The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-09-17
OSTRICH FEATHERS.

Whence comes the enormous quantity
of ostrich feathers which are required
for all the hats and bonnets which are
adorned with such plumage In the
days OF our gIandm0therS- when these
feathers were only worn as court plumes,
and by ladies in their hair in full dress,
OIL. perhaps occasionally in their bOnnets,
the demand for them was but small, and
the chase of the wild bird would enable
the Arab or native trader to supply the
European market with the quantity re-
quired. hut now when every haC ana
bonnet uust have this ornament, the
case is different. and though il IS true
that the cumm1ner kind of feathers are
not really ostrich, or are merely the re-
fuse OF the market, the question remains
10 be answered. Whence do all these
feathers come
Afrir; is the continent of the ostrich.
It freguan.s its sandy deserts as We'll as
those of Arabia in Asia, and is 50 swift
in its movements that It's chase IS Il dlt-
ticuIt pursuit But man VIII not be baf-
fled when love of gain Is his incentive,
ard TO meet the demand for ostrich
feathers, ostrich farms have been estab-
Iished, which at present yield large re
turns. What they will do when the
wheel of fashion is reversed remains to
be seen.
There is q large ostrich farm about
fifteen miles from GTahamstown, South
Africa, and as it is the most successful OF
those established in the colony, we VIII
inquire how the business is carried on.
This farm occupies about twelve hun
drtd acres of rough land, worn out foE
sheep feeding, but it isquite good enough
for ostriches. The birds number about
three hundred. The farm is divided
a.. Of f4h ora
three full-grown birds the young ones.
and thev dOuOt come to maturity till they
are three years Old, run in ilOcks of thIr-
ty or forty each. They are hardy crea-
lures. can stand both heat and cold, and
require no delicate feeding.
But yet ostrich farming Is precari-
GUS venture. Each ful-grOWn bird Is
worth about Go, so there is risk of great
loss the birds iujUTe their feathers 10y
sitting and there IS great uncertainty
us to th" number Of birds that Will b.
produced, and danger to the young birl
when hatcheJ. To Ubviate the IatteI
chances, "a machine, improperly callet
an incubator for it is substitute fOl
Notwithstanding been invented.
The birds are watched, and their eggs
when laid, are brought to the machine
This is "a low piece of deal furniture
perhaps eight or nine feet long Al
each end there are two drawers into
which. tU the number, perhaps, of fiji
teen. the eggs are laid with a certain
apparatus of flannel Over the drawer.
and along the whole top of the machine
there IS a tank filed with hot water
and the drawer, when filled up, SO as tC
bring the side of the egg into cOntac
with the bottom of the tank. Below
the machine, in the middle, are lamp
TO maintain the necessary heat. At TIN
end of six weeks the birds are brOugh
out
All this seems simple. and yet as La
ture must be exactly initiated to ensurD
success, it is very anxious work. Thu
ostrich frequently turns her eggs, auC
three times a day the ostrich farmer
must do the same. There is a natUrI
moisture from the sitting bird. and ]
this moisture Is not obtained The yON
of the egg becomes glue. Then, Whgl
the young bird is about TO De Eatchcd
he must be helped Il opening the shell
These baby birds are supposed to b
worth about gl0 each, but as they eau
not run about and feed themselves Iik
our young ducks. they still require
great deal OF care 1t the hands OF thei
foster parent.
The birds are pIucked when a yea
old, but It is not yet known for hU'
many years the process may be CoEtiI
ued. The feathers are sometimes cut
but this is less profitable. as the gull
has less weight As to the question q
cruelty it is said that the birds tax
very little notice of their plUCkiug Will
il is going on.
The feathers are sorted into variou
lots; the white pIumage outside riI
from under the birds wing is by far til
most valuable, the price being as high I
-e2j a pound.