Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-06-05

1He wise anu uaIing INVESTORS VINO
transplanted ostrich farming from AZ
rlca to the United States are congratu-
lating themselves now. They are reap
Ing harvest now, such as perhaps
they never dreamed of, for the plumes
OF the gawky bird are at tho top wave
OF popularity that has lasted ever since
the days when Gainsborough painted
MS world-f famous beauties with huge
mats covered with ostrich feathers.
Since that day, II not before 1t, in
tact, the ostrich plume has lain very
close to the feminine heart, but Its
vogue this year surpasses all records.
The fair votary Of Dame Fashion
may array herself in all that is beautl-
ful and costly, her dress may be purest
SIX, her fingers blaze with diamonds,
per coat be precious fur, but she is not
nappy unless the whole be surmounted
BY a picture hat with two, three, or
perhaps four superb ostrich plumes. It
is almost Impossible for milliners to
meet the demand for high-grade feath-
ers. and II they were dependent solely
on the stock imported from Africa, it
would be quite out Of the question, but
the American ostrich farms at Pasa-
dena, Jacksonville and Phoenix have
nourished, and the big bird has proved
himself such tlourlshing 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 lunchins. she hns
her hat on most Of the day. and ,at,,,..
ally must make 1t the browning plorv
of her costume. FIFTY dollars n nj IN, 4.
common cost for hat trimmed with
only modest feathers and the ma ticn.
lar customer, who seeks. for eYamnla
plume, say twenty-four inches iono
must not be surprised ,f calIad ,,,on
to pay $50 for the feathers alone yyith
out taking into account the cost or the
other materials and tbe maxine
But 1t is not alone the member o,S+h.
four hundred who dons tha faotba, -
the ostrich. Women IN mora mosan. ~ -
circumstances can oet . rar,, ,,,.s.,.s.s..s
erect from a faatbar +ha+ aas.a ilvus
than $40 In fact a millirar ,,,,, - :,
that there Ia No form, oe haa,,,ra.. -.
which SUCH good results oon ha oh..;.
ed as from ostrich feathers :, :. :,
The worlds total s,,nnIv ~ os+r,a,,,a
is now said to he ahont 400 ooo sh,nas
All but 10000 Of these arc N Afr,m
the native country Of the h,oo.s+ h,.ds,
The stock is not Decreasing, for a, IL
one of tho good fortunes Of the ostrich
that to take his feathers does not cause
his death. The feathers would drop
on themselves II not removed, and
there Is nothing painful about the lat
ter operation, though the vanity Of the
bird that is being robbed of Its chief
ornament makes him resent the pro-
cess The ostrich is too valuable bird
to be III used, for on the average they
are worth $oOO per pair, and each one
VIII produce some sixty dollars worth
OF teatners every year Hence 1t will
Do seen tnat the owner has the strong
est motives OF sell-interest to take care
Q, tue oirus. Inc feathers are never
p'ucKeu III! they are ripe.
~ 70 only iittie more than two
oecaues ago Since Tue nrst ostricEes
were drought INTO the United States
WIN tne serious purpose or attempting
.ne'r culture mere. BEFORE that time
the only ones seen IN uncle Sans
realm naa peen ad1uncts TO circuses.
temnted there were m.nv nisrir,no.
as to what snccess would attand +ha
ventura II Ind bean the occontaI