The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1907-07-18

The wise and daring Investors who
trsnsplanted ostrich farming from Al.
Eica to the United States are congratu-
Iafing themselves now. They are reap
ting a harvest now, such as perhaps
they never dreamed OF. for the plumes
Of the gawky bird are at the top wave
Of popularity that has lasted ever since
khe days when Gainsborough painted
his world famous beauties with huge
hats covered With ostrich feathers
Since that day, IL not before 1t, In
fAct, the ostrich plume has lain very
close TO the feminine heart, but its
rogue this year surpasses all records.
The fair votary OF Dame Fashion
may array herself in all that Is beauti-
ful and costly, her dress may be purest
silk. her fingers blaze with diamonds,
her coat be precious fur, but she Is not
happy unless the whole be surmounte1
~ picture hat with two, three, or
perhaps four superb ostrich plumes 1t
h almost impossible for milliners to
meet the demand for high-grade feath-
exs, and If they were dependent solely
On the stock imported from Africa. 1t
Muuld be quite out OF the question. but
ehs American ostrich farms at Pasa-
dena, Jacksonville and Phoenix have
nourished. and the big bird has proved
himself such nourishing American
fhaf large part of the supply In now
. home product
The modern society woman spends
more money ON her hats than ever be-
Tore, for the reason that with shoppInx.
calling, driving and Iunching. she has |
her bat on most Of the day, and natur- /
ally must make 1T the crownIng GLORY /
OF her costume. Fifty dollars Is no I'M
common cost for hat trimmed with /
only modest feathers, and the particu-
lar customer, who seeks. for example.
. plume. say twenty inches long,
must not be surprised Ii called upon
10 pay $50 for the feathers alone, with
put taking into account the cost of the
0ther materials and the making.
But 1t is not alone the member of the
tour hundred who dons the feather of
he ostrich. Women In more moderate
circumstances can get very luxurious
snect from feather that costs less
han $40 In fact milIiner win say
hat there is no form of headwear In
Which such good results can be obtain
d as from ostrich feathers.
The worlds total supply of ostrEcheS
> now said to be about $50. 900 birds.
III but 10000 of these are In Africa.
he native country of the biggest birds.
The stock is not decreasing. for 1t Is I
ne OF the good fortunes of the ostrich c
hat TO take his feathers does not cause G
Is death. The feathers would drop a
& themselves IL not removed. and p
here Is nothing painful about the lat
sr operation, though the vanity Of the [
ird that is being robbed of, its chief
rnament makes him resent the pro- I
sss. The ostrich Is too valuable bird
, be I'll used, for on the average they a
re worth $500 per pair, and each one z
i'll produce some, sixty dollars worth Il
feathers every year. Hence 1t will n
e seen that the owner has the strong
st motives Of self-interest to take care c.
I the birds The feathers are never O,
tucked till they are ripe. d.
1t is only little more than two Il
scades ago since the first ostriches W
ere brought into the United States pr
18th the serious purpose of attempting e,
leir culture here Before that time