Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-01-07
OSTRICH FARMING INcAlIFoRNIA

OSTRICH FARMING iMCAlIf0RNIA
An Interesting Interview with a Pho.
nesr of the Industry in this State
The venturs to be Made In
Southern California.
The question Of inaugurating Ostrich
farming is one which has been exten
sively agitated for sc sral years past
with no steps, however, towards trial
of this industry in our section. The
changes have been repeatedly rung by
the press on tho splendid facilities fol
such an enterprise afforded by this sec.
tion Of the State. The large profits accru
ing to the ostrich farmer, and to all
others handling the product. make it
no longer question whether those en-.
gagged in the enterprise will find II
largely profitable. In view Of the in
terest with which the subject is invested
HERALD reporter yesterday called on
DR.. j. Prothero, at the Cosmopolitan
Hotel, in order to obtain from him such
information OF interest. relating to os.
trich raising, MS came within his obser-
vation during long residence in South
Africa, in which time he was extensively
engaged in this occupation. In answer
to questions put this gentleman kindly
furnished the following information on
the subject. He stated that the climate
OF Southern California while, in many
respects, very 1imilar to that of South
Africa and South America, it is in others
much better adapted to the successful
prosecution Of this occupation. In
South Africa, the killing droughts,
which frequently prevail there, consti-
tute strong drawback in raising os-
triches. In certain localities rain does
not fall for more than year at time.
In droughts of this kind. which unfor.
tunately are bus too frequent, stock Of
all kinds die by thousands. The NOR.
tality from this cause among ostriches
in South Africa is that which the farmer
has most to fear. Another source Of
mortality among the birds is to be found
in their getting caught in the wire
fences which are used for enclosures.
The birds get entangled in the fence and
in their struggles to escape injure them
selves and frequently die from such in.
iuries. In this matter of fences il to
be found strong argument in favor of
the industry in this section and telling
advantage over that of South Africa.
In the latter country the fences are con.
structed either Of wire or of stone, the
former being principally used. The
charges for importing the wire from
New York or London to the locality in
which it is used are very high. bringing
up tho outlay necessary to d most ap-
pa'ling figure when the area to be in.
closed and tho amount of wire needed
therefor are taken into consideration.
Other freight charges being in the same
proportion renders the industry an er.
cesdingly expensive one. Labor is an
other Of the obstacles with which the
South African and South American
ostrich farmers have to contend. The on
ly available labor in those countries is
negro or coolie labor which is very un.
reliable. white labor being unconscionably
high and, to Q certain extent, impossible
to obtain. The industry is one requir.
ing great care and attention. and rt.
sponsible white men are, in consequence,
the best attendants; these are much
more readily secured in this country of
ours than in either Of the other two.
Then again tho question Of duty is to
be looked at The duty on ostrich
feathers imported into this country is
very large; 25 per cent. is tho charge on
the raw, or undressed. feathers, and so
per cent. on the dressed feathers. The
feathers are sent to London or New
York. let us say. In either Of thesc
places they are handled by brokers,
whose exhorbitant charges, added to the
importing duty in this country, the cost
Of running the farm in the locality of
production, the difficulty of obtaining
supplies, and the other incidental ex-
penses Of the undertaking, bring the
cost of the product to almost twenty
times its original cost by the time it
reaches the consumers.
The theory Of the projectors of the
enterprise in Southern California is, that
as all the climatic elements necessary
to success are to be found to greater
degree here than in South Africa; and
as land. labor and material are mark edly
cheaper and more available, to say
nothing OF the absence of an immense
duty and the being able to do away with
the cormoranis of the business, the
middle men. ostrich farming in this Sec
ton can be made splendidly profitable.
DIR. Prothero has imported twenty
two Of these profitable birds, ten males
and twelve females, which are at pres
ent in San Francisco. This would seem
to indicate that ostrich farming viii be
another industry added to our already
numerous resources. The Doctor, upon
parting with the reporter, said that hs
had never seen q country 80 suitable as
this one for raising ostriches, and that
as money was to be made in South At
rica in this pursuit. in spite OF the many
disadvantages against which one had to
contend, much more could bs nada
here, whore most Of these obstacles did
not exist.
Resolution Of Thanks.
At the last meeting Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic Of this city, the fol.
lowing resolutions were passed aud
adopted;
WHEREAS. The soldiers and members
Of Frank Bartlett Post, G. A. K, are
under lasting obligation to Miss Mamie
Perry, Madame Maria, Mrs. Hill, Miss
Carter. Miss Bullock, Miss Wagner,
Miss Beech, ]. Booth, Esq, and Mr.. C.
w. Davis, whose united labors, gratuit-
ously rendered, made the G. A. K. con.
cert an artistic, as we'll a. financial
success, and by means whereof this Post
has secured burial place for it's dead;