OSTRICH FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2397, 8 December 1881, Page 4

OSTRICH FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA.

[Abridged from " Chambers' Journal."] Considerable attention has of late been drawn to the comparatively new industry at the Cape of farming domestioated ostriches. Up till about twenty years ago it does not appear to have ooourrod to any one to make any attompt at domesticating the ostrich. Wild ones were to bo mot with by the travellor, dotted about in little groups in all the less-frequonted inland _ plains; but, hunted and persecuted, it is not to be wondered at that ostriohes would have ere long been entirely extirpated. About this time it ocourred to Mr Kinnear, a gentleman then reaident at Beaufort-West in the colony, that it might be possible to domesticate the young of the wild birds, and that thus another valuable industry might be added to the colony's, at that time somewhat limited, resources. BeaufortWest being in the very heart of the country -whore the wild birds abounded, he was not long in obtaining a few young birds which had been run down only a day or two old. These were carefully tended and fel by him. When a few months old they wero allowed to run on the lucerne fields about the homestead. They throve and fully answered hia most sanguine expectations. When eighteen months old, and every eight or ten months after, they yielded their beautiful crop of rich plumes. When three or four years old they began to breed, laying on an average fifteen oi sixteen eggs, and bringing out about twelve or fourteen young; but so little notice did tbe matter attract that as late as 1865 there were only eighty domestioated ostriches in the whole colony. From that time more attention was directed to the subject, and a demand arose for young birds, which inoreased in value from a few •hillings eaoh to ten and even fifteen pounds ; so that by the year 1875, according to the census returns of that year, the domestioated birds had inoreased to 28,000, and will no donbt by this time have reached 50,000 at least. The feathers from these, together with some from wild ones beyond the boundary of the colony, realised last year, according to tho Colonial Customs returns, little short of half • million sterling. The value of a pair of good breeding birds ranges now from £IOO to £3OO, and even as much as £SOO has been more than once given for pairs of good and legular breeding birds. Ostrich farmers may be divided into two clasiea —first, those who buy the young birds from the breeders when from four to twelve months old, keep them for the sake of their feathers, and sell them as breeding birds when they have paired off and are of a proper age, •ay three or four years, for " breeders; " and seoondly, those who give their attention to breeding birds only, selling the young as they are hatched, or when they are a few months old.

At four or six mpnths old the young birds are worth at present about £ls; at twelve months their chicken feathers are clipped. These are poor shabby things, the yield of eaoh bird being worth no more than about 30a. In about eight months, however, the first crop of good feathers is dipped, yielding, according to the quality and aex of the bird, from £5 to £l2; and this is repeated every eight months with like result, till the bird takes to breeding, after whioh it is not desirable to deprive them of their feathers, as they require them to cover the eggs on the nest, and to regulate the heat daring the process of incubation. Paired ostriohes are generally placed in an enclosure, the larger the better, by themselves; where, in addition to the food growing there, they are, if neoessary supplied with additional food, snoh as mangel wurzel, lucerne, &c, or with some animal food and a good supply of bones, without which two last they do not thrive.

Daring the laying season the male is very ■avage, and will fearlessly attack any man or other animal coming within reach. One kick from his musoular leg has been known to kill a man. The hen lays an egg every other day, until there are from fifteen to eighteen in the nest, whioh is simply a shallow hollow scratched out of the ground, a sandy place being usually fixed upon for this purpose. Incubation takes six weeks, the male taking bis torn to sit during the night, and the female during the day. Wonderful intelligence is shown by the birds in adjusting the amount of warmth neoessary for the inoubation of the eggs. During the night, early in the morning, and in the evening, the body is rested full on the balk of the eggs, tbe outer ones being protected by the wing feathers being spread over them. As the heat of the day increases the body is at first slightly lit ted, and then more and more bo, the bird resting on its haunches. At noon, if the heat is very great, the bird leaves the nest, and feeds close by till the beat moderates, when she resumes her task, the male bird relieving his mate at dark. From twelve to fifteen chicks are generally hatched. A few years ago artificial incubators were used, the eggs being removed from the nest as soon as laid. But it has been found better to allow the birds to hatch their own eggs. If properly fed on the nest as well as after the hutching, the ostrioh will begin to lay again generally in three weeks or a month, and thus bring out three or four broods in a year. If the incubator is used there will be frequent failure from improper application of heat, and it is said that the young thus brought out are not so robust as those hatohed naturally. The parent bird tarns all the eggs in the nest very carefully onoe a day. The young birds are very delicate, requiring constant attention for some months, especially as they are very susoeptible to cold and wet, and are subject to intestinal worms. A decoction of the root of the pomegranate is found to be the best oure for these pests. There is a great difference in the featherproducing quality of ostriches, some yielding only three pounds' worth at a clipping, while others yield as much as fifteen pounds' worth.

It is surprising how very tame the domestioated birds beoome except when breeding. They will allow you to approach them quite closely without being alarmed. They will take food from your hand and peck at the buttons of your ooat. They will swallow food in pieces as large as oranges. The gullet passes spirally round their long necks, down whioh the pieces of food can be easily traoed. Xhe wild aloe and cactus leaves when cut up are very acceptable to them, and serve valuable medioinal purposes as well. In feeding they do not masticate, but strip the leaves and tender shoots of their favorite plants, and in like manner gather the grass seedp. The beautiful white plumes so highly prized by ladies all over the world grow on the ends of the wings of the male birds. A good bird in his prime will yield from twenty to thirty of these, besides a few black feathers also from the wings. The tail feathers are not nearly ao valuable or so beautiful. The hen also yields fine plumes from their wing tips, but they are generally spotted and flocked with grey, and are called " feminines." Those which in the male bird are black are grey with ber. From one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty good long feathers go to a pound ; they are always sold by weight, and are all sent to the English market.