156 A SUBSTITUTE FOR PLUCKING. 



ly to London to supply the markets, among 

 them all the superannuated geese and gan- 

 ders (called here Cag Mags), which, by a 

 long course of plucking, prove uncommonly 

 tough and dry, and fatigue the jaws of the 

 good citizens who are so unfortunate as to 

 meet with them." 



The practice of plucking live geese, which 

 some English travellers have described as a 

 barbarous custom peculiar to America, is 

 certainly to be avoided, if possible. A rem- 

 edy has recently been proposed, which I 

 should be pleased to find generally adopted. 

 Instead of plucking, let the feathers be re- 

 moved with sharp scissors. Much unneces- 

 sary torture and irritation to the system is 

 saved, and the feathers themselves are in 

 better order than by the old system. 



In this country it is usual to pluck geese 

 twice or three times a year. The first 

 plucking is about six weeks after it comes 

 off the nest, and this is repeated at interval 

 of six weeks. It is thought that four geese 

 will furnish a pound of feathers during the 

 season. This is usually sold for fifty cents 



