66 PROPAGATING NEW GROUNDS, ETC. 
family; order Mydrocharidcee, called Vallisneria 
Spiralis. When the flowers are in full bud, the fertile 
flower by a rapid growth on a slender scape or stem 
rises to the surface of the water; at the same time, the 
staminate flowers, which are rarely seen, break off 
from their short pedicle existing at the bottom, rise 
and float upon the surface where they expand and 
shed their pollen around the stigma of the fertile 
flower; after being fecundated, the thread-form scape 
coils up spirally, drawing the pod under water to 
ripen, so you have’ to pick them between the surface 
and the bottom. When picked, they should be placed 
in a can of water, kept at the same temperature of the 
water they were taken from and never allowed to be- 
come dry. This rule applies to all bulbs, seeds and 
roots which are always. totally submerged; inattention 
to which rule forms the chief source of their failure to 
germinate. 
The flavor of the canvas-back ducks is derived en- 
tirely from this plant, and they follow the lakes and 
coast where it abounds; but should the supply be 
short or wanting the flavor is absent and a canvas- 
back is no better eating than a mallard or pintail. 
Conversely, redheads, scaups, ringbills and bald-pates, 
who eagerly devour it, obtain the flavor likewise and 
their flesh when eaten could hardly be detected by an 
epicure, if it were not for their voraciousness in gob- 
bling up everything that comes in their way lacking 
the aristocratic taste of the canvas-back. 
The Nymphea tuberosa, a non-scented water lily 
with large white flowers, furnishes many tubers which 
are eagerly sought by all of the above, especially if 
Vallisneria is absent. 
