THERE is one bumper crop that has been harvested this 

 year that few of citizens of Minnesota are taking into 

 account. Men are giving thanks for bumper crops of 

 many small grains. Certain Chippewa Indians and others are 

 giving thanks for a bumper crop of wild rice. 



A Bumper Crop. 



Not for many years, has there been a crop of wild rice equal 

 to the one harvested this year. And there will be much of 

 it that cannot be harvested for the harvesters are few. 

 In Minnesota there are notable rice fields in the waters of 

 Bowstring including Bowstring lake and river. There are 

 y other important lakes such as Squaw and Big Rice 

 ere wild rice grows in abundance. On the Squaw and Big 

 Rice lakes thousands of acres in continuous rice fields are to 

 be found. Net lake and the rice fields of the Vermillion river 

 northwest of the Iron Range are also of great importance. 



Big Fields in Minnesota. 



Some of the largest wild rice fields on the American con- 

 tinent are to be found within the confines of the state of Min- 

 nesota. The wild rice region extends from Western Ontario 

 to Eastern Manitoba in Canada and south into central Min- 

 nesota. Mille Lacs is about the furthest south that wild rice 

 grows in any great quantity. Wild rice has been planted for 

 ducking preserves all over Europe, United States and Asia, 

 but the regions mentioned are the only natural wild rice 

 grounds. 



Wild rice will only grow on certain kinds of lake bottom. 

 It grows up from the bottom of the lake and thrives best in 

 about eight feet of water. The stage of the water is one of 

 the most important considerations. This year the water has 

 been just right and the abundant crop is the result. 



