Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-07-11
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.

1t is not generally known that the in
dustry of ostrich farming promises tC
become great one in the United
States, But the last annual report OF
the Secretary of Agriculture gives some
valuable and very interesting informa
tion on the subject. Several great os-
trich farms are now located i'll Southern
California, near Los Angeles end San
Diego, and visitors to that region are
surprised to see large troops, of native
and acclimated ostrlches. America has
for many years imported half of the
millions of ostrich feathers raised in
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
feathers would be avoided. thereby adj
ding at least 25 per cent. to the income.
In 1882 he started from Cape Town with
troop of 200 picked ostllches on their
way to America, and after 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
$4,000 miles. The ordeal was n
most trying one, but twenty-five ar
rived in California in fair condition
and We're at once taken to Ana
helm. A company was soon formed,
the California Ostrich Company, repro
senting $50, 900 capital, with Dr. Sketch
ly as superintendent. The farm upon
which they were placed was of about
600 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 i'll 3hes
thick. An ordinary fence would not re-
sist them, rs they sometimes, especially
when frightened by dogs, ran against it
with great force. Ostriches are mortally
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 270 eggs. The first
chick was Matched July 2S, 1888. The
pioneer American ostrich chick began
its career by feasting on broken sea
shells; but it finally in few days took
to chopped clover and corn meal. The
arrival of SO large troop of ostriches i'll
New York naturally created wide spread
interest. About this time, or while
these ostriches were on their way to
America, another company, the Ameri-
can Ostrich Company, was set on foot
in Maine, with Mr.. f. J. johnson as
manager. He went to Africa and spent
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, 1888, after a voyage of fifty
three days. The birds were confined
in the vessel sixty three days, owing to
delays Mt the cape. Mono 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 niles from Fall Brook, Cal, is
bit of Africa dropped down between
the hills. A little valley cncircled by
barren hills, herd OF ostriches feeding,
the old adobe where the incubators are
kept, pomegranGte trees, and passion
vines climbing over the low house, all
make up picture very unlike the con
ventional type of American landscapes.
The birds seem to take kindly to their
adopted home. Thore are about forty
kept at the ranch at present. The old
birds are placed i'll pairs i'll their several
pens, and only the young are allowed
to wander over the grounds. This is the
ostrich ranch established by Mr.. 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 Shotchly and johnson had
long, hard pulls and just began to see
daylight in 1887. To add to their many
discouragements the price of ostrich
plumcs fell to IL 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 moager; but the fashion is now
setting 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 $4,000, 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 OF more of their feathers,
this immense industry would be Grip
pied, and so the colonial authorities,
were induced to impose n duty of $500
on each bird taken out of the country.
But American enterprise was far from
discouraged by this "benefcent tariff. 3"
The high export tax of 500 on each
bird will practically prevent any fur
ther shipments from Cape Colony, as
that will make the cost of the birds not
far from 81 900 each when they reach
this country, especially when we con-
slider the losses that are apt to occur, but
the farms are prospering and the indus
try promises to become a great one.
There are now six breeding farms in
California. One of the great difficult
'es met in this new enterprise was in
obtaining reliable artificial incubators.
If the cd bird is allowed to sit she will
stop laying when about sixteen eggs are
deposited in the hollow nest they SCOOP
out for IL resting place for the eggs
Then these birds are very sensitive ant
take fright and oltense very easily, ant
if the eggs are handle even, OF the nes
but slightly disturbed, she will forsak,
the next. Sometimes they will leave i
when the chicks are nearly ready t,
break through the she'll The risk il