Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-09-06
OSTRICH FARMING.
How the Industry is Pursued in Cali
fOrnia---MethOds of Feeding
and PluckiBg.

ostrich farms, by our recently domi
ciliated fcllow-townsman, Rev. An
selm b. Brown, from which W
make the following extracts Th
trial of raising ostrichcs in the Uni
b ted States has proved so successful
that the business may no longer b'
regarded az an experiment. AnC
what is more, the time is soon com
ing when many family living in
the warmer climates Of our country
will have Il pair or more Of these
magnificent birds about their home.
They will serve not only as orna-
mcnts, like deer in private parks,
but they will be exceedingly profit
able on account Of their plumage.
My visit yesterday TO the famous
ostrich farm at the town Of Kenil-
worth, seven and II half miles from
Los Angeles, afforded me one Of the
most interesting sights have ever
seen on the Pacific Coast. 1t is sit
uated i'm the Los Fells valley, shell
tered 10y the Santa Monica range Of
mountains. The natural beauty of
the location-and the live oaks,
some of the prcttiest i'm California
constantly attract the attention Of
visitors, although the place was Sc
lcctcd solely on account Of the equal
temperature there, making it most
favorable for the ostrich business.
The farm is owned 10y an English
syndicate and Is managed by Mr..
John 4. Bradley, IA gentleman from
Australia. Ostriches were brought
to California first in 1888 from Cape !
Town, Africa, by DIR. Sketchley. He |
Is in the United States at the pres
ent time, and the San Francisco pa
pers report that he has lately pur-
chased two thousand acres I'm the
Sacramento valley, where he has
an ostrich farm on Il
nrge scale. A fact which few peO-
Die know is that these birds are har-
ly and can endure cold and frosty
Weather. Wherever grass will grow
he year around there they will
hrive. The parties concerned In
his new movement think they
lave IL great future before them.
About fifty ostriches are found
Iere In Enclosures formed by three
+ four rows of common boards. As
he birds can not jump or fly, any
hing they can not step over will ,
nswcr for II fence. While walking ,
bout the corrals, the ostriches come
p and are eager for food, but they !
u not make the slightest noise. =,
hey can do so, however, for at :
light they make sort Of barking .
hich is heard at quite distance -
nj sometimes all over the region. ;,
hc breeding birds are very dine =
[. They are the very choicest .,
ecimens that money could pur- 81
lasc. =,
Some Of these male birds will n
,igh 275 pounds, and when stand c
4 on tiptoc, with head erect, will fl
easurc quite eight feet high. l f,
ls told that mono We're lest in n
inging them across the ocean M
'ports Of their being unable to y,
md the voyage are untrue, for not n,
q slightest difficulty In that line ~
s ever been experienced, d'
In one of the yards saw an o. n,
ch sitting upon sixteen eggs, and l.
another ward brood was being
tched. They Nre also brought
I by incuhators with SUCCESS. One
the little ones had been taken da
IN the nest and placed outside W,
lerc visitors could scc Il, took al
up, and as it squirmed to get away -
was as strong as u gOod-sized :"
icken. The hen will lay nom gr
.ht 10 eighteen eggs before sitting th
d II the eggs are removed as fast s,l
laid and nest egg substituted
, will lay fully thirty eggs, There 'e'
generally two sittings "a year, ab
4 this would give total of sixty wa
q u year rs the limit. This would IA,
.ke quite a revenue of itself, a. -
IN egg IL worth two dollars for WI
'iosity. The eggs are almost ac,
when first laid, hut they Is
n white before Matching time ~.
ncs. They weigh about thpe ''''
lnds each, and take about six res
'ks to incuhatc.
{ il toO had to say anything
inst these magnificent creatures, n
their big eyes and grinniug look oit'
raj an ugly disposition. They per
strike with their feet, aud us
nple whenever they have u ers
nCt. 10 81
ontrary to my expectation the In
ichvs, arc very clys,n In appear the
l., aud the feathers la their ach
lud state arr bsAutifll aud rich. the
, ap not packed down Gloss tO mia