Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-02-24
MAKING FEATHERS GROW.

MAKING FEATHERS GROW.
How Japan's Long-Tailed fowls are
Fed to Secure Results.
That the long-tailed fowl was early
in Japan is credible from the legend,
evidently of abysmal antiquity, OF Anna
Terasu, the sun goddess, who, having
retired into a. cavern, to the intense
discomfort of the world, was nearly
enticed out again by the Growing OF .
long-tailed cock-to remind her, no
doubt that it was her usual hour To-
appear. writes Prof. Bashford Dean III
the Century magazine. Another some
what ghostly evidence of the antiquity
of the breed has been cited IN the
hoo bird. which was pictured IN ia
nan as early as the eighth century
This fabulous bird resembled botn
pheasant and peacock, but 1t mas
clearly the TAIL and very luxurlant one
of the fowls of Tosa, in which every
father, as the poetical Japanese re-
marks, resembles leafblade of the
mystical bamboo.
It is known that in many kinds OF
birds certain feathers continue TO-
grow until they are lost by molting-
and in all birds it happens occasion
ally that feather may be NOTED at
an irregular time. Accordingly, it fol
lows that if fowls can be secured
which are irregular in their period OF
molting, let us say the tail feathers
these will continue to grow longer for
the reason that they have had a long
er time in which to grow. From this
beginning it is now possible to infer
that by a process of carefully select
ing and breeding from those fowls in
which the melting season is suppress
ed in certain parts or the body, it
would be possible to obtain variety
in which the tail feathers would be
much longer than in other fowls.
A second but very important part
|of the process consists in feeding the
bird to the maximum degree, in order
to stimulate the growth of the feath-
ers. At the same time the bird should
not be allowed to dissipate its energy
NY lOduln6 OIL dOClNC llIS VI W lul<
unnecessary chances Of breaking the
constantly growing feathers. Thus /
learned from the fanciers at Tosa that
it is customary to confine the birds in
relatively small cages and to feed
them often and with peculiar food. De
tails of the latter l was unable to Sc
cure, although certain hints were Civ
en- me as to the virtue of boiled un-
husked rice or an occasional scrap OIL
eel and of diakon (giant radish) leaf
fancy, though, that any kind of pou-
try food may be used. But in this
regard one is cautious in drawing q
hard-and1fast conclusion, because It is
known that feathers are subject to
modification in various ways depend
ent upon food. Thus the color of the
feathers of certain parrots have been
strikingly changed by the South Sea
Islanders, who feed the birds upon the
fat Of peculiar fish. And canary
birds are given a reddish color under
special conditions, as by the fanciers
in the Harz mountains.
In many cases in order to avoid &C
cident to the long feathers, each fan
cier finds it, | am told, convenient to
coil up the longest feathers and wrap
and tie them carefully in soft paper.
so that the bird runs a minimum
chance of breaking them High perch
es are emphatically advocated. have
been told, not on the best evidence.
however, that in some cases the bird
is confined in tight cage, so that il.
is not possible for it to shift its posi-
tion In this cramped way, with the
tail hanging down behind. a bird is
SAID to be kept penned up miserabIy
for periods of months Certain it is
that under favorable conditions the
growth of tail feathers can be forced
by the fancier. Under ordinary condi-
lions cock whose tail measures five
or six feet will rarely grow longer
leathers. For, by active life, it il
probable that a gradual melting o,
these long feathers takes place. On
the other hand, molting is more ant
TO be suppressed by the unwholesome
living of bird during the process Of
overlooking. If, accordingly. a coe~
whose tail feathers are of the normal
maximum length is taken in traininc
by skilled fancier. he can. 7 am
told, stimulate growth in these feath-
ers at the rate of about six inches
per month.