September i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
241 
OSTRICH- .FAKMIN 6. 
(From Spon's " Encyclopuidiae.") 
The rearing of ostriches lias assumed consider- 
able importance, notably in our S. African colonies. 
The natural homo of the bird is there found in 
the "karroo" plains and sweet-grass Hats of the 
interior, and though it sometimes resorts to the 
long sour-grass of tho coast, it will not thrive on 
the" "strand veldt" or sour-grass of the sandstone 
ridges. This is explained by the fact that alkalies 
are essential to the health of' the bird and the proper 
development of its feathers : and whero care is taken 
to supply this deficiency, in tho shape of food, less 
difficulty will bo found in selecting a bite for the 
farm. Tho couutry must be open, and the soil 
should be sandy in places. Opinions vary as to 
whether tho birds should bo confined in a narrow 
area, and fed by hand; or be allowed to run free 
incubators is that the birds' fe 
condition at the time of incubn 
'I'll. 
>cks must be well fenced with 
loose stone walls, or post and wire fencing, about 
4 ft. high. The number of birds allowed 011 au acre 
50 I aoi B, according to the nature of the land, and 
tho amount of food artificially supplied. Shed accom- 
modation must bs provided for the birds to seek 
shelter in by night or during storms, and over-crowd- 
ing must be car. fully avoided. The birds require, 
water, and are fond of bathing during tho hottest 
leasou. In the matter of food, considerable latitude 
and indigenous grasses suffice ; as the season advances, 
these may bo supplemented by fruit and grain (bar- 
Icy, maiz*, &c). A mature bird will require 20 1b. 
of lucerne, or 3 lb. of grain, daily. If necessary, lime 
must be supplied in tho form of bono-', besides which, 
a little sulphur and salt should be provided. 
'J he birds are paired at the ago of five ycar3, one 
male being coupled with one or two females. Separ- 
ate pens are provided for Ibis purpose. Nidificatiou 
begins in July. Laying commences in August, and 
lasts for about six weeks, the eggs numbering 15-20 
from each hen. If not removed for artificial tnenba- 
| tion, tho birds tako turns in sitting on them, till 
they are hatched, in October. On taking away the 
young brood, tho hen will lay again about December, 
j but is then not nearly so proli&V. It is se'dom that 
tlie birds are allowed to hatch out their brood, much 
bett'T results being obtained by the use of artificial 
incubators. The form of incubator most commonly 
Employed is that devised by A. Douglass, of Hilton. 
It consists of a deal box, about 3 ft. square, open 
I above, and resting upon a copper or zinc pan 3 in. 
j deep, and of the same area as the box. This pan 
; contains hot water, the vapour of which ascends 
through suitable openings into the box above. The 
I temperature of the wat>r is maintained by an oil 
: lamp burning beneath a portion of the pan, separ- 
ate.! by a wall from the incubating room, to avoid 
tho ill effects of the fumes upon the young clucks. 
Tho heat is constantly regulated by means of thenno- 
bseter* : the temperature of tho box should be 
80° (I0'2° F.) when it rec- ives tho eggs; after 2 weeks 
it is reduced to 37$° (!0<V F.); and. in 2 weeks 
more, t > 'M'^" (98° F.) Incubation lasts for 42 days. 
Xhe eggs aro turned and aired by opening tho box 
' and removing the blanket covering once or iwico daily. 
A fortn ght before ths incubation is finished, tho eggs 
aro examined ngain-t th'< light, to ascertain Low soon 
the ha ching may tako place ; and a week later, those 
etrataiumg weak chicks aro carefully punctured near 
the Minall end. to ass ; at tho occupants in olToctin : 
the r oape. Tho proportion of failures should not 
«xc ed 1 in 12: in natural hatching it amounts to 
4 in 20. Another good reason I", r a lopting artificial 
»;i 
e in pnmest 
I that many 
;t spoilt during tho time when the birds 
As soon as hatched, the chicks should 
a warm but well-ventilated coop, which 
nstruc ed of a box, containing a lot of 
other warm material banging from the 
bread crumbs, bran, 
they may be let out 
closure made around 
vo grain, bread, and 
n in at night. Until 
ng them, and 
lugs and have 
tuiiy is groat 
maoy break t 
s at the age of 8 
at intervals of 8 
ries, according 
roof. They are 
and water ; on 
during the d >y 
tho incub itor, a 
green vegetable- 
3 months old 
even after that 
to be killed. 
Tho bird yields its first pit 
months, and continues to do 
months throughout its life, which 
to different authorities, from 8 to 100 years, but 
may probably average 25-30 years. Tho first feathers 
arc small and of little value. The gathering of the 
plumes is a delicato operation, performed either by 
plucking them out bodily, or by severing them near 
the base by means of a sharp knife. The former 
plan was long the only one, and gives the greater 
weight of feather ; but it is now generally superseded 
by the latter, as it often, produces a kind of irritation 
fever in the birds. When cutting is adopted, the 
stumps require pulling out about a month or 6 weeks 
later, uuless they have already been shed naturally. 
Neither method appears to cause the bird any appreci- 
able pain. The operation is performed while the 
birds are placed singly in a padded crib, or are so 
no room for kicking, 
experimentally undertaken 
i"ty of Victoria, on the 
ray Downs, and has quite 
i .South Australia. Many 
unfavourable influence upon 
ave not hitherto 
industry is being 
so that thes( 
;verthele^s, tl 
Oriental and th 
to keep the br 
Rhea, as c 
1 a parcel of the feathers sent to 
:et were pronounced bettor than any 
>iill more recently it is stated that 
have been introduced into the Bauda 
Argentine Republic ; it is intended 
d quite distinct from the native 
-sing them produces a sterile race with 
int. 
Classification, Value, and Uses of Ostrich Plnmes.- 
As tho feathers are gathered, they arc sorted accord- 
ing to their quality, the operation being gcuerally 
cutruste 1 1 1 negroes. The best white plumes known 
as "bloods," are only tho tail and primary wing 
feathers ; the black plumes are secondary wing feathers. 
The classification of Cape ostrich featiiers for Loudon 
markets are as follows : — (I) White; wild :— bloods, 
due ; Prima, best ; Prima, long usual ; L and II. 
mixed ; seronds ; seconds and thirds mixed ; thirds ; 
tame: fino<t quality, cut quill; Prima, usual; Prima, 
ordiua-y defective tops ; seconds j seconds and tnirds 
mixed. (2) Femina : — light color, good quality ; usual; 
ha f-da k ; d irk. (3) ItvoKS :— white, with black spots. 
(4) Boos:— tail feather-, white usual, light fern.; 
dark f- m. (5) Bl ICK : —long and medium g od ; me- 
dium and short; short . (0) Dl: \ n : - gr y, long aud 
medium ; medium and short ; short. (7) SfadonBS : — 
white and light fern : fem ; drab. Tho relative quali- 
ties of the feathers from different counti ios a o iu the 
following order, beginning wi h tho best: — (I) "VI p- 
po," from Syria ; tho fin-et in plumage, breadth, 
grace, and c dour ; very rare; (2) "Ba-lnry" from 
Tripoli; (3) "St. Louts" from Senegal; (4) "I'.gypt " 
do not bleich thoroughly white: (o) "Mogador" 
fioui Morocco; (0) "Capo" a< good in colour as 
" Aleppo," but Of inferior quality . (7) " Yemeu," or 
(erroneously) "Senegal," from Arabia; pluuiago thin 
