WHIT FORD PARK OSTRICH FARM.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 178, 30 December 1892, Page 3

WHIT FORD PARK OSTRICH FARM.

AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY. The other day a Star reporter formed one of a party who visited Mr L. D. Nathan’s ostrich farm at Whitford Park. It was certainly a most enjoyable outing and was full of interest. A more pleasant means of spending a day’s holiday it would be difficult to devise, and during the summer months numbers of pleasure seekers undertake the journey. To anyone who has not seen an ostrich in the flesh, they are queer looking creatures. Thej- are so awk ward, so out of proportion, and everything- about them, except their plumage and their big, soft dark eyes, is so quaintly ugly, that they form a strange spectacle to look at. However, the pursuit of ostrich farmi.-i:- w one that is attended with profit to those who engage in it, and from what Mr Nathan informed us it has paid him equallv;cs wo! las raisin o * sheep, which is saying a great deal Of course the feathers are sent to London, where soma monster sales take place at intervals each year. We have before us the reports of auctions for this year and also for several years previous, and some satisfactory prices are chronicled. It appears there is always a good demand for the feathers, and to show the immense quantity submitted, wo notice that at one sale 2,300 cases were catalogued, of which 2,200 cases were sold, the value being about £BB,OOO. Best white ostrich feathers averaged from £ll to £l4 per pound weight, and other kinds according to their quality. Mr Nathan has his birds plucked three times in two years, and the average weight of feathers from a bird each year is at least one pound in weight. An ostrich is plucked when six months’ old and every eight months afterwards. Taking the lowest average price for the different kinds of feathers, it is estimated that an ostrich returns a profit of £8 per annum. The process at Whitford Park of plucking, sorting and tying up the feathers in readiness for market was shown to the party in all its details. The ‘ plucking-box i> ... soli4 wooden box in which though there is just room for an ostrich to stand, ha cannot possibly turn round and sho w any signs of his savage propensities. Each bird is got in after more or less of a scuffle. Then the operator has him completely in his power, in the box, and with a few rapid snips of the shears, the birds splendid wings are soon denured of their plumes. The different kinds of feathers are known to the trade as prime whites, blacks, tails and feminas. It appears that ostriches are very easily reared, and Mr Nathan has found it best to hatch the eggs in a natural manner, instead of by an Incubator. The male and female birds alternately sit on the eggs, mid it is, from all accounts, strange, the regularity with wuich the t-wo birds come on and off at their fixed times. The hen ostrich lays every alternate day ; and if, tor each egg laid one is taken from the nest, she will continue laying until she has produced from twenty to thirty. If no eggs arc taken away, the hen leaves off laying as soon as sho has fiorn fifteen to twenty, which is the greatest number that can be covered by the birds. Ostriches are attracted by everythin °- bright and glittering, and the manager of the estate lglis some almost incredible stories about them snatching articles of jewellerv and but - have : -o close -ix'b The paiLi we ■ ... ... ... the progress or » o ■ ‘■■‘■.4 »iowu the long- throat of the bird, and it is quite evident they are capable of eating anything fearless of consequences. A great deal o'! space might be taken up describing the habits of the ostrich, but suffice to say that it is an industry well worth trying by farmers if they have any spare land. There are altogether 150 old and 50 young ostriches at Whitford Park at the present time. Mr Nathan has disposed of a number of birds during the last couple of years, and intends holding a sale by auction in the early part of nest year,