CHAPTER XII 



THE APIARY SITE 



In the establishment of a commercial apiary, the chief 

 requisite is proximity to the sources of nectar. To fulfill 

 this, it is essential that the honey resources of the region be 

 studied carefully. While it is possible to keep bees in almost 

 all of the habitable parts of the United States, it is not every- 

 where profitable to practice extensive beekeeping, so that if 

 one contemplates making honey-production a major portion 

 of his business, it is best to go to the best available location 

 rather than to struggle along in a mediocre locality. A 

 second requisite is ease of transportation to the apiary and 

 to market. 



Apiary grounds. 



In the North, a plot of ground sloping to the south or 

 east is usually preferable and in any region it is advisable 

 to face the apiary so as to protect the entrances of the hives 

 from the prevailing winds. If the contour of the land or a 

 near-by forest does not afford protection from the wind, a 

 windbreak may be planted. A row of evergreens is efficient 

 in the North and is serviceable in winter when it is most 

 needed. A solid fence or building is less desirable, since 

 such a windbreak, instead of breaking the force of the wind, 

 often simply deflects the currents into the midst of the apiary 

 with disastrous results. In moist regions, a slope is desirable 

 for drainage. ' The hives should be so placed that they 

 receive sunlight in the early morning. This is helpful in 

 winter and perhaps equally so in summer as it starts the 

 bees to the field earlier, so that they get the nectar from 



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