The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-03-04
PLUC'K|11NG LIVE GEESE
An Operation Necessary to Pro-
cure Good Feathers.
LOCKING THE BIRDS WINGS.

This Trick Performed and Their Leg
eandased Together, the Helpless
Geese Are Ready, If Not Willing, Vie
Tins For the Expert Pickers.
eyes," said a manufacturer and deal
er In bed furnishings, "it is necessary
that goose feathers should be taker
from the live goose il we are to studJ
the health and comfort of people who
think they must have feather beds and
pillows. Dead goose feathers are moi
much better than husks to lie on and
have not that great virtue of husks-
wholesomeness.
"They say 1t doesn't hurt goose to
pluck it, but 1t seems to me that one
might as well say that 1t wouldn't hurt
man to have his whiskers yanked out
by the handful. The reason they give
for believing a goose doesn't suffer
when its feathers are being plucked
out of 1t is that it never squawks or
squeaks or makes a fuss while the
plucking is going on.
Nov, I believe 1t hurts q goose like
the mischief to 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 to the
way have sized geese up, because it
is such q blame fool. A goose will
squawk and clatter and cackle as If 1t
were suffering more agony than a
horse with the collie just at the mere
sight of you, but IL you corner it up
and pelt 1t with stones 1t seems to for
get that 1t has a voice and will take
all the punishment.you give 1t without
a 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
was going on. The geese to
be bereft Of their feathers are first
got together in an inclosure used for
the purpose. The perspicaclty Of
geese may be strikingly made known
to you when they are being rounded
up in such an inclosure If there should
happen to be knothole in one end Of
1t, 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 its best to get through
the knothole. Induced, though, to try
the door, every goose will bob Its head
down as 1t passes through for fear OF
1t against the top of the
door jamb, six feet above.
"There is man or boy In every
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 to be locked together by pecul-
ar arrangement of the two near the
Ihoulder, and, while they are not tied
IF fastened In any other way, the lock
8 such that no goose can unlock 1t.
'he goose's feet are tied together with
broad band Of soft muslin. Then 1t
, ready for the plucker.
'The pluckers, who are almost al
lays women, go among the geese with
leir heads and faces entirely covered
18th hoods fastened around the neck
18th shirr string. There are holes IN
10 hoods for the eyes and also at the
ose to supply fresh air for breathing.
rom the neck down the pickars are
overed with q glazed muslin garment
, which no feather or down will cling.
he pluckers will sit on low stools
round large and perfectly dry tub.
iach takes in her lap goose made
elpless by Its interlocked wings and
ound legs and with rapid plying of
er fingers separates the feathers from
. This is done with such skill, though,
hat the plucler rarely breaks the
oose's skin or causes blood to follow
he plucking out of feather. The air
J constantly filled with the light feath-
rs during the plucking, but they set
10 into the tub at last.
"But there isn't as much call for the
oose TO undergo this raping of its
Gathers as there used to be. Not one
ound of goose feathers is used today
shere there were fifty pounds twenty
i've years ago, Odd as 1t may seem,
sthma and hay fever long ago began
0 have good deal to do with decreas-
ne the demand for feather beds and
FLOWS. 1t was discovered that asth-
m and hay fever had an affinity for
uch couches and head rests; that
othing would start an asthmatic Off
Or a cheerful nights wheeling so
uickly as a feather bed. This discov-
ry spread. and the goose owes great
cal of its later day comfort to the
sthma."- detroit Free Press.
--------------------------