82 TURKEY CULTURE. 



Late in the season a few are received from the West and 

 North, mixed in with hens' eggs, and which sell at the 

 same price. 



TURKEY FEATHERS. 



There is some profit in saving and marketing turkey 

 feathers, but this depends largely upon circumstances. 

 The choicest tail feathers are worth more than any other 

 kind, and are put to various uses. An industry which 

 has grown to considerable proportions in the last few years 

 is the manufacture of feather dusters from turkey tail 

 feathers. These, to a certain extent, replace ostrich feather 

 dusters, which are so expensive as to put them out of the 

 reach of very many people. Carefully selected turkey tail 

 feathers are freed from imperfections, and so much of 

 the quill split away that the " backbone" of the feather 

 is elastic, yet strong. These are grouped, and bound and 

 finished into a very serviceable duster. A few of the wing 

 feathers are used in this way. Another use of certain 

 choice feathers is in making featherbone, entering into 

 dress stays. At certain seasons and in certain years, there 

 is a considerable demand for white turkey feathers for use 

 in the millinery trade, decking the bonnet of a fashiona- 

 ble woman, who rests content in the belief that she is 

 wearing a Parisian headdress made perfect by ostrich 

 feathers from South Africa. A certain class of trade 

 handles only body feathers, having no use for those with 

 stiff quills. Choice body feathers are very much used for 

 cheap pillows and for mattresses; they must, however, be 

 treated by a process which makes them soft and fluffy, and 

 the prices paid for the feathers in the raw state are usually 

 so low as to prevent much profit in the handling of them. 



The most favorable time to market turkey feathers is 

 late in the fall and during the winter and early spring 

 months. Then there is a larger demand, and established 

 market prices at all leading cities, while during the sum* 



