New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-15
OSTRICH FARMING.
IT'S RAPID GROWTH IN SOUTH AFRICA


prI>cs hiss been the ostrich farming OF South Africa
| IhIs industry which only fairly started about
twelve years ago the Cape colony has developed
| over South Africa IN manner perhaps. unpar-
ae!ed IN the history OF farming ventures In 1850
there only eighty tame Ostrches returned. IN
the Cape colony in 1879 there were about 4oooo'
| aad now there certainly not less than lOoOoO
CT these birds in the South African colonies, tho IN
dustry having spread during that time from the
western province OF the Cape. where 1t was at hr't
adopted, throughout the colony and into the Free
| state. the Transvaal and Natal.
About 1868. tame ostrich feathers first hgnred IN
| the trade returns OF the colony, while during the
first quarter of the present year the export of
feathers was at the rate of S5.OOOO0O annually
! Aud wha: NAV seem surprising TO many is that the
value of feathers has not perceptby decreased
| since the industry began. OF course, with the
present enormous rate of increase the worlds mar
ket must become better supplied, and some decline
IN price must take pace Ill time. There Is very
large margin of profit at present IN the business.
/ With regard TO the business as means OF invest
mcnt II must be borne In mind that III the nature
! oi things such a trade dependent on the general
prosperity of the world and its ability to indulge III
.axury, mus; b. liable to greater fluctuations than
trade in art cles Of common necessity.
Since tie beginning Of ostrich farming much has
but tAis belongs rather 10 natural history than the
praotical aspects Of farming. The ostrich, though
Gamble of acclimatizatOn the soil of moist and
cool lands. thrives best on the arid and seemingly
barren districts Of the south and interior of Africa.
! IT NAV now be found in almost every part of the
African continent and has been hunted far within
tue borders OF Sahara itself. POSSIBLE the ostrich
farmer procures his first stock Of birds or wild
chickens from two to three days old. the where
abouts Of the nest having been traced by some acute
| Hotteutot who sits on the plain all the night to
! listen for the booming of the parent. THIS is
noise uttered during she breeding season. and said
BY travellers TO be yer, Ike the roaring Of lion; ;
but perhaps the booming of the bull-frog would be
nearer comparison.
HArcuIXG AND BEARING.
For the first three DAYS the chickens
which are about the SIZE of COM
mon hen and very handsome in appear
ance-eat nothing. and the first substance to come
in contact with their gzzards is gravel or coarse
sand and ever aiterward pebbles OF various SIZES
| from that Of pea 10 walnut are to be found In
their gzzirds to assist in the tTuration Of food.
Grass and leaves and lizards, snakes and insects
form their first food and they develop they take
To diet of mea.es Gndian corn and other grain
and the feshy leaves Of the pucky-pear or Ameri-
can aloe. in which the land abouuds. these latter
| form the stape foo! through life. Il the chickens
are batched on the farm they are allowed to
run with the old bird for week or two
aud then taken away ior leag Of their getting NJ
| man&gea1iv Wild. Their t'E.ency 10 wlldHess
| soon uanitcsts itself when c.t 20 themselves and
many of the most ZONES ticaei bIls are liable TO
Gr-Dara-e q les, under tine influence of which they
ma. boz straight against any O,Ject tn their way
/ .uctt rs i fence aT wall. BIT most birds are now
| Iatolra m tbo ucuUatinc macl inr which Las been
( brought great perfection within ;hr last i've
! wears. OstrcheS can now not Only Ht ia'ched Win
! tne greatest succes, ia tins manner, hut artificial
| "motucr5' provide every security against exposure
10 the weather tai tae young ones can DC let out 70
| SHIFT for themselves.
The period of incubation with the ostrich proves
10 be lust Nicc that of the common hen, forty
two days and during than time TIE eggs are turned
over once day until the chicken IS brought 10
ulq.rriv About the for'y-trst forty second day
il a. movement can be distinctly observed when the
~. is placed on q table, or ii breathing can b. heard
and the chicken -till remains many hour, without
Ilealing the Shell 70 is assisted out o. 10, captivity
f. tb. gentle tapping of = hammer The chicks Oh
coming out are placed cit Ter 20 drl warm house.
IN an artificial mother box. or af" put with some
old bird having other ch cleH.. A. tAe end of g
/ week or two me chicks are taken away from th'
n:tcHt and alloH ed To Iu. aOou dar.- the ia ana
t1o't are shut q - Iu % warm Gcg -0l, on account
If their liability io rIeu.'l ri-r. Alter month or
-o they ar. allowed io wander 'roit me P-ltis or
/ among tar busics Ike old birds. being "a .eat 10
r.tu.I to re " kIdal lprA stated Intervals ior
/ food or for sleep. rs rgie lc .';'ng demands OF
appetite are sam .nt 90 prevent ticA 4OL Drc)iH-
! iug too slig or via.
vA~r.R AND PROFITS or OSTRICH BREEDING.
! # eight or twelve months Of age many birds
as all a. tuev appear To- ret, bar II iak-s from two
aud half o. four years before the pairing m,lnc,
! j. welcomed At this period the cocks beak as
| sIme- a red color OF various degrees OF brllIancy
according TO health and condition, and the large
scales on the les, at 0thcr tin pale looking. also
assume a red color. The cock ten selects ms mate
sometimes two-lnd they are paired of IN aklaal
/ for breeding purposes. Then it Is thar tue visitor
| mqst BE- careful how he enters or even approaches
tbe kraal. Tor a kick from his strong and Doaderou4
feet may result IN death. Outside tie fence, how
ever ON, IS generally safe, be the birds disposition
never so savage for they are The poorest and most
/ avl. ward Jumpers imaginable ience foot ugh
/ would be Sutic TO detain most birds within an
mclosure At this season. II the farmer desires TO
! 20 Inside the krlal or camp of . savage pair, he
| takes with him pole with thorny branches on the
| end called tuck" aud with this hans quite safe.
| The ostrich has a long and tender neck, and when
the tuck IS kept against she delicate organ he soon
beats a retreat and is sometimes cxasperated TO per-
feet madness b. thus being batilad.
4 hen of average breeding qualities Will produce
from twelve 10 fourteen eggs LAYING every alternate
day. II hatcbed in the incubator hey do not re-
ouire much care excep+ to turn them pnce day-as
the birds themselves dom natural hatching-and To
see that the temperature Is even. When Matched
bv natural means labor the part Of the farmer
i. II duired except to feed the birds and TO guard
Them ~ much as possible from their enemies, the
i,ckal tie " If and the wildcat. These astuie
p,under,rs identity esteem the ostrich egg most
highly judging iron the skill, pau: and daring
| thew man fes; in obtaining them. ana many IN
fer4.rirg iuec .o-s can be related of the strate
gems and spolis incident 90 their struggles. he
cock blr does about twOtrCs OF che sitting a. lie
Il. l.vo, the hen bout fouI five IN The a teru'ou
and romans on the nesJ ill eight or ten next morn
lug TINS - one OF many evidences 81
| proydeutial d,Igl the instincts or
| these Bird, for the hen beng gray Is less
! exhausted b. the hea. or tie day aud less easily
IN IL n,n. l-.rh nj