The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-11-15
Ostricbes in Florida.

A few days ago Mr.. Charlton Jones, OF
Sylvan Lake, Florida, left this city with
three pairs of fine ostriches, which he 70
Gently received from Nubia. Mr.. Jones in
tends to raise ostriches for their feathers.
Although the climate o. Florida is not
quite like that of Nubia, yet he thinks 1t is
very probable that the giant birds will
thrive and multiply in their new dwelling
mace. In different places In North AND
South America there are many ostrich
farms. whore the birds are raised specially
FOR their feathers. The feathers are usually
cut of only once year, but ostriches
which receive special care yield annually
ers. When it is considered that ostriches
| live from forty to fifty years, and
| that yearling birds yield marketable feath-
orE IL is clear that eli Os rlCn farm ought ~
be profitable. The artificial breeding Of
o,triches is perhaps the best paying branch
of aviculture. About three years ago chicks
Just out OF the egg were sold at so to $25
apiece; at one month OF age they brought
ss0 10 S35; az six months, S65 TO 500;
Al wear, 800 TO $50, and at two years
about $3.50 A pair OF ostriches of full age
| that. is five yosrs old-then commanded
1900 to $500. But now, as the number OF
ostrich farms has been greatly increased, a
pair of good ostriches can be bought at
The ostriches yielding the best feathers
are found in north Africa, but their humble
Is rather insignificant. Since 1882 the o.
trich farms have greatly multiplied In Cane
Colony. Natal, ana the rrsnsvsal countries
living al the same distance from the equator
a. Florida. During the last twenty years
the number OF domestic ostriches In these
countries has increased mp 10 10000, and
-. - Of faafhers amnunta 10 nhOnt
a. 500 600 worth. Egypt raises only about
Al 90 600 worth of feathers. and Algeria,
Tunis and Tripoli altogether hardly $50
100 worth. True. the ostrich feathers raised
60 the latter countries are superior 70 those
raised in south Africa, but the difference 10
not very great, and the feathers OF Cape
| Colony are often sold for those OF Egypt.
The Matching OF ostrich chicks takes forty
two DAYS. The eggs are about six inches
I long and Eve inches wide. aud are equal IN
bulk 20 twenty -four hens eggs. The
ostrich chick 10 a few days reaches the size
I of an ordinary hen. II - covered with light
I brown down, through which, on the back
and wings, project black neeol.s like those
| Of the hedgehog. Toe chick Of one month
| il Of the sire Of turkey, and lie down has
begun 20 change iuto minute festbert. The
/ body Of an ostrich halt year old IL about
/ The size Of that Of an average man. lts
feathers reach good size, but they are not
casf on before ~ DecOues Ncarllnt
Young ostrichss are usually kept separate
| from the grOwn-up ones They feed upon
| crsss. corn and leaves. They are kept 30
email \ scks Of from twelve 20 hfleen birds
I In a tIace surrounded By q ditch or feuce Of
I crseripg plants However insecure the
Z feuce nav b. the ostriches never aftempi
10 usss ff. IL often happens thsi domestic
osfricbes ettsck men snd particularly
sfrnnKsrs. ali hough IN their vi'c stete tnt y
usually shun man When Htis.liuKs msn
a. osfrich strives 20 sfr he him With its ieef.
euch b.eWs are rerF dangerous. There hsFe
re-u ca.es N which the spine Of q bore be-
b-.n brnken ~ them. N q nan has -
ans ~ defend himself ard ~ wsy - -
80 -iIs - fhiug for him ~ % r. 20 thr1N
fIims-.f ~ tfls erourd. icr tben tl-s osir e.
rarraf srrfte him hard blOE. When en-
rsrrd husever. the Ostricn does nut letVs
IL vi-rirn bat vstches hin uniu - ~
srd fh~n furiously renews - sracE
r-rds- such Circumstances nan rss nnlf
one mssus a ezc-pe. naruely, c-eepinE a.
sonus pc. q sslsiy. sDch 81 q ires, rlFtr
Or . rifsh-
Tb. sgbts au0rg tbe ostrichss 80 YER
ssr.rs ent biorrT. Tts rnnirE t-nFe
-..erc ky ucss-, az ~ e. % n ezE,