Bisbee daily review., 1911-09-07
CRv Chas. A. Dinsmore.l )


 Within 15 miles of Phoenix, Arizona, there are 5000 ostrfches, worth ap- proximately s4oO each. There are many farms in this section where from 15 to 3500 birds are being cared for: and all these farms are for the purpose of raising birds and producing feathers for the market-there is not a show place" here. The farms in- clude the W. S. Pickrell place, 45O birds: Dr. Chanler. 300; Spangler Co. 175: Cummings, IS; Belgan-American Farm. $50; Arizona Ostrich Farm, 450; John Meyers, 30: Lenarm, 30: Pear son, 100; Harman, SO; Ivy, F; Pan- American, 3500 Thirty years ago there was one pair of ostri>aes, and no one knew, anything about them or how to care for them Today the farmers Of the Salt River valley are more expert than are the farmers of South Africa, where ostrich raising has been busi- ness for many years. The desert sec tion is actually better for ostrich raising than is Africa. The breeders of Arizona are progressive, and they are now breeding for betterment in every way. A few years ago the feath- CTS from a bird averaged in value S25 per year; the manager of one Of the Phoenix farms has bred his birds ID to an average Of S55 and is pushing forward with the idea that in a short time the average will be ST5. w. l. Cross, manager of the Pan-American, is giving more careful attention, pos sibly, to this breeding for betterment than any of the others, and is success ful in it. He thinks now that it is possible to produce a bird having ab- solutely white plumage-all the feath- CTS pure white. To the novice this would seem like a joke-but maybe t VII come to pass, and if it does the ostrich business will Le more profit able than it is now by a great deal. ] The returns from this business are large now, though the feathers are sold to eastern commission men; but in a short time the Phoenix breeders will have in shape a plant wherein ] the feathers will be prepared for the ! hat and sold direct to the dealer. At this time feathers bring from S25 to ' ST5 per pound, the higher price for ! the largest, perfect feathers of which there are few on bird, and of which | l20 weighs a pound. The average price all-'round is $30, making total for | the bird of about s45 per year. Each ! bird is plucked every eight months, averaging a pound to the plucking. ] As demonstration has been made | that Arizona conditions are ideal for | the successful raising of ostriches ] the business will improve rapidly, When. 20 years ago, man took a I pair of birds and IA chicks to Phoenix with the intention of starting an os- trich farm for profit, he was the brunt ' of many jokes, and when all but two ! of those birds were killed through 1 ignorance in handling it lookes blue to him as well. But he persisted, stud | fed, exercised great care-and the 5000 birds now in the valley are prac' ticaily the result, while thescoffing has given way to emulation. Each hen lays from 12 to 50 eggs a year, the eggs weighing an average of pounds each. Some are matched and some are sold to curious persons at 50 cents each. Each chick is worth S25 when Il emerges from the shell, and up to s40e and $500 by the time it is four years
 old, while in some cases especially fine birds (breeders) are worth up tc 5000 and more. The bird lives to 50 years and over, and the feathers are
 prime" from { years to 50. South AT
 rica breeders who have been in the Salt River valley on investigation state that the conditions here are bet
 ter than in Africa. but that the lat ter birds are bred up better. The i'm provement is on the upgrade here now
 and of course before long we shall ex
 eel Africa, as we have the foundation the enterprise and the energy to make the best of today the poor of tomor row. This ostrich business is quite interesting. and EIeaned many facts recently while visiting the W. s. Pick
 reIi and the Pan-American farms.
 I The birds are paired in the earl,
 spring, as laying begins in FebruarJ
 and continues for four months