SHADING.
Shading from dark to light colors is the result of submerging one portion of the feather in the bath and withholding the balance. Great care and not a little skill is needed to produce a satisfactory result. There are various ways of handling the goods, covering up the portions to remain the light shade or holding them out with the hands. Spotted or speckled feathers are produced by first dyeing the light shade that you desire to be spotted, and then wrapping around a round stick with cord, according to the size you desire to have the spots, you will regulate the weight of cord used. After having bound the cord tightly around the feather and stick, which must then be tied firmly to keep from slipping, pass through boiling water for a few seconds for the purpose of expanding the wood and contracting the cord, thereby making the cord much tighter. After you have made them whatever dark color you desire, take out, starch and pass through dry starch; then remove cord and dry your feathers, when you will find that the portion covered by the cord will be the light shade, and the feathers have the appearance of being dotted all over.
Natural blacks or grays can be speckled as follows: Go through the same preparations of binding around stick with cord and degrading or bleaching them white. The result will be that the portion covered with cord will be same as before entering the bath, a black or dark brown, and the body of the feathers will be white. Should you desire the feathers dyed any light color to contrast with the dark spots; before removing the cord, mix your bath and dye as per recipe, dry as before directed, and the result is very beautiful. Some very nice effects are produced in shading by taking natural grays or bioucs, that is, feathers that are one portion white and the balance in spots, black.