If the weather be wet the next day or so after hiving, it will be well to give a little assistance to the new colony in the shape of food, for although when a swarm leaves a hive almost every bee composing it fills itself with honey, we have known not a few instances in case of very wet weather, in which the whole swarm has been starved for the want of this little timely help. Of course, the first work of the bees is to build themselves combs, and these combs being produced by the secretion of wax from honey, a great drain upon their resources immediately begins, and any little outlay at this juncture is abundantly compensated by its enabling these industrious emigrants the more quickly to push, forward the furnishing of their new home. Clean combs from hives that may have lost their bees are readily accepted, and cause a great saving in time and material to the bees; these combs may easily be fixed by cutting them the proper size to fit within the frames, and making them firm by tying with tape or fixing them with pliable wire. Artificial comb (see page 70) is often used, and has this advantage, that the combs are certain to be straight and regular, besides the saving in material to the bees. These preparations must be made prior to the bees being hived, so that when a hive is so prepared, a swarm may begin to adapt whatever advantages they find ready for them; and it is truly marvellous what a swarm will do when thus furnished with combs in their new habitation. In these the queen can immediately begin to deposit her eggs, and the workers to store their honey, without having to wait for the construction of combs, which is a laborious occupation for the bees. In some cases, fine white combs may be taken from the stock hive; the end frames are always the most free from brood. Care must be exercised not to rob this part of the hive too much; one comb may perhaps be removed in the course of the season without impoverishing the bees, but it is not wise to take more. Putting on Super Hive.--A colony established a year or more is called a "stock," by way of distinction from a swarm of the present year. Supposing the hive to be a stock, the super should be given them at the early part of the season, say, if fine and warm, at the latter end of April or beginning of May; if the weather be then unfavourable, it is better to delay doing so until a more genial temperature. If the colony be a swarm of the present year, two weeks should be allowed to elapse from the time of tenanting a hive, before putting on the super; this delay is necessary to give the bees the opportunity of building combs in their new domicile, and of getting a store of honey for themselves before working for their master.