The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-11-30
FARMING FOR FEATHERS,
How the Great African Bird Is Settled in
California.

'ho" the Sreat hIricah biru Is seItteu IL
California.
The new ostrich farm, behind Los Angeles
Is reached by driving out over very sandy
road from Anaheim, part Of the way over the
old bed of the SaHta Ana river, through
fields thickly strewn with millions Of yellow
mock oranges. The land selected for the
farm consists of $40 acres of alkali soil. II
has on it fine flowing we'll, which Is SOC
feet deep, aud comes bubbling up through
quartz rock and yields many thousands OF
gallons of water per day, enough to keep a
considerable-sizsd brook flowing. The well
has been sunk several years, and the land
could be bought for $40 per acre, but the al
kali In the soil evidently discouraged pur-
chasers. Doctor Sketchley speaks of this
with amusement. Now he has used the
flowing we'll to wash the alkali out of the
land. There is much slkali soil In Africa
and Doctor Sketchley, being familiar with 1t,
considered 1t no obstacle in his way. He
ploughed over tract very deep, and then,
contrary to the custom among American
owners of alkali land, at once turned the
water on. 1t called the alkali to the sur
face, which was what he wanted, and then
dissolved it. The water stood about foot
deep tor awhile, and when 1t was drawn off
it took The slkall with 1t. Then the land
was again deeply submerged and the water
was again drawn off
THAT washed the soil" said DR.. Sketch
lev, land | think it will last about five years.
Then it may be necessary to wash it again.
OF course, by continuing the process all the
alkali can In time be washed out"
The ostrich farm planting began only Oh
April 18th last. Already on this alkali land
three crops of alfalfa have been cut and q
fourth crop Is about ready for cutting. "That
makes it pay better per acre than vines," said
DR.. Sketchley with smile. In addition TO the
alfalfa other crops are growing. Cabbages
of the most robust type appear to revel In
the purified soil; poplar trees, which were
stuck out only as twigs, are growing thriftily.
Everything promises well for vegetation on
this land, which so short a time ago was a
waste. DR.. Sketchley has prepared TO food
and wash much larger area than is now cul-
tivated. Prudently, at the outset, lie has
prepared food supply for his feathered pets.
Pets? No, they are not that, for "they are
every one vicious after they are three years
old, though when they are chicks they fol-
low you about and are SO affectionate that
they are nuisance. They will peck at your
ears and nose and try to steal your handker-
chief
"Now some people have formed = judg-
ment," said DR.. Sketchley, Is he opened one
of the incubators and revealed vast array
of bouncing ostrich eggs therein, "that be-
cause we have not yet succeeded in Matching
out any ostriches here, our experiment is
failure. / don't think anything of the Sort
Some chickens have lived thirty days in the
egg out of the forty-two necessary to hatch
them. But the eggs were not perfect. The
81 birds we have here, brought by rounda-
bout way, were transported 22 900 miles be-
fore they reached their farm. They came
part Of the distance by car. None were lost
on the way, and none have died except the
one killed by its mate. When they reached
Anaheim they were blindfolded, having q
stocking pulled over their heads. Then
they were pushed into truck provided with
board sidings running up seven or eight feet.
When they are blinded they are tractable.
They will not kick unless they know what
they are kicking at.
"This lsng transportation was one draw
back. Next, when they reached New York,
although it was winter there, 1t was the mid
die of their summer. Then they are brought
out here and they find another summer, and
keep right on laying. 1t is easy to see that
they may be overtaxed. That the eggs are
not fruitful at once does not warrant any one
in saying that the experiment Is failure. l
shall not admit 1t until year at least. At
present the birds are going through sccli-
matization, and are not thoroughly well, l
think. Taking all things together, see no
reason yet why the experiment should not
succeed here. The summer weather is warm
enough; the winter Is not so cold as In Africa
where they thrive. think the climate here
is better than In Africa. We have had
of 1867 In the shade here for the
best part of three weeks, aud once 1t reached
1929 in the sun. When took from the incu-
bator the drawers containing the eggs, and
laid them on the ground in the shade IN this
house, and 1t was warm enough for incuba-
tien. For all that, the idea that ostriches
leave the sun to hatch their eggs Is all bosh.
So Is the idea that the ostriches when chased
will stick their heads in the sand, thinking
that this hides them. wish they had that
for 1t would have saved me much
trouble when was hunting them in the
desert of Africa, but they do no such things
As they have so often been described as do
ing. And speaking again Of the success of
our experiment, ifthe eggs should not hatch,
the value Of the feathers will cover the ex-
pense of tending the birds for the year.
Should we succeed, and / think We shall,
there will be no stock raising In California
so profitable, don't care what 1t Is. 1t will
be as good as gold and silver mining"