New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21

now ONE OF THE ESTABLISHED INDUS
TRIES OF AUTHORIZATION 1T Is
CARRIED on


Ostrich farming is now one of the profitable in
dustries OF the country there being in Southern
California several large farms those at Pasa-
dena. Norwak and San Diego being particularly
noticeable Here birds Of various ages, from the
newly Matched chick to the full grown. may be
seen The climate is particularly adapted to this
bird and the transpanted industry. says Los
Angeles letter in THE Philadelphia Times"
may bee said to be perfect success.
The first birds were brought here in lSN1. an
Englshman securing ffty-two South African
ostriches Forty-two arrived in Southern Cali
fornia I'm good condition and formed the basis OF
All futur, operations. their descendants to-day
numbering over two hundred California born
birds.
The Pasadena ostrich farm is the most con
venient To the general Public and lies on the
north side of the Arroyo Seco-the river. OFTEN
dry i'm summer. which forms the western bound
AIRY 10 the city Here large inclosure is divided
off into yards and corras in which are tound
birds of all ages while in a small building are
exhibited the products of the farm. Up to WITHIN
a few years all the ostrich plumes worn were
brought from Africa, but now there is duty oi
~ per cent on the plumes, and the young Amerl
can industry is able 10 compete. At the PaSa-
dena farm the feathers are to be had at cost
Here may purchase "A cape ~ l'hth'i'' -
one wishes. for SD or $50 or the plumes made
into a variety of articles useful and ornamental
which are distributed all over the country.
\ nock Of fifty or one hundred birds presents
"A most interesting and singular appearance
They have a iaunty. debonair air as they APP
proach the fence and when startled and they
rush away with wings and feathers erect pre-
sent "A very peculiar appearance.
The birds in Pasadena are kept in small cor
rails separated by space Of five or six feet 10
prevent them from fighting In this pastime
they strike With their feet forward with force
often sufficient to kill a man or horse, the long.
sharp toe being "A terrible weapon When the
Pasadena attendants are attacked they throw
themselves upon the ground and lie hat. escaping
for the singular reason that the birds cannot
strike anything less than three feet from the
ground The old birds first attract the visitors
attention-a flock of fifty. weighing about ="
pounds their great white. bare thighs working.
tbeir rich plumes falling gracefully from wing
10 tail They appear to have unbounded curios-
nv coming up To the fence and gazing at the
observers with great mild eyes. In one pen SITS
q nesting bird i'm the hot sun The nest Is simply
q daprasson in the soil When the bird nests she
deposits i'm all ten or fifteen eggs over which
she distributes a little sand From now on the
two birds devote themselves equally 10 the
Matching process. The male bird takes his place
at I D. m. and sits until in the morning; then
the female, who has been feeding and exercising
relieves him. The male also relieves the female
an hour i'm the middle of the day, that she may
feed
For forty days this regime is faithfully fol
! lowed when an observer will hear the tap-tap
from the shells and soon they begin to break
aided by the female and the strange wire haired
young appear. They are Immediately taken
from the mother and placed in a brooder ana
the female will soon begin to lay again