CHAPTEE XIII. 



PREPARING THE FEATHERS FOR MARKET. 



Washing the feathers has been much in voorue of 

 ate years, and although at first the producer un- 

 doubtedly got a better price by doing so, the dealers 

 are no longer misled by the showy appearance thus 

 given to the feathers, but buy them by their quality, 

 giving the preference to the unwashed article. The 

 w^ashed feather is apt to discolour on the voyage, and 

 the manufacturers greatly prefer doing the washing 

 themselves. The only feathers the grower should wash 

 are old feathers that have got soiled and would spoil 

 the look of the others, and occasionally tails that are 

 heavy with mud. 



I shall, however, later on describe the best process 

 for washing feathers, as the farmer should undoubtedly 

 know how to do it, so as to prepare feathers for shows 

 or other purposes. 



We will suppose that whilst plucking, the cocks 

 wings, the hens* wings, cocks* tails, hens' tails, blacks 

 and drabs have been kept separate, and have been taken 

 to a room with tables in it. The sorter Avill first take in 



