The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-04-07
AN OSTRICH FARM.
How the Great Bird Of the Desert II
Raised In America.


Raised In America.
Eleven miles more were traversed be.
fore we saw the welcome sight Of the
high board fence which surrounds the
ostrich farm, and which we had been
told to look for as the sign Of the end
of our journey. As we drew near,
boards bearing the legend, ''Ostrich
farm; visitors admitted only on Sundays
and Wednesday and placed In con-
spicuous positions, met tho eye. We
looked at each other in despair, for this
was Friday. ''Oh. they can't be 20
cruel as not to let us in, when we have
driven twenty-five miles to see the
ostriches," said one hopeful one. We
came to row of posts, and painted on
the fence near by was the mandate,
Hitch horses here" "Had we not
better drive up to the house and find
out II we can get in before We hitchp"
asked 1.-THE grand inquisitor. 'Oh,
no; let US do just as we are bic" " said q
timid sister, with an eye to propitiating
the ''powers that be-" So we dis.
mounted and walked up to the house,
glad to stretch our limbs after our long
drive. We were met by the inevitable
Chinaman, who in pigeon English gave
US to understand that the .'boss'' was
away, but he thought we could see the
birds. He led US to the entrance to the
inclosure, and disappeared, leaving us
to wonder where he might have gone,
and try to catch glimpses, through the
chinks in the fence, of oil the fascina-
tions beyond. Presently he returned,
bringing with him a pleasant-faced
young man, who accepted our apollo.
gies for coming at the wrong time, and
expressed his willingness to show us
the interior of the inclosure.
"1'he doctor is away" he said, ''but
] can show you around" So saying,
he unlocked the gate, and the mysteries
were revealed. The large space was
subdivided into many different inclos-.
ures, IN which were confined tho os.
triches, singly, in pairs. and in the
largest division of all were twelve, the
native-born ostriches, still young,
spreckled and ugly. "How old are
they when their plume is ready for the
first pluckingp" We asked. "From six
months to year; the period VARIES"
We were not allowed to approach the
fences which inclosed the fcathered
strangers. 1--WE have been obliged to
make this rule, because visitors would
irritate and annoy tho birds by teasing
them. Ladies would punch them with
their parasols, and gentlemen were
equally inconsiderate. We were also
obliged to charge an admission fee. in
self-protection. People came in crowds,
asking no end Of questions. and max
ipg great deal Of trouble. Fewer
come now that an entrance fee Is
charged, and, as rule, are less trou-
blesome." '.How many are therep"
1.-THE doctor imported eleven pairs. at
. cost of about $1,000 q pair. One
killed his mate, which is the only acci-
dent we have had. They are all per-
fectly we'll now and In excellent condi-
ton" .4.saa
While he spoke we heard q strange
noise, like the subdued believing of q
bull. THAT is one of them coming"
the time"
We looked at the musically y-irclined
ostrich. His long neck swelled to more
than twice its usual thickness, and he
sent forth crow after crow with great
apparent satisfaction. The old fellow
who had killed his mate seemed greatly
enraged by the performances Of his
compatriot, and looked as II he would
like to cross the division fence and
commit another murder. The fences
seemed low. 'Can not they get
acrossp" we asked. mo; they can not
Jump ct all," We were told. ''They are
very ill.tempered. Great caution is
necessary in approaching them. We
feed them upon alfalfa and green bar
ley, with corn once . day. Their wa
ter comes from an aitesian we'll. !"
docs the dampness affect their
plumesP' asked . lady. ~ think it
does. Some process of curling and
dressing 10 necessary before pluck:ng.
which is done about once in nine
months. We get fourteen plumos from
each wing" ''Are these alp" was an
other question. There arc some young
ones in the incubating room, but they
are not shown to visitors. Very few
are allowed to enter that building.
had been here some time before / was
permitted to 20 inside, and we, have q
man here now who has been with us
Eve weeks and has not yet seen the in
terror. We keep good Watchdog for
the sole purpose Of guarding the incu-
batting room.'' .sIy the experiment
payinRp' asked ''the grand iuquisitor.' =
Il am not in the Doctors conf.
dence," answered our friend. We
walked around, wondering at the
strange sight. The enormous creatures
seemed coutented, and, q he said, In
the finest physical condition. Some
were eating corn greedily. ''The os.
txich of the old-time story books ate
pisces OF glass and stones. Apparent
y you do not feed these upon that sort
Il food" "ThSy prefer barley and
corn for steady diet, though one of
them took fancy to agold-boxed conn
pos the other day and ate 1t with .
relish. and We keep heap Of shells ID
each enclosure"
We saw by the gathsring clouds that
w had no time TO lose In making our
way homo. So, regretfully We turned
away from the strange birds and their
unfamiliar suryoundings. and casting
many . wistful glance at The incubat.
ing room, the Bluebesrd's chamber
which temptsd and tsntalissd W to no
purpose returned b our carriage and
drove back Across the sandy plains to
ia puebla dc los Angeles. ."-h Ma.
Juita 4. Adbsw's Los Zagelss Letter. n
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