24 ON DYEING. 



being dyed, should be soaked for some hours in a 

 solution of alum, about i oz. to a quart of boiling 

 water, or in a weaker solution of potash or ordi- 

 nary washing soda, the object of this being to 

 remove sufficient of the natural grease from the 

 fibres to enable the colour to strike. After dyeing, 

 wash thoroughly in cold water, shake out as much 

 of the wet as possible ; and then put the feathers 

 in an ordinary hat-box, and keep shaking the box 

 about before a bright fire. This dries the feathers 

 thoroughly, and the effect of shaking during de- 

 siccation is that every fibre arranges itself in its 

 natural position. If hackles, or other feathers, 

 whether dyed or natural, become crushed or dis- 

 arranged, a thorough soaking in boiling water, fol- 

 lowed by the above drying process, will restore 

 them to their natural shape. 



The following are a few useful recipes for 

 dyes : 



Green Olive. 



Boil a tea-cup of ebony chips in a quart of dis- 

 tilled or soft water, to which is added a piece 

 of chrome potash, about the size of a small pea ; 

 boil down to a pint, fill up to a quart again, and 

 again boil down to a pint. Pour the clear solution 

 off this into another vessel, and add three drops of 

 muriate of tin. Immerse the feathers in this until 

 dyed to shade. 



Medium Olive. 



Boil, for two or three hours, two good handfuls 



