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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