Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-08
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

With ostrich feathers quoted ut about
the lowest figure ever reached because
Of decentralization OF
Ostrich Farm the markets resulting
from two such wholly
Al @AAAVAo' different causes as the
within Of fashion and the European war
| tho government established q few
months ago an experimental ostrich
breeding farm near Glendale. Ariz
and hopes to nurse what 10 one OF
| Americas strangest infant industries
back to health by eliminating haphaz-
ard practices and substituting scien-
tiflc methods.
1t has been found from a recent sur
vey of conditions in the southwest by
Department of Agriculture that there
has been practically no demand for the
feathers during the past year and that
thousands of dollars worth of them
points Of production. The market is
beginning to recover now, however. and
ostrich farmers are more hopeful OF
the future.
What the industry might be made to
mean to American producers Is shown
by the value of imported ostrich feath-
ers in normal years. The total value
of raw" feathers brought in in 1919
was 100000. and it is estimated that
manufacture raised this value to more
less than 10000 of the strange birds
that produce these valuable feathers in
the United States, and their annual
production can supply only a small
in this country. At present American
feathers are inferior to those imported
from South Africa. which country DOM
mates the ostrich feather industry of
the world.
The people Of South Africa have
given much thought to breeding and
have produced birds that yield supe-
rior feathers. They have also given
thought to preserving a monopoly and
have carefully placed an embargo on
recognized, therefore, that improve
ment In this country must come from
careful selection and breeding with the
stock on hand. This stock is descend
ed from birds brought from South At
RIGA in the eighties of the last century
before the embargo was established.
Breeding has been recognized by the
government experts as their principal
problem. because heretofore there has
been little or no direction of this all
triches. and many Of the birds have
therefore deteriorated. But while
breeding will hold first place in the
program of work at the experiment
STATION, studies Will also be made OF
the effects of different kinds and guam
titles of foods on feather production.
AS ostrich farming is now organized
IN this country. 1t is largely a special
ICED business. Most Of the f1ocks con-
sist of from 100 to 200 birds. but there
are few large ranches having as
high as 1000. and In one case 1000
birds. The ostrich experts of the De-
partment Of Agriculture are interested
In the organization of the industry in
some parts of South Africa, where
many of the country people keep small
nocks OF ostricheS as an incident to
general farming. much as small fiocks
of sheep and geese are kept. 1t is be-
lieved that this plan will eventually be
found profitable in the United States.
1t Is pointed out that though the United
States Is a very large consumer of os-
trich feathers, the imported article has
heretofore been able to undersell the
home product, SO keeping the industry
from developing here. Ostrich farmers
say that II the duty on the feathers
were slightly increased their industry
could be built up rapidly.
Ostriches lay about twenty eggs a
marketable feathers at about two years
old. The annual crop is worth about
$50 under good market conditions. The
chief domestic centers of ostrich farm
ing are now in southern California and
Arizona, but experts see no reason
why the awkward birds should not be
raised with equal success in some of
the hot, dry country of Texas, New
Mexico. Utah. Nevada and other west
ern and southwestern states.