Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-08-15

Tho ostrich lays an egg every third
day. The eggs are large, many Of them
| five or six inches through the long dia-
meter and they weigh from three to Ave
pounds each. The she'll is usually very
thick, sometimes one-sixteenth of an
inch. The contents resemble that of q
hens egg, and amount to forty fluid
ounces. The period of incubation is
variously given at from thirty eight to
forty-two days, and doubtless depends
upon the vitality and development of
the chick. The average in Califofnia
is thirty-nine days. The young chick
can be heard in its shell days before it
appears 1t is sometimes necessary to
assist the chick in breaking the shell.
In the wilds of Africa the crows have
learned to crush the ostrich eggs by let
ting stones fall on them from height.
In Africa the empty shells are used to
carry water; network of grass is made,
so that several may be carried OF once
In California there is ready sale for
the empty shell, in some instances as
high as So being paid for them as q
curiosity.
The ostrich industry began in Cape
Colony in 1865, with eighty-five birds,
but when decade had rolled around
the number had increased to 22,247 or
triches. Then the industry began to at
tract general attention. The demand
for birds for farming purposes was SO
great, especially for the next few years,
that fabulous prices were realized by
those who had birds to SELL There are
now more than 100000 ostriches in
| Mouth frrna The <,f he
tation Of feathers from Africa was, at
last accounts, the enormous sum of
81 900, 900 at least. The New York inn
porters have long enjoyed monopoly
in this business, and many large for
tunes have been made by them.
DIR. Duncan, who prepared the paper
on ostrich farming for the department,
is an enthusiast on the general utility Of
the ostrich. Ostriches can be utilized
as food, and may come to rank high as
an article Of diet when SO numerous as
to be proftoble in that direction. The
egg has been regarded as rare delicacy
in Africa. When an ostrich in South
Africa is killed, from accident or other
causes, every part OF the bird isntilized.
The first step is to remove the skin 80
as to preserve the feathers uninjured.
The next is to melt the fat which is
poured into bags made Of the skin Of the
thighs tied in the lower end. The grease
or fat of the bird in good condition will
fill the skin of both legs, which hold
about four gallons; not only is it eaten
with bread and used in the preparation
Of "kookoosoo" and other foods, but the
Arabs regard it as a useful application
in certain maladies. In oil cases of
rheumatism OF acute pains it is used by
being well rubbed in, and then the nj
fected parts are covered with heated
sand.
Those who have tasted ostrich meat
state that it is both wholesome and pal
atable, although, as might be expected
in the wild bird, it is somewhat lean
and tough. When the birds have been
domesticated, however, and fed on clover
and grain, the meat becomes juicy and
tender.
Experiments have been made from
time to time with view to test the cap
ability of the ostrich in drawing and
carrying burdens Dr. Sparrman, q
century ago Q775), saw mounted os-
triches at the Cape; and tefore him
Moore had recorded his having seen an
Englishman ct Jcar travelling long
distances upon bridled ostrich.
When domesticated in Texas, as they
doubtless will be, says DR.. Duncan, we
expect to hear that the cowboys utilize
ostriches in herding cattle. Their heet-
ness should make them excellent mounts
for scouts and couriers.
Even the skeleton OF an ostrich COM
mands good price forpublic museums.
Prof. Ward, Of Rochester, asks x125 for
. full mounted ostrich skeleton. De-
troit Free Press.