The Washington herald., 1908-09-06
Rr RrDotPH De zAPP.


Farmers Institute in Richmond recently,
killed for its wings. one shipment made
recently from Russia 20 Paris contained
ten tons Of wings -Four hundred thou
sand Iarks' wings were sent TO one hrm
n Paris from Finland last season. We
imported last year over S2.00l610 worth OF
fancy birds wings for millinery purposes.
Virginia is now the only state east Of the
Mississippi River which has no Audubon
society for the protection Of its birds and
game. Connecticut last year established
the license system and raised $1,000. Cali
fornia raised on the license system for
rhe support OF its game and bird protec-
lion Nl4000,
Notwithstanding the fact thar there
exists an alliance between the powerful
League Of American Sportsmen and the
Audubon societies to prevent and punish
the ruthless slaughter OF wild and song
binds and the fact that the various State
legislatures and Congress have passed
legislative measures 20 protect these
birds II is uevertheless WeIi-established
fact that there are no birds which are not
found to-day in the hands Of the manu-
1acJurers utilized either for their feathers
o. their down.
"a number OF interesting reports from
and south American countries or the
feather industry in foreign countries have
been received at the state Department,
and IL may be seen IherefrOn that bird
pluuaga for purposes Of personal adOrn-
ment among civilized peoples IS by no
means a thing OF the past
London Is Feather Mart.
London is the mart 10 which is drawn
almost all the ostrich and other rare
feathers that aid in the adornmeut OF
beauty the world over. and whereas the
republics Of South America have for more
than ten years carefully regulated the
hunting of humming birds. IL Is an luter-
esting fact 10 note that there are annU-
ally sold ia the markets Of London more
Than L599.60eo50 little birds. in one single
season there having been sold IN Juis
mart 1900 humuius BIRDS. -5glr para
keeJs, 100 fisher martins. and 1000
white hsrons. An idea may be given Of
the great profits 10 be derived from this
trade when II IS stated that two pounds
OF aigrettes bring on an average in Lon
don from $50 70 So. but these same
aierettes are resold for about 500. this
price being obtained fer the inferior quail
ties. the superior bringing So an ounce.
OF Sll5J for Two pounds
The feathers Of birds are uUr alone
obtained from tropical countries. for in
all countries extensive use is made Of The
Dlumage OF seaEuIls. parTidges, pheas-
ants cocks ravens magp-es, jays. owls.
and Of vast quantities OF farmyard birds
and sparrows- As the trade in the plu-
mage of birds has made enormous strides.
and as both extra ga CANT and economical
forms Of luxury are constantly on the
increase there has been "a corresponding
development in The Cleveruess with which
Tlc feathers are dyed and treated
Much CounterfeItinE Done.
Thus there IS little difficulty expert
enced to-day iu transforming a modest
redstart into "A superb feathered cree ture
from the West Indies, Paris having been
for many years the chief emporium for
Tie manufacture and transformation Of
This article Of adorumeut- This suprem-
acy the French capital is in great danger
Of losing. as the English. favored by ex-
Ieusive home consumption and aided by
he skill Of imported wgrkueu. have made
great progress in preparing feathers and
down for the market The same may De
said for Germany, which country exports
annually more than 100000 worth Of
feathers
Frequently the feathers. when they
reach The manufactured. are dirty and
stained. The hrst work therefore. IS 10
clean them thoroughly. To do this they
are placed for several days in tepid. zoapy
water, and are then immersed for a quar-
ter OF an hour IN boiling water. in which
has been placed. some Spanish white or
raw starch rs a last step the feathers
are put into a drying pan for twenry-f0ur
hours. so rhat the rl1 may become thor
oughly dry Most feathers are dyed
Twenty years ago black ostrich feathers
became fashionable. but as the only
feathers which were black came l-om the
back Of the male ostrich, they were naeu-
rally rare
Can Stain Any shade.
since that time, however by diverse
methods. notably by means OF oxyEenated
water, manufactures have succeeded in
decoloring stained as well as naturally
dark plumes. ard making them perfectly
white. and now are able 20 give them
any desired shade IN former DAYS this
result could only be obtained by using ah-
soiuteiy white feathers. which was ex-
pensive- Light c1lors are obtained by
the uss OF aniline dyes deeper. colors. By
curcums. indigo. orchiIIa. and vegetable
dyes Black is the result OF iron. salt
and logwocd- After DYING the feathers
this operation being performed az temper
atures differing with the different dyes. Z
the feathers are rinsed and dried. They
are then assorted. passed through dry
steam. and bent into the desired shapes
The feathers OF birds are nOt only used
FOR raiment. but also for the woof Of Ger
tain stuhs. utilization being made OF
them IN the manufacture Of great many
domestic objoots- One OF the birds whose
feathers are put 20 the most diverse uses
IS the goose the large feathers from the
wings furnishing most excellent Quills for
writing. each year a harvest OF down be
ing obtained. and the hide. sold as swans /
down, furnishes q beautiful and elegant I
1ur. To obtain this sO-calIed swansdowu
the feathers are first carefully pulled out.
then the goose Is skinned the hide being
CUT down the back After this the skin
s. PUT through a process OF very deiie.ta I
tanning. the result being q pretty. service /
sbie Earniture for dresses
The feather trade Is practically IN the I
hands OF four great firms Of London F.
brokers' SIX times year the sales take
place in the AIincing lane rooms. but Tor &
aholt a fortnight before that time the
intending buyers are spending their davs
at these warehouses inspecting the various
lots Il Is dusty and dirty work 10 ex-
anime them. but large buyers have 10 do 4
50 very thoroughly. looking a- each bun I
de OF piuDes. Judging Of IFS evenneSs and Z
quality and estimating its market value 4
The catalogues are provided with ample f
margin for notes which the customer /
makes and by which his bids viii be
made al the actual sale. 4 motley throng I
4 IS thai we1G through the rooms for q
this purpose. and all wearing long brown /
Holland sInocks 10 protect their garments I