St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-02-01
Miscellany.
A VISIT TO THE ARIZONA OSTRICH
FARM.

49, $50
California and the other near
Phoenix, Arizona.
While a party OF us werein Phoenix
recently we had the pleasure OF visit
ing the Arizona ostrich farm, where
they now have itty-two ostriches,
all grown except four. The grown
birds are twelve and thirteen feet
tall and weigh nearly three hundred
pounds, and the young ones, that
were Matched in jane measure fully
six feet.
The legs and thighs Of the ostrich
es are bare; their long snake-like
necks are covered with a very fine
flzz or down through which the
SKIN can be seen, and their bodies
are covered with the most beautiful
feathers, black, white and gray the
most expensive ones grow under the
wings, the next in quality are the
tail feathers, and the cheaper grades
are on the wings and breast.
These feathers become ripe every
eight months, and in order to pluck
them, the birds are lassoed and cor
rallied in a tight, high stall, so small
that they can scarcely move till they
are out again.
The yield of each ostrich at a
pIucking is about three iourths of
a pound end the feathers sell from
ten to seventy-6ve dollars per pound.
Sixteen birds were brought here
from Africa a few years ago, the
owner paying twenty-five hundred
dollars for them; only two of this
number are still living, old Jumbo
and his mate Betty.
The eggs OF the ostrich are very
large, each weighing three pounds or
about the same as two and one half
dozen hens eggs. The shells are very
heavy and thick, and are worth one
dollar and fifty cents apiece when
plain, but if painted, they sell for
two, two and one half and three dol
lars.
\ short time ago one scrambled
ostrich egg was put on the table at
dinner for nine men, who enjoyed the
dinner greatly and had all the egg
they cared for at one meal.
Ostrich eggs hatch in nine weeks,
the male bird sitting at night on
them and the female through the
day.
Ostriches feed mostly on alfalfa,
requiring one acre for each to keep
them the year round; this is the
amount of grass required to keep a
cow for the same length of time.
These ostriches are nearly all quite
tame, several of them having been
ridden by Mexican cowboys; when
mounted the birds ran so fast that
the cowboys were glad to slide
quickly off after going but a short
distance. We held the ostriches by
their necks and wings, stroked their
feathers, and fed them alfalfa and
corn. They will swallow whole, an
ear of corn ten or twelve inches long,
and never think of Smelling the corr
as other birds do; neither do they
drink like other birds, but instead
they keep their heads down to the
water, as a horse does, till they
drink all they want.
AS we stood watching and feeding
them they would pick at our fingers,
watch chains and buttons.
4 few weeks ago a gentleman from
the East was visiting in Phoenix his
friend took him to visit the ostrich
.arm, and while they were standing
near the fence talking, one of the os-
riches stretched out his long neck
and grabbed and swallowed a ten
dollar watch charm.
AS we drove up TO this ostrich
farm, the birds were at their usua'
morning frolic, that of running
races. A number Of them would
start out together and run as fast a:
hey could to the lower end of the
held; as soon as the first one reached
,he fence, he would start back on &
hard run, flap his wings and make
me qeerest cackling, just as if he re
'oiced over his victory in winning thu
race. The next one that reached tn,
fence would do the same, and tn,
owner OF these birds told us tina
hey kept this up for hours every
morning.
When they tire Of this game, thos,
that are behind will meet the other
on their return and they will have
hard scuffie, sometimes jumping S,
nigh that they are thrown over tn