Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-07-18
AN OSTRICH FARM.
RAISING THE GREAT BIRD ON
CALIFORNIA RANCHES.
How the Rapidly Growing and In
~teresting Industry is Conducted
General Utility of the Ostrich.

Jerestlng industry is ConoucJeu.-
General Utility of the Ostrich.
1t is not generally known that the in
dustry Of ostrich farming promises to
become a great one in the United
States. But the last annual report of
the Secretary of Agriculture gives some
valuable and very interesting informa-
ton on the subject. Several great os-
trich farms are now located in Southern
California, near Los Angeles end San
Diego, and visitors to that region are
surprised to see large troops, Of native
and acclimated ostrIches. America has
for many years imported half OF the
millions of ostrich feathers raised in
South Africa, and some years ago it oc-
CURED to DIR. Charles j. Sketchly, who
was, before the Boer wars, one OF the
largest ostrich farmers in Africa, that if
ostrichs could be successfully exported
and naturalized in America the profit
would be immense. The duty on
feathers would be avoided. thereby adj
ding at least % per cent. to the income.
In 1882 he started from Cape Town with
o troop Of 200 picked ostrIches on their
way to America, and after a long and
tedious voyage via Buenos Ayres arrived
at New York in December, and there
shipped these delicate tropical birds.
overland via Chicago and Omaha
to the coast, a total distance OF
%, 900 miles. The ordeal vas o
most trying one, but twenty-five ar
rived in California in fair condition
and were at once taken to Ana
helm. A company was soon formed,
the California Ostrich Company, repre-
senting $50, 900 capital, with Dr.. Sketch
ly as superintendent. The farm upon
which they were placed was of about
COO acres. The birds We're chiefly con-
fined in small pens forming an l., with
twelve compartments. These Enclosures
were walled around with planks stand
ing about four feet high. These planks
were twelve inches wide by three in ches
thick. An ordinary fence would not re-
sist them, ms they sometimes, especially
when frightened by dogs, ran against it
with great force. Ostriclles are MORALLY
afraid Of dogs, and hence this animal is
prohibited from the vicinity of the
ostrich ranch. The first year these birds
resided in America they presented the
company from April II to October of
the same year, with go eggs. The first
chick was Matched July %, 1888. The
pioneer American ostrich chick began
its career by feasting on broken sea
shells; but it finally in q few days took
TO chopped clover and corr meal. The
arrival Of so large a troop OF ostriches in
New York naturally created widespread
.Au. AIa.A tlaa ftV,a gw urltrIn
these ostriches were on their way to
America, another company, the Ameri-
can Ostrich Company, was set on foot
in Maine, with Mr.. Il. j. Johnson as
manager. He went to Africa and spent
q year in studying the habits and man
agement of these ''birds" as they are
called. He started with twenty-three
birds and landed at New Orleans De
cember, 1883, after q voyage of fifty
three days. The birds were confined
in the vessel sixty-three days, owing to
delays at the cape. None died on the
voyage This is remarkable, and is the
only instance, except when four birds
were sent by steamer TO Australia. They
made the trip in twenty-four days.
Eight miles from Fall Brook, Cal, is
. bit Of Africa dropped down between
the hills. A little valley encircled by
barren hills, a herd of ostriches feeding,
the old adobe where the incubators are
kept, p~omegranate trees, and passion
vines climbing over the low house, all
make up a picture very unlike the con-
ventional type Of American landscapes.
The birds seem to take kindly to their
adopted home. There are about forty
kept at the ranch at present. The old
birds are placed in pairs in their several
pens, and only the young are allowed
to wander over the grounds. This is the
ostrich ranch established by Nh. John
son and the second in the United
States.
The pioneers of ostrich farming had
many difficulties to contend with. The
long Journey from Africa affected the
vitality and fertility of the first importa-
tions. Both Sketchly and Johnson had
long, hard pulls and just began to see
daylight in 1887. To add to their many
discouragements the price of ostrich
fell to a small amount. The
feathers of little birds became fashion
able so the sale of ostrich plumes, the
chief source of income in ostrich farm
ing was meager; but the fashion is now
the other way, and choice
plumes will be in good demand at fancy
prices. The Cape Colony Government
also took measures to injure the Ameri-
can farmers by the imposition of an ex-
port duty. The South American ostrich
farmers became alarmed at this large
expectation. They now have, it is esti-
mated, about $50, 900, 900 invested in
this industry, and they feared if they all
used large troops of birds to be freely
sent to the very land that took every
year one-half or more of their feathers,
this immense industry would be Grip
oled, and so the colonial authorities,
we're induced to impose a duty of $500
IN each bird taken out of the country.
But American enterprise was far from
discouraged by this ''beDeficeut tariff.
The high export tax Of 500 on each
bird will practically prevent any fur
her shipments from Cape Colony. as
that will make the cost of the birds not
TAR from 81, 900 each when they reach
This country, especially when we con-
ridar fbn losses that are ant to occur. but ]