4 BULLETIN 465, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



six for salt marshes (namely, Nos. 17, 18, 21, 24, 25, and 28), two for 

 salt marshes and sea beaches (39, 40), one for saline lakes (7), two 

 for fresh or brackish marshes (18, 21), one for fresh or brackish 

 water (8), and eight for wet soil (16, 20, and 33 to 38) ; there are 

 also five for swamps (15, 27, 29, 41, 42) in the number. 



WILD RICE. 



VALUE AS DUCK FOOD. 



Wild rice (Zizania palustrls and Z. aquatica) in every stage of its 

 growth is eaten by one or another of the North American ducks 

 and geese, and practically all of them feed on its ripened grain. It 

 is the staple fall food of many ducks in the numerous rice marshes of 

 eastern United States. The seeds are obtained mainly from the 

 bottom in shallow water, where they have fallen into a bed of soft 

 muck to await germination. Germination is often so delayed that 

 grain may sprout at any time up to at least 18 months after ripening. 

 This accounts for the fact that young shoots and germinating seeds 

 of wild rice are. found in ducks' stomachs at practically all seasons. 

 The shoots are devoured by many species, the flowers have been 

 found in the wood duck's stomach, and the stems and leaves of the 

 mature plants are eaten by geese. Wild rice constituted more than 

 17 per cent of the food of 209 mallards examined, 12 per cent of 

 that of 51 black ducks, and over 11 per cent of that of 75 wood 

 ducks. Other species known to feed upon the plant are the Canada 

 goose, snow goose, pintail, widgeon, lesser and greater scaups or 

 bluebills, canvas-back, redhead, green-winged and blue-winged teals, 

 buffle-head, and ruddy duck. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLANT. 



Wild rice is a tall, round-stemmed grass with long, flat, pointed 

 leaves (fig. 1). The stem, which may be as much as 2 inches in 

 diameter, is hollow, but is furnished with transverse partitions be- 

 tween as well as at the joints. These partitions may be seen when 

 the stem is cut lengthwise. The base of the stem is in the form 

 of a stout hook, and from it arise the numerous fibrous roots which 

 serve mainly to anchor the plant to the bottom. The flowers of wild 

 rice usually appear during the latter part of July, but may be found 

 as late as November. The appearance of the flower head is very 

 characteristic (fig. 1) ; the lower branches, which bear the staminate 

 or male flowers, are widely separated and stand out from the stem, 

 while the upper branches of pistillate flowers are erect and more 



