Arizona republican., 1906-10-13

trol until 1896. when they were sold to the Arizona Ostrich company. At that time there were 123 ostriches in the troop. w. s. Pickren, of Phoenix, was the manager of the ostriches for two years. Under MT. PickreIFs man agement the Ostriches increased at the rate of II to a pair of breeding birds, whirh was the largest increase ever made on an Arizona ostrich farm, or even in America. Over I5 per cent of the birds were matched in incubators.
 In 1898 the Orizona Ostrich company sold it's entire troop of over 300 os- triches to Messrs. A. Y. Pearson and M J. Taylor. These gentlemen pur- chased 300 ostriches from the Fuller ton California farm, which birds they brought to Arizona.
 The, next year QS99) MT. Pearson bought MT. Taylor's interest. In 1903 Mir. Pearson sold to w. $. PickreH & Cc., of Phoenix, 21 pairs of breeding birds for $16,SO0. Within two years, w. $. PickreH & Co. had sold $50, 900 worth of young Ostriches, the produce of the 21 pairs.
 There are six ostrich farms in the Salt River Valley, Arizona, and OH these are all the ostriches in Arizona
  incorporated companies: The Arizona Ostrich Company. the National ostrich Company. the Phoenix-American Os- trich Company, the Big Five Company, and the McNeil-Wfley Ostrich Compa- n.y. all of Phoenix Arizona. and the Tempe Ostrich Company, of Tempe Arizona.
 The description of methods which follows is based almost entirely on the experience and observation of the writer. and applies especially to ostrich farming as practiced in Arizona.
 Osjriches come to maturity when about 4 years of age. The female ma lures from six months to year before the male, but she will seldom lay fer tile egg until she is 1-2 years old. The nest is a round hole in the ground which the male scoops out with his feet. At first the female may not take to the nest, but may lay her eggs on the ground, whereupon the male will roll them into the nest. Generally, af- ter the male has put or 4 eggs into the nest, the female will lay there. In about thirty days she will lay F to 16 eggs, and will be ready to com mence incubation.
 Incubation under domestication is carried on in two ways-by natural, and by artificial means. Some growers prefer the former method, others the latter. Either has been found to yield satisfactory results with fertile eggs. About forty-two days of very careful attention are required for good results
 In natural incubation the male takes a prominent part, covering the eggs fifteen or sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. He will usually go on fv, and remain there till s or S:3O the mex. morning. the female taking her turn during the day. It is thought that the color of the sexes has had something to do wHh developing these instincts. The male, being black, is not so easily seen at night, and the female. being drab or nearly the color of sand, can not be SO readily seen in daylight. The male usually begins sitting three or four days before the hen stops laying If the weather is cold during the laying period the male may often be found covering the eggs at intervals during the night to prevent them from becom- ing chilled. The birds are also very watchful in the warmest season to prevent the eggs from becoming over heated by the sun. Often, in the heat of the day, one or the other of the old birds may be found sitting on it's ankle joints with both wings extended to shade the eggs from the sun. The careful ostrich farmer should make this work unnecessary by providing artificial shade during the hot season. The birds sit very much closer to the nest during the first half of the incu- bation period, the internal heat ,of the eggs making this less necessary during