Prune de Monsieur

The deep red is pa ed through an alkaline bath. Blues of every shade , are dyed with the indigo vat. Yellow ; after aluming, with a bath of turmeric or weld. Other tints may be obtained by a mixture of the above dyes. Feathers have some more useful employments than the decoration of the heads of women and soldiers. In one case, they supply us with a soft elastic down on which we can repose our wearied frames, and enjoy sweet slumbers. Such are called bed feathers. Others are employed for writing, and these are called quills . Goose feathers are most esteemed for beds, and they are best when plucked from the living bird, which is done thrice a year, in spring, midsummer, and the beginning of harvest. The qualities sought for in bed feathers, are softne , elasticity, lightne , and warmth. Their only preparation when cleanly gathered are a slight beating to clear away the loose matter, but for this purpose they must be first well dried either by the sun or a stove. Bleaching with lime water is a bad thing, as they can never be freed from white dust afterwards. The feathers of the eider duck, anas moll is sima , called eider down, po e in a superior degree all the good qualities of goose down. It is used only as a covering to beds, and never should be slept upon, as it thereby loses its elasticity.