HEATHER HONEY 97 
arrival at the heather. In placing the gauze over 
the frames it is an improvement if it be mounted 
on a light frame made of half-inch wood, which 
will give a good bee-space above them. 
If the apiarist makes a regular practice of going 
to the moors, he should have a. three-inch hole 
cut in the bottom-board, and covered with per-. 
forated zinc. A cover may be made for this hole, 
which is only required at this particular time. 
The journey must be made at night,-arid the bees 
released early next morning. 
As.I have mentioned, heather honey cannot be 
extracted, but must be pressed out. For this 
purpose a honey press is needed. In these presses 
the combs are enclosed in cheese-cloth and crushed 
between metal plates. The honey is thus extracted 
and strained at the same time, ready, for ripening 
and bottling. As this method involves the sacri- 
fice of the combs most bee-keepers elect to work 
for sections in preference. 
A bee-keeper is doubly fortunate when circum- 
stances give him access to two such crops as 
clover and heather. He has not only a double 
chance of securing surplus honey, but even in 
years when the heather bloom is a comparative 
failure he usually secures sufficient honey. to feed 
up the bees for the winter, and this alone is well 
worth the trouble and expense of the journey to 
the moors. 
