The daily enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1884, 1884-02-26
OSTRlcHES IN FLORIDA.
An Attempt to Raise the Giant Rirds
for Their Feathers I'm this Country
New York Sun.1

for Their Feathers I'm this Country.
New York SUM-
/ A few days ago Mr.. Charlton Jones
OF Sylvan lake, Florida, left this city
with three pairs of fine ostriches, which
he recently received from Nubia. Mr..
Jones intends to raise ostriches for
their feathers. Although the climate
OF Florida is not quite like
that OF Nubia, yet he thinks it is verv
probable that the giant birds will
thrive and multiply in their new dwell
ing place. Ir different places in North
and South Africa there are many os-
trich farms. where the birds are raised
specially for their feathers. The feath-
ers are usually cnt off only once u
year, but ostriches which re-
ceiye special care yield annu-
oily two and even three crops of
feathers. When it is considered that
ostriches live from forty to fifty years,
and that yearling birds yield remarka-
BILE feathers, it is clear that an ostrich
farm ought to be profitable The arti-
ficlal breeding of cstriches is perhaps
the best paving branch of agriculture.
About three years ago chicks just out
OF the egg were sold at $40 to so
apiece; at month of age they brought
$50 to $35; at + months, S65 to 800;
at year, 500 to $3.50, and at 2
years about $3.50. A pair of ostriches
of full age that is, 5 years old-then
commanded $500 to $3.50. But now, "a,
the number of ostrich farms has been
greatly increased, pair of good oa
triches can be bought at 5000.
The ostriches yielding the best feath-
ers are found in North Africa, but their.
number is rather insignificant. Since
1862 the ostrich farms have greatly
multiplied in Cape Colony, Natal aud
the Transvaal, countries lying at the
same distance from the equator as
Florida During the last twenty yearS,
the number of domestic ostricles in
those countries has increased ND to
100000, and their yield of feathers
amounts to about $4,500,OOO worth.
Egypt raises only about $1,0OO,Oo0
worth of feathers, and Algeria. Tunis .
and Tripoi altogether hardly 100000
worth. True, the ostrich feathers
raised in the latter countries are supe-
rior to those raised in South Africa, but
the difference is not very great, aud
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 long and five inches vile, and
are equal III bulk to twentv-four hens
eggs. The ostrich chick in a few DAYS
reaches the size OF an ordinary hen. It
is covered with light brown down,
through which, on the back and wings,
PROJECT black needles like those of the
hedge. hog. The chick of / month il
of the size of II turkey, and it's down.
has begun to change into minute feath-
ers The body of an ostrich half a
year old is about the size of that of an
average man. It's feathers reach
good size, bat they are not cast off be.
fore it becomes yearling.
Young ostrichcs are usually kept
from the grown up ones. They
feed upon grass, corn, and leaves.
They are kept in small focks of from
twelve to fifteen birds, in place sur
by a ditch or Il
fence of creeping plants. How
ever insecure the fence NAV be,
the ostri ,hcs never attempt TO pass it.
It often happens that dome site ostriches
attack men, and particularly strangers,
although i'll the wild state thoy usually
,hun man. When attacking a man an
ostrich strives to strike him with it.
eet. Such blows ore very dangerous.
There have been cases in which the
'pine of horse has been broken bv
hem. Ii a man has no arms to defend
himself, and no way to escape, the best
hing for him to do is to throw
himself ON the ground, for then the
,stricli cannot strike him hard
,low When enraged, however, the
,strich does not leave its victim. bur
patches him until he rises. and then
renews the attack. Under the
man has only one
means of escape. namely, creeping to
ONE place OF safety, such is tree,
iver or ditch.
The fights among male ostriches are
cry savage and bloody. The males
ravclv defend their nests, and they sit
n the eggs from 5 p. IN. to s am,
Ihcn the females take the post and re
lain on the nest until 5 D. m. Whilo
n the nest the ostrich lays it's neck OH
hc ground, SO that an inexperienced
erson might mistake it for heap OF
srth. On leaving the nest even do
lestic ostriches make several jumps
nd curious motions calculated to mis-
.ad their enemies. In case OF danger
strichcs try to hide themselves III
ushes or behind stones. Wildcats.
yenas, jackals, wolves md tigers are
10 enemies of ostriches in their native
nd. The tricks to (Which these beasts
ssort in order to break the ostrich
ygs arc well known. Ostrich, farmers
sually bait the beasts with poisoned