New-York tribune., 1906-09-16
OSTRICHES Pay.
RAISING Them PrOUes To BE Profit
able Industry.
From The Tribune Bureau ]


Washington, Sept 15-If the vast number or
,nouiries which have recently been addressed 10 |
the Secretary of Agriculture may be accepted |
as a criterion this is destined to become ma |
ton in which ostrich farmers hold the balance OF
power. 1t is probable. however. that. interesting
as is the information which Secretary Wilson is |
prepared TO furnish. the would-be ostrich farm |
ers will find that there are many obstacles which
confront the man who would engage in the in |
dustry. above all the scarcity of birds and the |
high prices which they command |
That ostrich farming pays handsomely is a |
fact. but it is equally true that the birds are
hard TO procure. and when they can be purchased
at all IL is only at high figures. An expert who
has been looking into the subject. under the di-
rection of Secretary Wilson. gives estimated
values of the birds as follows: Chicks six months
old. 800; year old. $50; two years old. 500
TO $3.50; three years old. $500 to $3.50. and four
years old $500 pair. AS the birds do not pair
until they four years Old the length of time
which a buying x-months-Old chicks
would have to wait for any return from his in
vestment can be easily calculated.
But to add to the discouragements of engaging
In the business the departments special agent
adds that the curt reply usually given to in
quiries regarding the price Of birds is: The
birds are not for sale at any price"
AS to the profits of ostrich farm, it
comes into breeding there seems to be little
doubt. II is authoritatively maintained that one
acre of alfalfa will furnish four birds with am
pie food to maintain them; that ostrich which
has arrived at maturity will yield annually one
and one-half pounds of feathers, having an aver
age value of $50 a pound. and that the four birds
will further produce from thirty-six TO forty
eggs which may be incubated, or which may be
used as food. furnishing three and one-half
pounds Of egg food TO the egg From this It will
be seen that In ostriches will yield a
cash return OF S120 a year besides the chicks
or egg food. according to the use to which the
eggs are put And to the age Of the ostrich. IT
Will almost live forever. It is claimed that It
will live for one hundred years. and no one IN
this country has been In the business long
enough to test the claim or prove the contrary.
Every one has heard Of the extraordinary Gus
tom Of ostriches of hiding their heads when they
apprehend danger, but It is probably less well
known that while they can and do defend them
selves with their legs they never kick merely
striking out in front Of them. so that the os-
tich farmer merely drives his ostriches one by
one into narrow STALL pulls an old stocking
over the birds head and then plucks out its
feathers. standing behind the Indignant but
helpless bird with entire impunity.
II is estimated that there are now 1900 os-
triches on farms IN the United States. OF which
number l.540 In Arizona where they thrive
especially well The ostrich does best in warm.
dry climates. but it is claimed that the birds can
be raised in any OF the Southern States, provided
they have shelter from cold and rain In the less
clement regions The lands used for ostrich farms
In Arizona worth from $40 TO S125 an acre
the variation depending on the value OF the
water rights. AS their chief food is alfalfa II IS
necessary to raise them there on land which can
be irrigated.
The male ostrich is a model husband and could
well be cited example TO some members Of
the human Before his mate concludes the
laying of her clutch Of from twelve 70 sixteen
eggs. he takes charge Of them, fashions a nest,
II she has failed to do So gathers in it the eggs.
which she is likely to lay in any place at first.
end finally begins 20 sit them During the
period OF incubation. which lasts about forty
two days. the male generally remains on the
nest sixteen out of each twenty-four hours 60
ting on at o'clock IN the evening and keeping
his vigil until or $50 o'clock the next morning.
Both birds careful OF the eggs. When
the weather is cold they will cover them at in
Incubation begins. while In excessively hot
Weather they will stand over them on their
mkle joints and shade them from the sun
Finally. when the chicks are heard trying 10
chip through the shell. one or other parent will
sften crush the shell with it's breastbone and
when necessary will even seize the chick by the
heck and draw it out OF its shell Artificial In