Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28

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TIE STAR .'On the Pacific coast the industry
has been already developed to a point OF great
proftablensss, and the plains OF the interior,
where not too arid. or in districts reclaimed TO
some extent by irrigation, ought to provide
most suitable grounds for the rearing and
keeping Of these birds. which require most
importantly enormous areas for running in
Although now there are quite a number of
ranches in my state devoted to the enterprise,
the farming of ostriches is yet in its in
fancy in this country. OF the profit there Is IN
ii when carried upon an extensive scale
demonstration NAV be had from results achieved
in South Africa. where at present 10000 OF the
fowls. raised in captivity, are kept for plucking
and propagation
A POSSIBLE FOOD SCPPLY.
Although hitherto the object of ostrich
farming has been merely to furnish plumes to
the feather trade. it has been seriously sug-
gested that ostrich meat may one day form an
important item in food supply. 1t may very
well be that in the future the birds will be
raised like turkeys Tor the table. The meat is
palatable and in flavor not unlike beef. do
Inesticated ostrich, fed upon clover and grain.
Is far superior for eating purposes to "a wild
one. which has been subslstinS perhaps on
scalty and innut-itlous fare.
.'Ostriches and their kind differ from all
other existing birds in the fact that their
Within a comparatively recent geological epoch
fowls of this group were comparatively numer-
Gus and of many more kinds than are known at
present Not very long ago there were GER
tainly as many as twenty different species IN
New Zealand, which was once n much more ex-
tensive country, the sinking of the greater part
of its area beneath the sea having been proba-
bly, the main cause that brought about the ex-
tinction of n majority of the larger kinds of
wingless birds. Naturalists of the opinion
that the ostrich represents a very ancient type
of bird. which spread widely over the
earth at a time when the more fierce and dam
gerous carniverOus beasts had not come into
existence. In the absence of such foes they did
not require powers If fight for the purpose of
escape and safety.
IN OLDEN TINES MEN WORE THE FEATHERS
You will find the ostrich very frequently
mentioned by ancient historians. but i: was not
the custom in ancient times, SO far as is known.
for ladies 10 adoTn themselves with the plumes.
Warriors. however. wore the feathers in their
helmets from very early date, and dOmestl-
Gated birds were occasionally used by Roman
women Of noble birth for riding purposes. The
Emperor HeliOgabalus one occasion had the
brains of six hundred ostriches served up in
one dish at feast Every part of the creature
Is utilized by the natives of Africa When one
j. killed it's skin is first removed, so as to pre-
serve the feathers. and the fat separated from
the meat Is poured into bags made of the skin
OF the thighs tied at the lower ends The
grease OF q DlrQ III good cOnuitlOn Will Nil the
skin of both legs, which hold about four
gallons. Not only Is this grease eaten with
bread and used in the preparation of certain
foods. but the Arabs consider it useful for
rheumatism and other maladies. They usu-
ally cook the eggs by setting one of them up
right on a fire and stirring its contents about
with stick, inserted through hole in the
upper end. The egg shells are chiefly used as
vessels for water. 1t is apparently implied in
the Scriptures that the ostrich utterly neg
lurv
and deserving them; but the fact is quite the
reverse The bird sets upon its eggs by night,
when the cold would be too great for them,
and leaves them TO the suns heat during the
Gay.
THEIR HABITS THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD.
THE habits of the ostrich are thoroughly
well understood nowadays through observa-
ton OF dOmesticated specimens. 1 myself have
made study of the subject for the last half
dozen years. and there can be few things more
interesting IN the geological line, / should
imagine. Perhaps the most extraordinary fact
about the bird is that 1t is the male that does
most Of the setting He selects convenient
hollow IN the ground or scrapes out one and
trGnlples il into a saucer-shaped nest about six
feet in diameter. The female laws her eggs
pretty much anywhere in the neighborhood of
the nest. and her mate takes care that they are
collected During his time for setting he is
exceedingly pugnaeious and a very formidable
animal to encounter The kick of the bird,
which is its means of fighting, is enormously
powerful-suticieutly so. in fact. to disable a
man and very likely Kill him at one blow.
NATURE OF TIE INCUBATOR
THE natural method of Matching ostriches
however, because of the risks from accidents
involved, has been almost entirely superseded
on ostrich farms by the incubator. BY this
artificial method more than ninety per cent Of
the eggs are made to produce chicks. which
seem 10 grow up as healthily those brought
out in the normal fashion. Boxes heated by
hot water employed and the eggs are
tnrned and aired twice day. The period of
incubation is forty-two DAYS. 1t is not ALWAYS
done, but l think il best. about a week before
the expiration OF the time. to carefully pune
ture each egg near the top with sharp
pointed steel instrument, in order to
enable any young ones that may be
shells As soon as the baby ostriches are
Matched put them into a basket full of cotton
wool for twenty-four hours. giving them a
chance to breathe. Then they are put into a
coop. from the roof Of which is hung a lot OF
warm chenille. and there they nestle, the con-
ulyance serving as an artificial mother, or
rather father. lnasnuch it is he who takes
care Of the chicks in a state of nature. The
latter are fed al first on bread crumbs bran
and water. On the fourth day they are per
nlitted to go out in a little Enclosure around
the brooder and are given grain and green
vegetables Young ostriches are pretty things.
lac giant young partrldges, but with bristles
al over them mixed with the down.
THE COUNTRY FOR OSTRICH FARMING.
THE proper country for ostrich farming is
IN open region free from timber. Districts in
temperate attitudes with dry and waste lands
afford admirable facilities for the purpose.
There is no difficulty in keeping the birds in an
enclosure with wire other fences not more
than four feet high owing to the fact that they
10 not fly. Once established in the interior Of
this continent upon runs OF great size thus
enclosed Ostriches would doubtless increase
rapidly and attain immense numbers They
are not expensive to keep. for during tine
greater part Of the year they can find enough
Tor themselves to live upon. and at other times
they require only little Indian corn or beans
ald some additional green food all of which
may be easily grown Tor their use. But large
spaces are not absolutely necessary for ostrich
farming IL they are not available eight
scres viii suTfiee to accommodate thirty birds
II the land be sown with lGce-ne to provide
them with food.
NOT A NEW INDUSTRY.
Ostrich farming Is not an industry Alto
gether new 10 the world. The birds were GER
tainly domesticated very anciently and were
doubtless plucked for their feathers, though
probably they we're not bred in confinement.
More than a century ago many farmers in
South Africa had tame ostriches on their
farms, allowed To feed At large, which supplied
their owners with plumes that we're made into
hrDOFus for IN far