OSTRICH FARMING. 
104 
attempted to derive all the advantages possible from 
this new branch of industry. I therefore wrote to my 
son in London, about three years ago — early in 1869, 
I think — requesting him to hunt up some maker of 
incubators for hens’ eggs, hoping, by giving him the 
size of the egg, habits of ostrich, &c., to be enabled to 
get a machine adopted for hatching ostriches. He sent 
me a letter in reply, and prospectus from Mr. W. H. 
Thick, 188 Weddington-road, Kentish Town, London, 
W.C., offering to construct one if I sent him all 
particulars. I had great difficulty in inducing anyone 
to enter on the risk. My brother declined, preferring 
to wait till he sa w if his birds would not breed in their 
natural state, and hatch their young. Not being a farmer 
myself, although perceiving at once the immense value of 
such an important aid to this second diamond discovery 
or rather gold discovery to the colony (for feathers were 
realising their weight in gold — ,£45 per lb., and single 
feathers, 15s. to £1 each, or about £G0). I could not 
myself carry out the idea. At last I persuaded 
Mr. Arthur Douglas, of Hilton, to send home an order 
for one of Mr. Thick’s machines, which, on the road 
from Port Elizabeth, was unfortunately broken to 
pieces. However, by constructing another on the 
same principle, which was afterwards varied to suit the 
new phenomena that presented themselves during the 
experimental incubation, and taking advantage of the 
practical lessons of the birds actually on the nest, 
testing their temperature, &c., Mr. Douglas has suc- 
ceeded in making a machine which has proved very 
efficient, though in many respects differing from the 
one originally imported. Several ostrich farmers have 
had his improved incubator, and have been perfectly 
