The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-11-30

A herd Of twenty-five ostriches have just
arrived at Central Park, New York. They
are confined in the deer hut, whi;h is nice
and warm. They are quite gentle and al.
fectionate. but, being full grown, look
down on even a six.footer. One cume uI
to Superintendent Conklin, and after gaz
ing mildly at him for moment made Q
sudden snap at his watch chain and anoth'
er at his breastpin.
"They are worse than gang OF pick
pockets, said he, "They won't leave Q
button on your coats if you don't watch
them.
In fact, several Of the party were minus
buttons on leaving the mild-eyed strang'
ers. They look little worn after their
long voyage, and will improve in appear
ance after few days. They are fed lib
orally on corn, potatoes and other vege'
tables.
Mr.. J. Protheroe, a wealthy Englishman
owns them and has cultivated ostrichet
for their feathers for years. "These os-
triches, he said. were brought by me to
Buenos Ayres from South Africa year
ago. have large farm about 500 miles
from Cape Town, on the Orange River. ]
started an ostrich farm in Buenos Ayres
partly because business and trade had col.
lapsed in South Africa, where they have
just gone through great panic, and
thought l could make more money else
where. have about $50 birds in Buenos
Ayres, but concluded to try the expert.
ment in the United States All are about
eight years old. Farmers in the Uuited
States ordered ostriches OF me, but ! did
not send them, thinking they would not
survive the passage. shall examine the
best places in this country to start farm.
II is a mist,ke TO suppose that ostriches
cant stand cold weather and climatic
changes. In South Africa ice forms some
nights nearly an inch thick, and we have
snow also. Both melt during the day.
We leave the ostriches ont doors at night,
and never feed them. They live on grass,
twigs OF trees and the like, but will eat al
most anything. When they cannot get
food. however, they die easily They
swallow large stones to promote digestion
and keep them in their crops until lthey
wear out. Ostriches are OF no use for any
thing but their feathers. never tried
them for draught purposes. Their featli-
ers are picked every seven months from the
time they are eight years old. The aver
age life OF an ostrich is 40 years. although
in Africa they tell stories Of centenarian
os;riches. We get about pound OF feaih'
ers at each plucking The pure white are
the most valuable, selling at from Sl7j ia
5000 per pound. These are from the
wings. Next come the black, drab, fan.
cy and tail feathers. A fair average would
be $50 pound. aud at that price l could
make 100 per cent more here than 10 Afri
CA, where everything is 80 expensive. A
camp there would cost twenty times a'
much as here. have eaten the eggs from
young hens. They have delicious flavor
Eggs from old hens would DO too .erpen
siye 10 eat These ostriches have would
breed in New York in summer but not il
winter We nse incubators in Bnenoi
Ayres but not in Africa. had one camf
In Africa Of 100 acres II was surround
ed by wire fence four iieet SIX inche
high. They won't ny. aud won't jump ov
er fence higher than they can feel will
their p.cks. These ostriches stand me il
aboat 500 eaeh,' concluded Mr. Proth
eroe as one Of them made dash At hi