Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-03-25
Ostrich Farming in Egypt.
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

one Ol Tue ldTStsl Os-I i'' go 'A4' 80
Africa. 1t contained 700 birds aud II
lies Oh the edge OF the desert, within
five miles OF the great city OF Cairo,
between the spot marked by the
Obelisk OF HelIopolis, where Plato
taught school. aud the tree under
which the Virgin Mary and the In
fant Jesus are said TO have rested
some $1,000 years ago. Africa Is
the home OF the ostrich, and there
are evidences in the hieroglyphics on
the EgS ptian monuments that ostrich
raising was carried on by the Egyp-
tiaus in the days of Pharaoh. AIN
told that soma OF the tribes OF the
Soudan aud of the i"terior still raise
ostriches, and that they take care OF
them very much rs we do chickens,
housing them III night and letting
them skirmish about Tor their food
in the daytime. Ostrich farming on
q scientific scale, however, was no
where known until quarter OF q
century ago, when Dutchlnah
started an ostrich farm with 65 birds
in South Africa. Now the eIporis OF
feathers from that part OF the
country amount TO millions OF dollars
every wear, and ostriches are raised
by the tens Of thousands. About
nine years ago 4 number OF the BIRDS
were brought to the United States,
and several big ranches in southern
California are devoted to them
There are ostrich farms in Algeria
and Senegal and the business has
been carried on with profit in the Ar
gentine Republic and in other parts
OF the world.
have paid two visits to this ostrich
farm near Cairo. My first was Just
before the revolution Of Arabi Pasha.
when the farm contained only 70
birds. The second was during my
tour around the world about eight
wears later, when this number had
been multiplied more than tenfold.
During my fret visit ostrich feathers
were very high, and good laying
ostrich was worth. 80 the farmer-
told M. 1000 apiece, and each bird
brought in $3.50 year from the sale
OF IT'S feathers This, in addition to
the wonderful increase brought about
by its cuntinuou. LAYING aud hatch
ing. made the birds very valuable,
and even now, at reduced prices. the
farm r is said to be making fortune.
His farm consists Of so acres OF q 6
prt sand. Ii is divided up into fields
of about one-third acre each and
these fields are surrounded by hlgh
mud walls. They look more Ike cat
tle pens than the field. OF farm.
and they are ranged around q court
in which the farmer has his residence
aud Matching houses. and nothing
but paling fence keeps the great
birds from invading their masters
front yard In walking about this
ward Won 20 past one field after an
other, aud YOU see ostrlchts OF oil
apps. siz.s and sexes engaged In HI
tine occupations which make up os-
trich life. Tney are the most VOL
d..rful birds in the great aviary OF the
world. and they are nearer human III
th.ir traits aud looks tnan any aul-
NAL which wears feathers. Some OF
those | saw at Cairo were eight feet
hiyh and their ewes We're as large as
those OF a man and OF about the same
shape. The heads were very small
but the bills were remarkably long
and flat, aud when one OF them snap
ped at m- its lips came together with
a crack like that Of a pistol. The
male ostriches are by far the most
beautiful. Their feathers are OF II
rich. glossy black, while those OF tn"
females are OF delicate gray. The
male and female ostriches are Kept IN
the same pen, aud | spent honrS
watching an old bean ostrich and MS
GOV. modest mate. The beau wantrd
10 be friendly, and he strutted about
pluruing his feathers, cracking his
bill and attempting To rub up against
hi. .yrav-featherad sweetheart. She.
however. rrpulsed him and kept seek
ing different part OF the pen thaA
the one in which he was.
The owner Of this ostrich farm wa
a Swiss, who chatted quite freely 10
me in G-rman concerning the habits
Of the ostric l. and he told rne that
there was more equality ofcondiTions
among the sexes OF ustriches than
among those OF any other animal, in
Guiding man, thar he had ever
known. The male ostrich has 70 do
his share OF the work i'll rai-ing the
children. When the hen gets ready
to lay she marks out a spot on the
sand with her bill and then motions
to her liege lord to come and dig the
hole for her. He does it sqna ting
down on the sand and clawing out
the earth with his legs. The nest Is
oval in shape. aud it is about yard
wide and about a yard and half
long. After the nest is made the two
ostriches keep together until the
Young are Matched out. The female
ostrich is, am told. very jealous. and
she b-comes very spitefui when she iS
having. Ii il exceedingly dangerous