are taken from Stewarton hives and 

 exposed for sale in the honey shops of ' Glasgow. At 

 the end of the season the bees are confined to two 



