Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-10
NO. 295.
Mistellaneous.
EIGHTY THOUSAND OSTRICHES.


Among the industries of South Africa
some are entitled to be called romantic.
chiefly because OF the splendor of the arti-
cles produced and the method of produc-
ton The courts of fashion would be
stlnted in their materials of magnilicence
were it not for the ivory, the diamonds and
the ostrich feathers, which take high rank
i'll the merchandise of South Africa. II
will probably interest the reader to be
told that ostrich feathers are quite as much
the product of regulated human labor as
wool. mohair or silk. The plumes which
play so conspicuous part in fashion are
no longer the barbaric spoils of the chase.
Twelve Ell fifteen years ago ostrich farm
ing was unknown here. To obtain its
beautiful and much-coveted plumage. the
bird was hunted down and killed. Under
this sprocess the ostrich was fast approaching
annihilation. For some time before the
plan was resorted to of domesticatino the
ostrich, this great creature was rare bird
in Cape Colony. The hunter, whether
white or black, pursued his murderous
calling during the proper season for the
sport, which is business: and also at the
proper season for barter, the trader an
pears at some established place in the in
terror, with his wagons laden with guns.
powder, blankets, wire, beads. brandy
and other attractions for the native eve
and appetite, and a brisk exchange takes
place. Ivory karasses, rhinoceros horns.
hippopotamus teeth and ostrich feathers
are gladly accepted for merchandise. The
departure of great trader with his train
OF six or eight wagons, all gaily painted
and costly covered in with snow-white
canvass, is an occurrence often seen here.
AS the drivers snap their long whips. and
the voyagers move brisklv away with
eight yoke of oxen to each wagon, all ewes
are upon them with the look given to far
voyaging ships when they leave port. Not
unfrequently the costly wares are sold at
auction on the morning market, and the
tusks, teeth, skins, horns and ostrich feath-
ers are spread out upon the ground as if
they were no more costly than garden pro.
duce. 1t is no uncommon thing to see
wagon cargoes worth $4,000 exhibited in
this way, amidst crowd of lookers-on.
some of whom are almost as wild as the
animals which produced the spoils and as
black as coal.
The domesticated ostrich is allowed to
roam over large farms. Cape farms
are very large-about 5000 acres
each. Huge tracts of land are un-
occupied. The traveller might journey
for days without seeing an ostrich,
and yet there are now abut sc, 900 domes-
ticatcd birds in Cape Colony. Space for
bids description of the method of rearing
them and the care of them. One gentle-
man in Graft Runett told me that his birds
averaged him fl5 sterling, or S75. each
per year. gentleman of large expert
ence in Grahamstown, who has 800 os-
triches, told me that his flock nets him s72
per year each bird.
The season for pairing is the month of
July-answering to January in New Eng
land. Polygamy prevails among the wild
birds. One male often has five females to
his share, and common establishment is
kept up the eggs are all laid in one nest,
and the male bird and his hens take upon
themselves the labor of sitting upon the
eggs by turns during incubation. In the
open desert, in many parts of Africa north
of this latitude, where the heat exceeds that
of the Cape, the wild ostrich merely leaves
her eggs to be hatched, unmatched, by the
heat of the sand. Here this is not the case
Ostrich farmers usually pair a male and
female; some pair two females with one
male. August is the laying time, and eggs
continue to be deposited in one nest for
six weeks. During that time about twenty
eggs are laid. In natural incubation the
male bird takes his part with regularity.
At night he makes policeman of himself,
and stalks around the female, grazing a
little as he gees-as policemen are supposed
to do when on their beat
The young birds begin to feather at eight
months from Matching; but the Weld is
then poor and of little value In another
eight months the crop is better: and the
plumes become better with each season.
Chicken feathers are worth $1.20 per
pound, and ''blood feathers" from $3.50
to 81 per pound. Twelve years ago chicks
could be bought for 20 EACH now the
verest chick, fresh from the egg, will sell
for S2i, and after few months from $40
to $50 each. Some pairs three years old,
sell from 5000 to $500 a pair.
1t is estimated that 10000 sterling
worth OF feathers are exported from Cape
Colony monthly, or about 81 900, 900 worth
per year. There have been of late two
American gentlemen here looking into the
business, with view of introducing the
ostrich into the United States for the busi-
ness of ostrich farming there One farmer
here, a Mr.. Douglass, reared from six
breeding birds -four hens and two male
birds) l30 birds in one year. The eggs
were hatched by an artificial incubator.
They should be worth, over all expenses,
at least $4,000. Such an income is not to
be despised in any country.