Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-01-24
.PLUCK|NC LIVE GEESE
An Operation Necessary to Pro.
cure Good Feathers.
LOCKING THE BIRDS WINGS.
This Trick Performed and Their Legs
eandased Tossthsr the Helpless
Geese Are Ready. u Not Willing, Vie.
tims For the Expert Pieksrs.


Geese Are Ready, u Not Willing, Vie.
tims For the Expert Pieksrs.
Yes" said a manufacturer and deal.
er In bed furnishings. 1T is necessary
that goose feathers should be taken
from the live goose II we are 10 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-
wholesomeness.
They say II doesn't hurt a goose 20
pluck II. but II seems 90 me that one
might Us well say that II wouldn't hurt
a man 10 have his whlskers yanked out
by the handful The reason they give
for believing goose doesn't suffer
when It's feathers are being plucked
out OF It Is that 1t never squawks or
squeaks or makes fuss while the
plucking Is going on.
Now, ! believe IL hurts a goose like
the mischief 20 have Its feathers pulled
out. coming as they do from the ten.
derest spots on its body. and the rea.
son the fowl doesn't utter any protest
prompted by pain Is. according 10 the
way have sized geese up. because II
Is such blame fool. A goose will
squawk and clatter and cackle as II Il
were suffering more agony than n
horse with the collie just at the mere
sight Of you. but II you corner II up
and pelt Il with stones II seems TO for
get that II has a voice and will take
all the punishment you give 1t 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. II certainly couldn't be made
any pleasanter for the goose unless
the plucker held chloroform or some
thing like that 10 its nose while the
plucklng 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 strlklngly made known
20 you when they are being rounded
up IN such an Enclosure II there should
happen 10 he a knothole I'm one end OF
IL. the door being az the other. That
door may be six feet high and three
broad. but goose after goose will ig-
more II and try its best TO get through
the knothole. Induced. though. to try
the door. every goose Will bob its head
down as II passes through for fear OF
knocking Il against the top OF the
door jamb. six feet above.
There Is a man or a boy In every
neighborhood where geese are plucked
who Is an expert In getting the goose
ready for the process Not every one
can do that. The wings OF the goose
have 10 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
Is such that no goose can unlock H.
The goose's feet are tied together with
a broad band OF soft muslin Then Il
Is ready for the plucker.
THE pluckers. who are almos; al
ways women. go among the geese with
their heads and faces entirely covered
with hoods fastened around the neck
with shirr string. There are holes In
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 a glazed muslin garment
10 which no feather or down will cling
The pluckcrs will sit on low stools
around large and perfectly dry tub.
Each takes In her lap goose made
helpless 10y It's interlocked wings and
bound legs and with rapid plying OF
her fingers separates the feathers from
H. This is done with such skill. though.
that the plucker rarely breaks the
goOse's skin or causes blood 10 follow
the pluckiug out Of a feather. The air
Is constantly filed with the light feath.
ers during the plucking, but they set.
tie into the tub az last.
But there isn't as much call for the
goose 20 undergo this raping u its
feathers rs there used 10 be. Not one
pound Of goose feathers is used today
where there were tfty pounds twenty.
Eve years ago. odd as Il may seem.
asthma aud hay fever long ago began
90 have n good deal TO do with decreas-
Ing the demand for feather beds and
pillows. IL was discovered that asih-
ma and hay fever had an affinity for
such touches and head rests. that
nothing would start an asthmatic OF
for cheerful nights wheeling so
| quickly as n feather bed This discov.
cry spread. and the goose owes a great
deal Of its later day comfort 10 the
asthma. Detroit Free Press
She Had Enough.