90 



Tlit CAXADIAX JiORTICVLTL'RIST. 



rice, and it is on these lartje fields ot rice 

 that the ducks feed during the Summer and 

 Kail. These beds or fields of rice, some a 

 few acres, and others of two or three hund- 

 red acres in extent, not only supply fish and 

 fowl with part of their food, but also men, 

 women and children with part oi theirs. 

 Many consider the native rice to be 

 superior to the imported in point o'i flavor. 



g-rowing in water from two or three feet to 

 six or eight in depth, if the season is a dry 

 one, the crop is sure to be light, but if 

 showery, then the yield is heavy. Those 

 not acquainted with this fact laugh at it ; 

 still, laugh as one may, the fact remains — 

 little rain, little rice ; just enough rain, a 

 good yield. 



The manner of harvesting is peculiar. 



Fig. 2014. The Encampment on Rice Lake, Sugar Island. 



The harvesting of the rice crop is entirely 

 in the hands oi the Indians, descendants of 

 the ancient Ojibway tribe, there being a 

 reservation at Alderville and another at 

 Hiawatha. 



There are two leading varieties of rice, an 

 early and late, the former maturing in 

 August, the other late in September. 



Strange to say that the rice crop, though 



Being in the water, neither reaper, scythe 

 nor sickle are used, but a canoe and two 

 occupants, generally an Indian and a squaw, 

 the one paddling the canoe through the 

 dense mass of straw, the other pulling the 

 straw over so that the heads of rice are 

 fairly over the canoe, then with a stick the 

 grain is beaten out or off into the bottom of 

 the canoe ; this is done from one side and 



