26 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 



Apiaries should be situated if possible in a 

 sheltered position. A small glen or valley suits 

 them very well, and the hives should be screened 

 from prevailing winds. A south-east or southerly 

 aspect suits the bees best, and the hives should 

 be placed on bricks, or cinders may be put down 

 and a firm base made by these means. Weeds 

 and long grass should be rigorously kept down, 

 and if the hives are on grass land a scythe may 

 be used with good effect in keeping down the 

 grass. Where there is any choice a careful selec- 

 tion should be made as regards locality. Most 

 localities are fair honey districts, but there are 

 some which are twice as good as others, both as 

 regards the quantity and the quality of the honey 

 crop. Careful attention must therefore be given 

 to this. What is wanted is a good clover or sain- 

 foin district, which means wide breadths of these 

 valuable honey producing plants, along with plenty 

 of fruit blossom for early brood production. 

 Other good honey districts have such local crops 

 as heather, mustard, or beans. Now all of these 

 are valuable, and the apiarist who is situated in 

 their midst has most of his hardest work done 

 for him. 



