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, 
