The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-10-15
PO ULT r Y
CRAZE FOR OSTRICH FARMING.
(By e. H. Rydall.)

Ostrich farms are being started in
Washington and Colorado. Visions
of ten-dollar feathers plucked from
the backs of perambulating ostriches
and handed to anxious women who
are falling over each other to obtain
the desired decoration in exchange
for their easy money are doubtless
even now appearing to the enthusiastic
minds of Washington and other farm
ers, who have read the laudatory an
nouncements and editorials respecting
this new branch of stock raising in
the northern press. Some OF these
statements are so exaggerated that
they will have the effect of drawing
even municipal officers from the
grating path of local politics and in
duce them to lead honest lives as os-
trich farmers. 1t must be confessed
the demand for ostrich feathers for
the women of this republic is large,
steady and increasing; as fast as the
women multiply there will have to
be in proportion more ostrich feath-
ers; some of the rich female tourists
who haunt the palatial hotels of Cali
fornia think nothing of buying few
hundred dollars worth of ostrich feath-
sent up to the hotel. Indeed, one
feminine capitalist had her private car
switched from the train at Frisco
solely to come down to Pasadena and
buy a real, genuine, home made Cali
fornia ostrich feather.
First thing to do is to get your os-
triches; these can be obtained of full
size, guaranteed layers, good farm and
vi Go1i 10
at $500 a pair. Don't pay more. The
Washington papers state that os-
triches are worth two thousand dol
looks like an endeavor to sell some
other kind of stock besides ostriches
to the innocent people of Washington;
ten birds of $3.50 each will make nice
farm. A Riverside, Cal, man ha made
money on seven for the last few years.
Before the ostriches arrive and are
led down the gangway from the
freight cars, it will be necessary to
provide place to put them in; three
acres of land are sufficient; surround
these with fence fifteen feet high,
so that nobody can look in; place
barbed wire on the top of the fence
all round. Erect building just out
a salesroom for the sale of ostrich
feathers, but rooms for the storage
of the feathers, Office rooms and manu-
featuring departments, including
small compartment containing wash
tubs and fitted with boiler for the
purpose of dyeing the ostrich feathers;
back of this ought to be an enclosed
yard, with fences say ten feet high,
l. ~, t1O 1irrI1f
on clothes lines, part of this interest
ing manufacture. Provide water
troughs in the corrals in the larger
enclosure for the ostriches; while
these creatures come from the climate
of the Sahara Desert and thrive in
California consequently, yet they seem
to consume eight quarts of water per
ostrich daily. Some chopped alfalfa
will do to feed them; common beets
also provide suitable nourishment.
Have quantity Of these on hand prior
to the arrival of the ostriches.
Then advertise through the papers
and every other legitimate way to the
people of the county that the ostrich
farm will soon open, name the day
and assure the public that each visi-
tor will receive an interesting souve-
MIR OF the new lHSIlCuIlOH Only Oh Tie
day of opening. Get lot of post
cards at the rate of ten dollars thou
sand, to be had in California, depict
ing ostriches all running in one di-
rection. Give one of these to every
visitor. The admission fee is twenty
five cents. Invest about two hundred
dollars in advertising, for a good start
is of Importance. Four thousand peo-
pie may arrive before three o'clock in
the afternoon, gaze on the ten os-
triches, make remarks of various tenor
and quietly depart. That is thous-
and dollars for the proprietor.
DIT tbo ,y;citorc Yo,ct not ha allowed