Yellow. Put a tablespoonful of the best turmeric into a quart of boiling water, when well mixed, put in the feathers. More or less turmeric gives different shades.
For Orange, add a small quantity of soda to the preparation for yellow.
Pink. Three good pink saucers to a quart of boiling water, with a small quantity of cream tartar. If a deep color is required use four saucers. Let the feathers remain in this dye several hours.
Red. Dissolve a teaspoonful of cream tartar in a quart of boiling water; put in one teaspoonful of prepared cochineal, and then a few drops of muriate of tin. This dye is expensive, therefore use the plumage of the bird ibis.
Lilac. About two teaspoonfuls of cudbear in a quart of boiling water, let it simmer a few minutes before you put in the feathers. A small quantity of cream tartar turns the color from lilac to amethyst.
Bunches of orange blossoms can be made with good success of feathers; the buds are to be made of starch and gum mixed; the stamens of ground rice, colored with turmeric, into which the gummed ends of manilla grass have been dipped.
The inhabitants of the Pacific Islands make beautiful feather flowers, rivaling the natural ones in delicacy and beauty. Pinks, orange blossoms, and roses of exquisite workmanship are often brought from these islands. Old ostrich feathers can be made to look as well as new by holding over hot steam, then drawing each vane of the feather separately over a knife to curl it.
LUSTRAL
BRONZE PAINTING.
