The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-07-25

The wise and daring investors who
transplanted ostrich farming from AZ
rlca to the United States are congratu-
lating themselves now. They are reap
Ing n 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
the days when Galnsborougn painted
his world-famous beauties with huge
hats covered with ostrich feathers
Since that day, If not before 1t, in
fact, the ostrich plume has lain very
close to the feminine heart, but It's
vogue this year surpasses all records
The fair votary of Dame Fashion
may array herself In all that Is beauti-
full 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 surmounted
by a picture hat, with two, three, or
perhaps four superb ostrich plumes. 1t
is almost impossible for milllners to
meet the demand for high-grade feath-
ers, and If they were dependent solely |
on the stock imported from Africa, 1t |
would be quite out of the question, but |
the American ostrich farms at Pasa-
dena, Jacksonville and Phoenix have
hourished, and the big bird has proved
himself such a fiourishlng American
that large part of the supply Is now
a home product.
The modern society woman spends
more money on her hats than ever be-
fore, for the reason that with shopping.
calling, driving and lunching. she has
her hat on most of the day, and natur-
ally must make 1t the browning glory
Of her costume. Fifty dollars Is no I'M
common cost for a hat trimmed with
,nly modest feathers, and the particu-
ar customer, who seeks, for example,
| plume, say twenty-four inches long.
must not be surprised If called upon
o pay $50 for the feathers alone, with
'ut taking into account the cost of the 9
ther materials and the making. c
But 1t Is not alone the member of the o
our hundred who dons the feather of
he ostrich. Women in more moderate r
circumstances can get very luxurious '
fleet from a feather that costs less
han So In fact milliner will say /
nat there is no form of headwear In a
'hich such good results can be obtain "
! as from ostrich feathers. n
The worlds total supply of ostriches u
now said to be about $4,000 birds 81
II but 10000 of these are In Africa. q
lie native country of the biggest birds.
he stock Is not decreasing, for it Is II
lie of the good fortunes of the ostrich &C
at to take his feathers does not cause d.
$ death. The feathers would drop al
themselves If not removed, and pi
ere is nothing painful about the lat
r operation, though the vanity of the til
rd that is being robbed of its chief ~
nament makes him resent the pro- III
IS. The ostrich Is too valuable a bird hi
be III used, for on the average they an
e worth $500 per pair, and each one RI
II produce some sixty dollars worth tn
feathers every year. Hence 1t will mi
seen that the owner has the strong
motives OF self-interest to take care ca
the birds. The feathers are never of
lcked till they are ripe. de
It is only a little more than two tn;
,ades ago since the first ostriches wi
re brought into the United States prc
III the serious purpose of attempting eve
lr culture here. Before that time