The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-09-28
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.

lustry of ostrich farming promises to
become Il great one Ill the United
states. Eut 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 acciimated Ostrlches America has
for many years imported half of the
millions OF ostrich feathers raised III
South Africa, and some years ago it o.
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
troop of 300 picked ostrlches on their
Wav to America, and after q long and
tedious VOYAGE via BucnOS Ayres arrived
at New York in December, and there
shipped these delicate tropical birds.
overland via Chicago and Omaha
10 the coast, a total distance of
$4,000 miles. The ordeal was a
most trying one, but twenty-five ar
rived in California i'll fair condition
and were at once taken to Ana
helm. A company was soon formed,
the California Ostrich Company, repre-
senting SO, 900 capital, with DIR. Sketch
w as superintendent. The farm upon
which they were placed was Of about
500 acres. The birds were chiefly con-
fined in small pens forming IN l., with
Twelve COMPARTMENTS. These Enclosures
were walled around with planks stand
inc about tour feet high. These planks
we're twelve inches wide by three i'll ;hes
thick. Al ordinary fence would not re-
sist them. as they sometimes, especially
when frightened by dogs. ran against it
with great force. Ostriches are mortaily
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 wear. with 30 eggs. The first
chick was hatchcd July -, 1888. The
pioneer Aiacri, an ostrich chick began
its career by feasting on broken sea
shells: but it finally in Il few days took
to chopped clover and corn meal. The
arrival of 50 large troop of ostriches III
New York naturally created wide spread
interest. About this time, or while
these ostrirhcS were on their way to
America another company, the Ameri-
can Ostrich Company. WAS set on foot
in Maine, with Mr.. +. j. Johnson MS
manager. He went To Africa and spent
wear in studying the habits and man
accmcnt Of these ''bir,ls" as they are
called. He started with twcnty-thrco
birds and landed mt New Orleans De
cembcr. i-c3, after voyage OF fifty.
three davs. The birds were confined
in the vessel sixty-thrce days, owing to
delay, 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 twentyfOur days.
Eight miles from Fall Brook, Cal, Is
bit OF Africa dropped down between
the hills. 4 little valley encircled by
barren hills. herd of ostriches feeding
the old adobe where the incubators are
kept, pomegranate trees, and passlol
vines climbing over the low house, al
make M a picture very unlike the con
ventional type of American landscapes
The birds seem to take kindly to thel
adopted home. There are about tort,
kept at the ranch mt present. The ole
birds are placed in pairs their severi
pens, and only the young are alioWe'
to wander over the grounds. This Is IN
ostrich ranch established by MIR. john
son and the second i'll the Cnite
States.
The pioneers of ostrich farming ha
many difficulties TO contend with. IN
long Journey from Africa affected IN
vitality and fertility of the first imports
tons. Both Sketchly and Johns n ha
long, hard pulls and Just began to Sc
daylight in iSS7. To add to their man
discouraoements the price OF ostrc
plumes fell to small amount. In
feathers of little birds became fashion
able: so the sale of ostrich plumes, IL
chief source of income i'll ostrich farn
ing was meager; but the fashion Is no
setting the other way, and chol'
plumes will be in good demand at fame
prices. The Cape Colony Governmel
also took measures to injure the Amer
can farmers by the imposition OF an e
port duty. The South American ostrl'
farmers became alarmed at this iarl
expectation. They now have, 1t is est
mated. about S50,00G, 900 invested
this industry, and they feared II they
used large troops of birds to be Tree
sent to the very land that took eve
year one-half or more of their feather
this immense industry would be crl
pied, and SO the colonial author, III
were induced to impose a duty OF 50
on each bird taken out OF the 9ounti