22 wild rice: its uses and propagation. 



It is allowed to ferment during the curing process or to become too 

 dry, either of which conditions seriously injures its vitality. Prac- 

 tically all attempts to germinate thoroughly dried seed have proved 

 unsuccessful. 



PLANTINGS MADE IN 1902. 



In order to determine the best methods to be used in curing, storing, 

 and planting the seed a series of plantings was made both in northern 

 Minnesota and at Washington. D. C. The seed was collected, fresh 

 and planted in tubs of mud sunk into the muddy bottoms where wild 

 rice naturally grows. The tubs were covered with tine screens to 

 prevent other seeds getting in and to prevent the removal or destruc- 

 tion of tin 1 seed planted. These plantings were examined from time 

 to time. No sigrns of oermination were noticed in the autumn imme- 

 diately following the planting, but at the time the naturally sown seed 

 around the tubs began to grow, in the spring of 1903. the seed in the 

 tubs was found to be germinating freely, thus showing that when the 

 seed is planted in a fresh condition and never allowed to heat or dry 

 it will grow well. 



Plantings were also made by Mr. D. W. Hallam. of Dover, N. H., 

 in a number of ponds where wild rice had never grown. In some the 

 seed was planted in the fall of 1902, and in others in the spring of 

 1903. These ponds were visited the second week in June, 1903. and 

 the plants were found to be growing well in all cases. 



STORING SEED. 



Mr. Hallam has succeeded in keeping wild rice seed over winter 

 with its vitality uninjured. The following extract from a letter from 

 him under date of April 15, 1903, shows how this was done: 



The wild rice was ordered with instructions to ship as soon as gathered without 

 drying. I received it on the 27th <lay of October, 1902. The barrel was placed on 

 end in the shade out-of-doors, the head taken out, with about a bushel of seed, and 

 a faucet was put in at the bottom to drain the water. The seed was weighted with a 

 cover, and cold water enough to till the barrel put in each morning and drained 

 out daily. The barrel was kept full. < >n the 5th of December ice began to form on 

 the inside of the barrel. Care was taken in adding water so as not to burst the 

 barrel. By the 25th of December there was a frozen mass of ice and seed that filial 

 the barrel. No water was then added until the middle of March, and then only 

 enough to keep the barrel full, for as yet there was quite a mass of ice and seed. 

 Since April began it has been necessary to change the water daily. Our water here 

 is quite cold, 45° to 55° F. I have sent a sample bottle. 



The seed received from Mr. Hallam with this letter had germinated 

 and had sprouts from one-half to 1 inch in length when it arrived. 

 Later, a larger quantity of seed, about 2 quarts, was received from 

 Mr. Hallam. of which 75 per cent had germinated. 



It seems from the results of the experiments referred to that wild 

 rice can be successfully grown from seed either by sowing the fresh 



