The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-04-08
P[UCKING LIVE GEESE
An Operation Necessary to Pro.
cure Good Feathers.
LOCKING THE BIRDS WINGS.
This Trick Performed and Their Legs
6andased Together. the Helpless
Geese Are Ready, If Not Willing, Vic
tins For the Expert Pickers.

Geese Are Ready, If Not Willing, Vic
Tins For the Expert Pickers.
"Ies." said Il manufacturer and deal
er in bed furnishings, lit is necessary
from the live goose if we are to study
the health and comfort of people who
think they must have feather beds and
pillows. Dead goose feathers are not
much better than husks to lie on and
have not that great virtue of husks-
WholeSumeneSs.
.They say it doesn't hurt Il goose to
pluck it. but it seems to me that one
might IL, We'll say that it wouldn't huri
man to have his whiskerS yanked out
by the handful The reason they give
for believing Il goose doesn't suffer
when its feathers are being plucked
out of it is that it never squawkS or
squeaks or makes a fuss while the
pluckins is going on.
Now. ! believe it hurts Il goose like
the mischief to have its feathers pulled
out. coming as they do from the ten
derest spots Oh its body, and the rea
son the fowl doesn't utter any protest
prompted 10y pain is. according to the
way | have sized geese up. because il
is such blame fool. y goose Will
squawk and CHATTER and caclile us if il
We're suffering more agony than n
horse with The collie just ut the mere
sight of you. but if you corner it up
and pelt it With stones it seems TO for
get that it has Il voice and will take
all the punishment you give it without
further word
The Pennsylvania Dutch farmers
pluck geese today just the same as
their forbears did time out of mind.
and don't know as there is any other
way 1t certainly couldn't be made
any pleaSanter for the goose unless
the plucker held chloroform or some
thing like that to its nose while the
plucking was going on. The geese to
be bereft of their feathers are first
got together in an Enclosure used for
the purpose. The perspicacity Of
geese may be StriSingly made known
to you when they are being rounded
up in such an Enclosure if there should
happen to be Il knothole in one end of
it. the door being at the other. That
door may be six feet high and three
broad. but goose after goose will ig-
more it and try it's best to get through
the knothole. Induced though, to try
the door, every goose will bob it's head
down as it passes through for fear Of
knocking it against the top of tho
door jamb, six feet above.
'"There is Il man or boy in every
neighborhood where geese are plucket
who is an expert in getting the goose
ready for the process. Not every one
can do that The wings of the goose
have to be locked together by a pecul
lar Arrangement of the two near the
shoulder. and. While they are not tied
or fastened in any other way. the lock
The goose'S feet are tied together with
a broad band Of soft muslin. Then ii
is ready for the plucker.
'"The FUCKERS. who are almost al
ways women. go among the geese with
their heads and faces entirely covered
with hoods fastened around the neck
with q Shirr string There are holes i1
the hoods for the eyes and also at the
nose to supply fresh air for breathing
From the neck down the pickers are
covered with Il glazed muslin garment
to which no feather or down will cling
81, ,,;k l0r lie
around large and perfectly dry tub
Each takes in her lap il goose made
helpless by its interlocked wings anl
bound legs and with rapid plying OF
her fingers separates the feathers from
it. This is done with such skill. though
that the plucker rarely breaks thu
goose's skin or causes blood to follow
the pluckiLg out of a feather. The ali
is constantly filled with the light feath
erS during the plucking. but they set
tie into the tub at last.
Put there isn't as much call for thu
goose to undergo his raping of it
feathers as there used to be. Not on,
pound Of goose feathers is used toda,
where there were fifty pounds twenty
five years ago. odd as it may seem
asthma and hay fever long ago begal
to have a good deal to do with decreas
ing the demand for feather beds an,
pillows. 1t was discovered that aStll
ma and hay fever had an affinity TO
such touches and head rests: tina
nothing would start an asthmatic OF
for a cheerful nights wheeling S
quickly as feather bed. This discoy
cry spread. and the goose owes a grea
deal of its later day comfort to tn
asthma. "-Detroit Free Press.
She Had Enough.
AS Mrs. May of Birchdale Corner