§ III. THE COTTAGER'S HIVE.
This is our more complete form of a cottager's hive, composed entirely of straw. A very prevalent opinion exists that bees do better in hives of that material than of any other. Another opinion prevails, that the old-fashioned straw hive is the least expensive, the most simple, and the most productive. Although we cannot go so far as this, we are willing to admit that a simplified adaptation of the humane system to the old common straw hive is the most suitable to put into the hands of that large class of bee-keepers—cottagers. By these the more fanciful hives will be instantly condemned; besides, the expense puts them quite beyond the reach of the poorer class. The object aimed at in planning this structure has been to furnish a depriving hive that should be at once easy of management, inexpensive, and convenient. The stock hive, in which the bees are first deposited, is round, and has a flat top with a hole in the centre. The size of this lower hive is nine inches deep outside, and fifteen inches across the bottom; it is finished with a wooden hoop, which adds very much to its firmness and durability. The floor-board is one inch and a quarter thick, with a way sunk therein for the entrance. A small round mat of straw closes the hole in the top; this mat may be fixed by wooden pegs. We have now described what is termed the stock hive, which is, in fact, an old-fashioned straw hive, adapted, modernised, and improved to the more humane, viz., the depriving system. The weight of the stock hive, with its floor-board, is about seven pounds.
The super is five inches deep outside and twelve or so in diameter, and, when filled, contains about twelve pounds of honey and comb. Its purpose is exactly identical with that of the three bell glasses described on [page 117]: the lower hive is for the breeding compartment and for the storage of honey for the bees' own consumption, while the upper is to receive the surplus of their treasure which the owner intends to appropriate pure for himself. A glass window, which is placed at the side of the super, is useful for inspecting the progress made in filling it. An adapting-board to facilitate removal is added underneath it by some.
A common straw hive, sufficiently deep to cover, drops over the super, keeping the window dark, and fitting close on to the stock hive. This cover hive may be made fast by driving in two skewers, one on each side, to keep the whole firm. Unless placed in a bee-house or under a shed, the outside should be painted; or a piece of oilcloth, or water-proof covering of any kind, shaped so as to shoot off the rain, will save the trouble of paint, and answer the purpose (see [Chap. IV. § iii.]).
The mode of stocking this hive, and of taking the honey, will be clearly gathered from the directions under [§ v.] below, and from the general instructions in the sections therein referred to. After two or three weeks the straw mat may be removed to give the bees access to the super.
§ IV. AN IMPROVED COTTAGER'S HIVE.
This hive is very superior to the one described just above, as it possesses a Taylor's glass in lieu of a straw super, and an adapting-board and a window in the lower portion. Its principle is also exactly the same as that of the succeeding, which is simply a more elaborate development of this hive. Our illustration places the window over the entrance, being so drawn in order to exhibit back and front at one view, whereas in reality it is on the opposite side at the back, so as to allow of an inspection free from the liability of annoyance from the bees. For directions see the next section.
