388 FARM ANIMALS 
waste of geese and duck feathers than of chicken and 
turkey. The prices are considerably higher and the uses 
more numerous; yet it is probable that many bring a 
lower price than they should because of the imperfect 
methods of sorting and curing. The birds should be dry 
picked, to save the animal oils which give the feathers’ 
their “life.” The reduction in grade because of scalding 
is not as great with geese and duck feathers as with tur- 
key and chicken. The birds should be immersed for only 
a very short time and the drying properly attended to. 
The feathers from the two kinds of birds should be kept 
separate, but otherwise the method of handling is simple. 
