42 NATURAL FOODS OF WILD DUCKS 



hand-reared in large numbers, the importance of the 

 natural foods has grown rapidly. 



In a bulletin on "Wild Rice, Its Uses and Propaga- 

 tion," issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry, United 

 States Department of Agriculture, we are told that by 

 far the largest demand for information regarding this 

 plant has come from men or organizations wishing to 

 secure viable seed for planting near shooting grounds 

 to attract wild fowl. In the future this information will 

 be sought by those who are breeding wild ducks for 

 sport and profit. 



The bulletin referred to and a second bulletin on 

 "The Salt Water Limits of Wild Rice," issued by the 

 same department, will be of more economic importance 

 and value now that the States and Provinces have be- 

 gun amending their game laws so as to permit the 

 profitable industry of game breeding. It seemed hardly 

 worth while for one department of the Government to 

 issue expensive bulletins telling the people how to pro- 

 duce foods for breeders when another department was 

 actively interested in game laws prohibiting such in- 

 dustry. The two bulletins above referred to contain 

 much information about wild rice and the best methods 

 for its introduction. The earlier experiments with this 

 plant failed, undoubtedly, because the seed was dried 

 before shipping and planting. It is now packed in moss 

 and shipped wet. 



Wild ducks also are fond of mast and eagerly devour 

 acorns, beech nuts and other small nuts, and all of these 

 foods impart a fine flavor to the flesh. On preserves 

 where these natural foods abound, or when they are in- 

 troduced and made abundant, they will be found not 



