Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-31

parted with; but the remaining nine
used nightly to settle themselves to
roost at equal distances along the farm
yard, with their large projecting breasts
flat on the earth. And stranger driv-
ing up to the place IN the dusk was
more than once confronted by the nlne
sentinels suddenly uprising from the
ground to their full height with startling
effect. They are extremely strong, and
can kill man by striking at him with
the full force Of the leg, when the claw,
above an inch long, Of the front toe,
will tear the flesh from head to foot;
the wound from the nail is considered
to be poisonous. The bird when it is to
be plucked, is therefore very carefully
secured; it is driven into narrow pen
and bar let down behind it. A stock
ing is then drawn over its head, and
when once blindfolded it remains mo-
tionless and makes no resistance. The
quill Of the feather, when "alive," is
full Of blood, and plucking must be q
painful process. About twenty Of the
finer feathers, and thirty or forty of the
commoner ones, are taken at the same
time, when the poor birds wounds are
rubbed with sweet oil and vinegar. it
soon seems to recover; but the tender
hearted master sometimes cuts the
plumes oil near the root instead Of
plucking them; these, however, do not
Sell 50 well. A good feather is worth 10
shillmgs at Cape Town, and the produce
of the five ostriches amounts to about
$50 year. This, in bad season, when
the wheat is devoured by rust, when
the sheep have the scab, when the cattle
suffer from dry seasons and short crops,
and the odium is threatening tbs vines,
must be very pleasant resource to the
Cape farmer in his need, which the
English one will envy him.
1t IL by no means, however, all plain
sailing with ostrich produce. The birds
only breed after five years, and often
come TO grief; the male birds fight,
they rub themselves against the ground
break and dirty their feathers, are
fond of water, and often plunge into the
pools and swim over, much to the Diet
riment Of the plumes that are to figure
on the bonnet of some Paris or London
eegantc. The garden pool Of TIC farm
in question is surrounded by wild red
geraniums six feet high or so, which
are mown down from time to time only
to grow up more luxurantly, mixed on
the lower, moister side with n quantity
Of tall, white arums and u sort of red
gladiole with long, loose, narrow leaves.
liant in color, the hills and heaths gor-
gecus to behold, though they are said
not to have 50 fine an effect us when
"got up" in the borders Of an English
garden or greenhouse. Much Of the
uncultivated land would be good for
crops; but rs soon as il is even tucked"
by the pillow, II prickly scrub, the Rhe-
nosta, with thick roots and short stem.
invariably comes up, although there
seeds were lying in wait; this has to be
picked out with great trouble and eX-
pense before any use can be made of
the land. 1t is, however good for burn
ing, and as there is little wood and no
coal, except what is brought from "
great distance, this is comforting CON
sideratlon.
As the ostrches grew older they were
confined in pen surrounded with n
fence Of cactus or prickly pear, the fig
Of which is good eating; and one day II
young mulatto crept in, whore he had
no business, to steal the fruit. An in
dignant ostrich struck ut him. and tore
open the whole leg of his trousers,
wounding the thigh. 1t might have
killed him; but the boy Jack, who fed
them, brown orphan, born of a st.
Helena woman and II coolie, who had
been brought up on the farm ever since
he was 5 years old, rushed up at the
sound Of tie shricks with basin Of
barley and rescued the man. The
wound, however, was months in healing.
The bird is very easily killed by slight
twist of the neck or blow on the head.
The immense cavity for air within the
breast, which enables it to run so long,
makes II sound like a drum when the
bird is struck on the back. At one time
in the year they make loud booming
noise like that Of il bull, very alarming
when the ostrich j. unseen and
comes suddenly close upon YOU.
They are, however, extremely quiet
when well treated, and the little chill
dren on the farm are often put to ride
on their backs. Horses, until accus-
toned to the sight of them, snort and
rear in great alright, and the ostrich
returns the compliment of dislike. In
M ostrich camp near by, when the mas
ter went about to inspect his sitting
hens, they rose 1T him menacingly, but
when he rode round they remained
cowcd aud silent.