The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-06
METROPOLIS OF FLORIDA
CONTINUED From First Page.)

the ticket, Florida new Senator spohe
out strongly for Bryan and the Chicago
platform. There is more tendency here,
/ believe, to call business men to posi-
tions of public trust than i'll the Older
States. 1t is chiefly the business mel
who have developed the resources OF
Florida, and they exert great influence ID
its political as well as material concerns.
The most unique attraction in this
city is its Ostrich Farm, as they call it.
1t is an ostrich farm, of course, but 1T
is also an ostrich show. The farm,
which is situate in q bend i'm the river,
is enclosed like base ball park or
fair ground If you desire to see the
wonderful show you pay an admission
fee, and in the store adjoining the farm
you can buy ostrich plumes, boas, capes
and collarettes at all sorts of prices and
colors boa costing from 81 to $3.50.
The most popular boas are ONE and a
half yards long and sell for from $40 to
S12 In its advertisement the concern
urges the readers of Florida papers to
'.Patronize Home Industry and there
fore by inference not to give support to
the pauper labor of the ostriches of for
eign countries In the winter great
throngs visit the ostrich farm and the
admission fees rival those of modern
circus. The preachers can take their
children without compunctlon to see the
animals, the scientists go to study AMI
NAL life. the curious go to see something
novel. and the young folks go because 1t
gives them a diversion. Anyhow every
body goes. 1t is off-season now for yIsi-
tors. but the gates are open so that no
admission fee may be lost
In This farm are more than one hum
dred ostriches, standing seven feet high,
weighing two hundred and fifty to four
hundred pounds each. | also saw
ostriches two weeks old, about the size
on hen. For the benefit of any who
may desire to know more about the
ostrich farm, / append the following
from little book souvenir of the
Florida Ostrich Farm
At the Florida Ostrich Farm the best
. feathered birds are paired off for breed
ing purposes in separate corrais with
q passage way of six feet III width be-
tween each corral to prevent the males
fighting. During the laying season the
males become very fierce, and can dam
gerously wound man with one blow
of the foot; they kick forward, with a
downward, scratching movement, ana
their one sharp claw is sometimes fatal.
Should anyone be SO unfortunate as 60
find himself near savage bird, GER
tain amount of safety can be secured
byIying fiat on the ground, as the ostrich
can kick dangerously only at helght
of about three feet; this Us probably the
reason that these birds are so frightened
at dog; although they Will charge i
man ON horseback, yet little fox terrier
will send them running to the farthest
corner of the field.
Each pair of breeding birds are kept
in a small corral 50x150 feet-so small
that a South African ostrich farmer
would assert that they could not thrive
in such small space-and are fed clover
hay. corn. oats. barley, ETC. Experience,
however, has shown that they thrive IA
mously in their corrals; that they grow
as large, and that their feathers are as
good in quality and as large in size as
those of the Cape. The younger birds
those not kept i'm corrals for breeding
purposes-roam in troops in larger en-
closures, and group of birds running
with their wings outspread, alarmed at
some unusual sight, is most beautiful
spectacle.
Zach and every bird is named. Fol
lowing are the names of some of the
pairs of breeding birds: President Me-
Kinley and Queen Victoria, Mark Hanna
and wife, Joe Wheeler and Alabama,
Beau Brummell and Violet Cameron,
Admiral Schley and little Cuba, Bob
Fitzsimmons and wife, Bendigo and Lit
tie Egypt (African birds 80 years old.
Prince of Wales and Lillian Langtry
Teddy Roosevelt and wife, General Fitz-
hugh Lee and Virginia, Grover Cleye-
land and Frances. Sagasta and the
Queen Regent, Napoleon and Josephine,
Admiral Dewey and Miss Manila.
An average bird weighs from 2o0 20
400 pounds, and stands to 10 feet high;
it is omniyerous, carniyerous TO some eX-
tent. and voracious: it will eat stones
leather, oranges, and has been known to
swallow gimlets, lighted pipes, and even
d newspaper properly rolled for consump-
ton. The hard substances are used TO
grind the food in its stomach: gravel has
to be supplied them freely for this pur-
pose. Just as fishbones to canaries.
Shortly after pairing off, a pair will be-
gin TO build a nest, or rather, TO dig one
out of the ground The male bird rests
his breastbone ON the ground and kicks
the sand behind; when one side is sufh-
cinetly deep, he turns around and oper-
ates in like manner, until a round hole
about four feet in diameter and one foot
deep is the result of his exertions; oc-
casonally he intimates to the female that
help is required and they take turns.
The hen forthwith begins to lay an egg
every other day, until twelve or fifteen
are located side by side in this hole IN
the ground; they scatter little sand
over the tops of the eggs to protect them
from the fierce rays of the sun; this
habit has doubtless led to the suppose
ton. printed in many ancient natural
histories, that the eggs of the ostrich are
Matched by the sun. unaided by the bird.
As soon as the full number of eggs are
laid the couple share the labor of hatch
ing; the male bird sitting on the eggs
from 4 o'clock in the afternoon until 8
O'Clock the following morning; and il
may be understood with what skill this
is performed when it is remembered
that $50 to 400 pounds of ostrich is bear
ing down upon fourteen eggs; at 8 O'Clock
the hen takes his place, sitting the day.
Inc male ostrich, however, with remark
able intelligence, relieves the female for
an hour in the middle of the day, whilst