Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-30
FEATHERS.
The Various Uses to Which They Are AP
plied-The Trade In New York.

The Various Uses to Which They Arc Ap.
plied-The Trade In New York.
What a marvel of skill and beauty is
comprised in the mechanism and adap-
tation of feathers, and yet how little
are these points regarded by those who
wear them and throw them carelessly
aside! Few persons ever have any con-
ception of the extent of the trade and
the capital involved in the collection,
commerce and preparation of these ex-
tensive spoils from the feathered tribes
which are now so eagerly sought for
by merchants and traders, who pass
the skins of feathers into the plumas-
sier's hands, to be prepared for the use
OF the ladies'; for the fair sex secure the
most choice and costly for themselves,
although they have not the exclusive
use of feathers. as military eagle
plumes will testify.
In New York city alone there are
about one hundred persons largely and
specially engaged in feathers, as i'm
porting merchants. dealers, feather
manufacturers, plumassiers, natural
lists, etc. The declared value of the
foreign feathers as received was in 1874
a little over S2.270,000 Fashion
causes great changes. To what various
uses does the destroyer now apply the
covering of birds in different countries
for quilts and feathers in the arts and
industry, for upholstery purposes, for
adornment of the person, or for more
absolute clothing in garments, whether
as muffs or cuffs. ''As light as a feath-
er," has passed into proverp, and the
commerce in bird skins and feathers
extensive and valuable as it is, is nei-
Their bulky nor ponderous. The largest
quill of the golden eagle weighs only
slxty-tive grains, and the entire plu-
mage of an owl but an ounce and a
half, while the feathers of a common
fowl of two pounds and quarter will
only weigh three ounces.
In the ostrich both barbs and bar
bules are long, soft, silky and apart
and the barbules thus disposed charac-
terize that form of the feather called
a plume, and which constitutes in a
commercial point of view the most val
liable product of birds.
The natural color of feathers is pro-
duced by the internal arrangement of
the colorless plates of horny matter
and not by any pigment. This is also
shades of color on some beetles wings
thickness of the horny fibers interferes
of colors. Almost any artificial color
dyes, and taste, skill and artistic ar
h TO Ia
ment the rich natural beauties of the
stolen plumes we appropriate so reck-
lessly.
The principal feathers entering into
commerce into any quantity are those
of the ostrich, vulture $50 called),
egret, osprey, goose, swan, turkey and
peacock. The chief downs are elder
down, goose down, swans down and
estridge or ostrich down. The feathers
and down of many other birds are
used, but are of less Importance. AL
though horsehair, wooden flocks and
a number of vegetable stuffing mate
rails have come into extensive use, the
feather bed as an article of luxurious
ease still holds its own in many circles.
The dressed feathers chiefly used are
those of the white, gray and common
goose, and what are termed in the
trade poultry feathers, which include
those of turkeys, ducks and fowls. To
fill a small-sized three-foot bed-tck and
pillows about twenty-seven pounds of
feathers are necessary, according to
the kind used; of poultry feathers the
most are required.
1t has been aptly observed that a
love for feathers is among the prettiest
vanities, the daintiest whims of men
and women. From a strictly philo-
sophical point of view it may be con-
sidered exceedingly absurd to rob a
bird of his clothes, and use them as
additional adornments to our own at
tire. But fashion, both in savage and
civilized circles, enforces strange va
carries. The aboriginal races of North
and South America, Africa, the islands
of the Pacific and Indian Archipelagoes,
gloried in their feather plumes and cor
Onets, long before European bellies in
creased commerce SO largely in this di-
rection. The jaunty hat has given a
great impetus to every novelty in the
shape of feathers for decorating it.
First, the pheasant plume was intro
duced as an ornament for hats; then
followed the ptarmigan, peacock,
trogon, impeyan and argus pheasants.
ibis, heron, sea gull, black cock and
owl, and now almost every variety of
pIumage may be seen in the hats of Ia
dies and children. According to search
ty and fashion, some kinds of feathers
occasionally command a fabulous
price. Thus certain sorts for hats have
reached forty dollars to Xty dollars
the pound weight. Pelican feathers,
from their soft, velvety appearance and
their taking dyes readily, are in much
request; so are those of the f1amingo,
and what are known in commerce as
long and short osprey, which included
the much-prized short egret. These
feathers range in price from four dol
lars to sixteen the ounce, according to
the whiteness of color. A new and very
pretty ornamental application of bird
skins is that of the entire head and
plumage of some snowy bird for fans
and fire screens; and the brilliant little
heads of the humming- bird family
handsomely mounted as necklets, ear
pendants. brooches, ETC.. form a novel
species of bird jewelry. - Brooklyn
Eagle.