Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-01-23


claimed lands Of the Arizona desert,
is the ostrich farm Of the Pearson
company. about seven miles from
Phoenix.
The farm is one Of the show places
OF the territory, and no visitor thinks
his trip complete without taking IN
the strange sights Of the ostrich breed
ing ranch.
Apparently the transfer OF the pros
from their native yeldt has worked no
harm. but rather the opposite, for
thew thrive as well here as in their ma
tive surroundings, gain as great size,
oroduce as fine feathers and, barring
accidents, live as long lives. In only
one thing do the ostrich breeders of
America try to improve nature in the
reproduction of these giant birds and
that is in artificial incubation. A
veritable ostrich village is laid out in
the section Of the farm devoted to
breeding Here are main streets and
side streets, all named and numbered.
Fronting upon them are the wire-in-
closed yards in which the pairs Of
Ostriches are pcnned. Each pair has
two yards. one for occupancy and the
other for reserve. Alternately the
yards are irrigated and thus kept in
growing alfalfa, which forms the staple
diet Of the mature birds. While one
yard is being eaten off the other one
is allowed to grow so that the birds
may always have fresh pasturage.
Considering the size Of the birds the
fences seem low, for the eight-foOteTs
may easily crane their necks over
The t0pmOst wire. However, it is eX-
planned that the great power in the
sturdy legs of the ostrich lies in the
ability to kick and to get over the
ground i'm a horizontal direction, but
not in jumping qualities. Behind
these fences the scrappy birds will
give their challenge to man or other
birds. Squatting on the ground, with
wings Outsprcad, the pugilistic ostrich
will weave his snuOus neck about in
threatening curves, while he emits
hoarse sort of croaking hiss in his in
vitatiOn to fight.
superintendent J. NJ Harmon has
evolved a system Of bookkeeping by
which an accurate record is kept of
each pair of birds During the laying
season a round is made of the yards
each day and the eggs gathered and
recorded The hens lay every other
day. and if allowed to sit on the eggs
The brood would be of variety of
ages An incubator cqualizes this by
bringing out all the brood at the same
time. Then there is always the dan
ger of summer rains flooding the nests
which the hens make in the grass of
he Yards, and thus spelling a sitting
Of eggs, for the birds will be driven
from their incubating task by the
water When allowed to hatch their
chicks in the natural way the birds
show u true equalization of labor The
hen covers the eggs in the daytime
and the male bird takes his turn at
Sitting al night Some natural
oroods have been successfully raised,
out the bette results are obtained
with incubators. Ordinary chicken
Tneuhators are used, but on account
Of the great size of the ostrich eggs
special trays have to built to hold
sneo' ana 'oese take the room III
'h'''''L'l' usually occupied by Ihree OF
our l'alS VI men eggs
ny '''''NS' as .Hey are caueu' are
almost "S 'll - a. mems "neh halCHeu
t"o arc SI'''Ne" ana SIFlpeo IKE
comm halIoh OF guinea FOWL ana ZEBRA
MARKINGS. III Ie" nohthS the spots
~tila SlIipeS are losI IN the uniformly
UT oI"" pIunaSe OF lne mems or 'le
moIe SNOWY glossy oIack OF lhe male
u'"H. N"P'uIS 90 'he ehIGN9 grow so
'u'' Il i 'a'ner SIaII'lnS 10 near lne
attendants speak oil ehlckS WhlIe
polhlnS TO pen OF OirdS three or tour
1eet TAN In SIX months the birds are
80 - = p'..l',ill5 ms -
op ''l'oli anu Olle tl.,'
~. fr,,, ~, ~, os'it '..L,el WI
+tar.,n,,+ ,+, ny p. ., W.
L...t s1,,yl, - 81 ,i.ou WIN
in ,.;l;,, ~ roII = '!lG "iIu - a
s,f.,,. ',''o ''>'Dle - NicN' me LoI N
~ ,-.,,I,. w l'l' Al'oN anu
hi,., a,,.,,- - 'ole " push 'ne
,is 1,iol-s '"' u 'e'oN u
mere Is SHOWN another instance OF
me .ach OF S'Iens'n IN all parts Of the
'llu ANATOMY except his -egS, for
"IsH Que .,.l n'I ,1 Tue Po'e may De held
15''il,91 ,le ions lICNN ana the keeper