In describing the stock hives of wood, straw, and glass, allusion has frequently been made to the depriving hives technically called "supers." The simplest form of these consists of the straw caps, represented at pages 108-110, and next to these will come those to which the above heading applies. Of the stricter bell-form, rounded at the top, we have three sizes:—
| To contain 10lb., 10 inches high, 7 inches wide. |
| To contain 6lb., 7 inches high, 5½ inches wide. |
| To contain 3lb., 5 inches high, 4 inches wide. |
These bell glasses are used in the hives before described. The largest is for Nutt's hive; the middle-sized is for our improved cottage hive; the smallest glass is so very small that it is not often used, and we do not recommend it. Bees will generally fill a middle-sized glass quite as soon as one so small as this.
The next figures exhibit what are known as "Taylor's Glasses." They were introduced by Mr. Taylor, and are recommended as preferable to deep narrow glasses. The drawings will show that they are straight at the sides, flat at the top inside, with a knob above to take hold by, through which is a half-inch opening to admit a ventilating tube. The larger, to contain perhaps twenty pounds, is six inches deep and thirteen inches wide; the smaller, five inches deep and nine and a half inches wide.
The late Mr. J. H. Payne, of Bury St. Edmunds, author of the "Bee-keeper's Guide," introduced another glass, called "Payne's Glass" accordingly. It has a three-inch hole in the centre, the purpose of which is to tempt bees to produce additional and larger stores of honey. It is to be used as follows: When a bell glass (which must be smaller in diameter than Payne's) is half or quite filled, raise it, and place Payne's glass over the hole of the stock hive, with the filled glass on it, over the three-inch hole. The bees will bring their combs through, and thus Mr. Payne found that they would store more honey than if the bell glass were removed and another empty one put in its place.
The "Flat-topped Glass" is a super to be placed on the hive in a similar way to the bell glasses already alluded to. It has the advantages of being straight at the sides, flat at top, and without a knob; so that when filled it may be brought on to the breakfast table, inverted, on a plate. The glass lid shown in the figure forms a cover, and fits over outside so as not to interfere with the combs within. There is a ventilating tube as above. Dimensions, six and three-quarter inches in diameter, and five in height.