Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-06-08
err. Meanwhile the hunter is flyine like

| the wind, stralning every nerve to keep
in sight of the bird, and the poor terrified
bird is making his last desperate strides
! for elderly or DEATH As soon as it is
seen which way the ostrich will run, the
| bushman takes his cue and drives to the
place where he thinks the hunter will need
the fresh horse. The hunter mounts the
fresh horse and gains on the bird, which
is growing tired, and his gait is unsteady.
When he catches the bird, the hunter
has only to rap it on the head and stun
it and the "chase'' is over
In speaking of the age and value of the
ostrich, the DIR. said, ssthe most valuable
birds for rearing young birds are called
'quarentee birds, and 1 have seen pair
Of those birds over thirty years old, and
valued at $1,000. The average life is
supposed to be about one hundred years
among long-lived birds. You see what
the chances are here, and 1 expect that
the birds are in condition to bring out
600 chickens next year."
The difficulty in ostrich farming is in
raising chickens, as they are very deli
cate and catch cold easily until they are
two months old, when they are well and
strong. When a chicken is six months
oil d the value of it's feathers is about $40;
when fourteen months old it's value is be-
tween $40 and $50; when four years old
it's value is about $50 annually. Eighteen
years ago the business Of ostrich farming
was bugun; now about $tO,O00,0 900 are
invested in it. The owner invited US to
see the corrals where he keeps his ''pets''.
He jokingly said, Il think you are mis-
taken when you call an ostrich pet
They never acquire a fondness for any
one, and are apparently the most ill-tem-
pered birds in existence AS Il rule they
have no choice or particular preference
for their mate. They are chickens until
they are three years old, and it is only
when they are chicks that they show any
affection, and then they are nuisance,
for they will follow you and pull your
nose and ears, search your pockets, and
if they get chance, they will steal your
handkerchief
In Africa / have seen the children rid
in the house, and the father of the child
rem kept his eye on them. If the ostrich
should bolt, away goes child and bird,
as the ostrich would be out of sight in
two minutes, and if the child did not fall
off it would have to go too. Another Pc
culiarity of the ostrich is, they are always
on the lookout for a chance to kick some
one. The blow is aimed forward and is
accurate If it has the intended effect
| it is pretty sure to be fatal. For this rea-
son the person that pulls the stocking
over the ostrich's head at the time when
the feathers are to be cut, must be expe-
rienced and on his guard, or he will get
what the paddy gave the drum The
danger is all from the two-toed feet, and
the powerful muscle of leg and thigh
While we were inspecting the corrals
and occupants, Chinaman came with
food. Their diet is mainly cabbage bar
ley, alfalfa, or Chilli clover, with turnips
and potatoes thrown in as a sort of des-
sert. The Chinaman put the food through
the bars of the corral. On being asked
why he did not go into the corral and
feed the birds, he shook his head and
looked thoughtful for moment, and said,
me no likee he" pointing at the birds,
che heap nice bird, eat heap chow-chow.
Too muchee kickee SO, all the samee likee
low," the Chinaman illustrated by kicking
vigorously. Evidently the ostrichs ire
was up, and was on the s'war path" The
Chinaman took ''French leave" which
greatly amused the bystanders, the birds
began to hiss like a goose and opening
their mouths as if they would swallow a
whole empire of Cinnamon. When the
birds saw that the Chinaman had gone
and there was no one to kick at, they lay
/ down in the ''dust and ashes" and with
, their good clothes on too, they rocked
= violently to and fro, and beat their bodies
r with their heads with all their available
, force, it sounded like dull thud or muf
e fed drum. After indulging in this out
l burst Of passion, they stalked about will
t that peculiar gait, which seems to b.
e their property, in common only with thu
e camel or dromedary. 1 think little John
s ny's composition is not far out of tn
0 way, when he said: ga ostrich has go
v legs like stills, and if it would try to 81
down you wude see jolly good fun, yes
a indeed; it looks like cammomite, onl,
| iorh
n Speaking again of his experiment, Dr
n Sketchey said eff we do not succeed i
=" raising young birds, the value of tn
e feathers will cover the expense of tend
Ii there will be no stock raising in Califol
f. MIA so profitable, or any business, don
h care what it is; it will be as good a
l. gold or silver mining" Taking all thing
is together, see no reason why the exper
g ment should not succeed here. TIL
s. summer weather is warm enough; tn
e. winter is not so cold as in Africa whel
~ they thrive.
"a After the ostrich family had finishe
ii their dinner, we took our leave. One {
in the most singular features of the oetric
,s is the location of his stomach which /
ID carries on his shoulders. and the foe
ut can be seen winding around inside of i
of neck to get to this out-of-the-way rece
lv tacle.
y Before closing will give a brief skett
- of Anaheim and vicinity. Anaheim is
Los Aogelos county. One very peculi
: feature of this county is that there a
half dozen climates within its border
: each beneficial to some class of cor
plants. Persons troubled with asthn
;, or conSumptive tendencies would find Il
"a climate of Westminster, bes. suited
them; others would find the dryer C
!, mate of Anaheim gives them the need
= relief, while others prefer the still dry
90 atmosphere of the mountains east
:; Anaheim. 1t is really astonishing to S
what few years of well-directed ener;
:. will accomplish. There are places he
= in which orange trees are bending
- meath the weight of the golden fruit, a
:, every variety Of northern fruit tree
- shade and other ornamental trees
80 finely. The eucalyptus, acacia, pepp
nm tree and Monterey cypress are amo
on the most rapid growers, and all grow