198 THE AXGLER AXD HUXTSMAX 



on the surface of the water and fertilize the pistillate 

 flower. The latter is attached to a long, slender, round 

 stem, which contracts into a spiral, drawing the flower 

 under the water after fertilization. This spiral stem, 

 bearing the flower or pod, distinguishes wild celery from 

 the other plants mentioned. The seed pod into which the 

 pollenized flower develops is straight or curved, a little 

 slenderer than a common lead pencil, and from 3 to 6 inches 

 in length; it contains, embedded in a clear jelly, small dark 

 seeds, in number about 50 to the inch. Mr. McAtee states 

 no such pod is borne by any other fresh-water plant. 



Distribution of Wild Celery: 



Wild celery is found naturally from central Minnesota 

 through the Great Lake region to northern Xova Scotia, and 

 from eastern Kansas and eastern Texas east to the Atlantic 

 coast. Like wild rice it is more or less local in distribution, 

 and consequently may be absent from large areas within 

 its general range. 



Propagation of Wild Celery: 



Wild celery is comparatively easy to transplant. It 

 can be propagated both by seeds and by winter buds, and 

 the plant itself may be taken up and set out at almost any 

 time. Floating fragments of the plant with a little of the 

 rootstock attached, picked up in midsummer by Mr. McAtee, 

 rooted and grew r successfully. He states the prime requi- 

 sites in propagating celery are the same as in the case of 

 rice ; the buds, plants, or seeds must not be allowed to dry 

 or to ferment between gathering and planting. The seed 

 pods ripen from September to November and fall to the 

 bottom. They are best collected (by net or rake) on days 

 when the water is least ruffled during the latter part of Oc- 

 tober and early November. The winter buds may be col- 

 lected at the same season, before the leaves have disap- 



