Prepare feathers by washing thoroughly, and rinse about four times
in hot water to remove any particle of soap that may adhere to the
feathers. Prepare a bath of a teaspoonful of indigotine powder to
one gallon of boiling water. Mix thoroughly and enter feathers, and
let remain in about one minute, after which remove and add about one
teaspoonful of oxalic acid or same quantity of sulphuric acid, and
re-enter feathers, letting them remain in bath about five minutes
longer; then remove from bath and cool off. Reserve a small portion of
bath, and cool off with cold water, adding a drop of sulphuric acid and
a small handful of starch; pass feathers through and dry in powdered
starch by rubbing between the hands or by simply beating out on a clean
board, used only for drying acid colors.
Should you find your color too dark, thoroughly rinse off all the
starch and pass feathers through a bath of boiling water and let remain
about half a minute; pass through starch bath and dry. If found too
light, simply increase temperature of bath by adding boiling water and
few drops more indigotine; re-enter feathers and let them remain in
bath a couple of minutes longer.
[Illustration: OLIVE--page 36.]
[Illustration: PLAIN, DRAB--page 78.]
[Illustration: TERRA COTTA--page 42.]
[Illustration: PLUM--page 35.]