Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-04-08
LIVE GEESE, FEATHERS.
Process of Plucking the Birds-FcweP
Feathers Used Than Formerly.

q. Il i
Process of Pluclsing the Birds-FeweP
Feathers Used Than Formerly.
1.-The feathers aren't alive, but Tie
geese they were plucked from were,'
said dealer in live geese feathers.
And the geese they were plucl1ed from
never once squawked nor squeaked dur
ing the operation. Not because it didn't
hurt the geese, though. It hurts goose
like the mischief to pull its feathers out,
but the reason a goose doesn't boiler
and make fuss over it is that it doesn't
seem to know enough. A goose will
squawk and clatter and cackle as if it
were suffering more agony than horse
with the collie just at the sight of per-
son, but if you cover it up and pelt it
with stones it seems to forget that it
has voice, and will take all the punish
ment you give it without uttering a bit
| of protest. There is much to study
about goose. Just observe flock of
geese some day when you are out Wis
iting on a farm They'll give you amuse-
1nent by the hour.
"a goose hasn't the slightest idea of
breadth or depth. The assertion that
|
open barn door ducks it's head, no mat
ter if the opening be 20 feet high, is as
true as can be. And, while goose can't
be made to believe that there is no
danger to it's head as it passes over the
sill of barn door, it is equally positive
that it can creep through a two-inch
auger hole or knot hole in fence just
as easily as it can go through a 20-foot
door, and with more safety to it's per-
son. I have laughed myself sore more
times than a few at the persistence of
some old goose in trying to enter an in
closure through hole in the fence
hardly big enough to get it's head
through, while a gate big enough for
team of horses to pass through was
wide open within three feet of the hole.
"Never saw a goose plucking, eh?
Well, it isn't sight that would give
you much pleasure. On the day set for
stripping geese Of their feathers they
are erticed into some alright out
house. The pickers who are always
women or girls, go among the geese
! with their heads and faces entirely COW
cred with hoods fastened round the
neck with shirr string. There are
holes for the eyes, and also little holes
at the nose for fresh air.
"From the neck down the picker is
covered with a glazed muslin garment:
to which no feathers or down will al.
here. The pickers sit on low stools
around large and perfectly dry tub.
There is generally man or boy in the
neighborhood who is an expert at get
ting the geese ready for picking. Every
body can't do that. The wings of the
goose have to be locked together by a
peculiar arrangement of them near the
shoulders, and while the wings are not
tied or fastened in any other way, the
lock is such that no goose can open it,
The fowls feet are tied together with
broad bands of soft muslin or flannel.
| When a goose is thus made helpless, 1t
is taken upon the picker's lap. and she
plucks the feathers out rapidly, but
with such skill that she seldom breaks
the skin or causes blood to flow. Feath'
ers fill the air during the process OF
plucking, but all settle gradually down
into the tub at last. Before beginning
on a goose the picker brushes the
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skin. An expert can tell at glance
by the color Of the skin whether she
must exercise more than ordinary care
in plucking it, or whether it is not bet"
ter to let the goose so without pluck
i ING at that time. In every case the
picker must be careful and not plucl,
the feathers too close under the wings
If a goose has been improperly picked
in that respect the wings will drooE
and drag on the ground. All through
this process of yanking the feathers ou
Of a goose's body not q sound of com
plant or cry Of pain is heard from tho
goose. It submits to the torture witt
a silent solemnity that would be laugh
able if it were not for the evident for
titude of the fowl that goes with it.
1T is necessary that the feathers
should be taken from live geese, tina
is. if the comfort and pleasure of PEG
pie who must have feather beds ani
pillows are to be studied. Dead feather
are 10 better than husks, and are un
wholesome But there isn't one pount
of feathers used to-day where so pound
were some years ago. Asthma and ha,
fever have done great deal to lesser
the demand for feather beds and pill
lows, for it was discovered few year
ago that feather beds and asthma love-
to consort. and that nothing woul'
! start an asthmatic to wheeling s.
quickly and positively as couch Q
geese feathers would. The discover.
spread, and the patient and uncom
planning goose owes great deal of it
: latter-day comfort to the asthma.'-N
Y Sun.