20 



THE GAME BREEDER 



tougher than that of sago pondweed, 

 more frequently jointed, and often an- 

 gled at the joints. There are no tubers. 

 The seeds are black, rounded triangular 

 in outline, with a small pit on each side 

 near the apex, and on one edge an oblong 



Fig. 15 — Wigeon-grass. 



lid which is forced out during germina- 

 tion. Pondweed seeds have a similar lid, 

 but are usually larger than those of 

 wigeon-grass, never black, and lack the 

 apical pits. 



Wigeon-grass is usually referred to in 

 books as sea or ditch-grass; it is also 

 called tassel-grass, tassel-weed, tassel- 

 pondweed, nigger-wool, puldoo-grass 

 and peter-grass. The last two names 

 are compounded from terms by which 

 the coot is known in Southern States, 

 and indicate that wigeon-grass is highly 

 relished by that bird. 



Distribution. 



Wigeon-grass is a brackish-water 

 plant. It grows in salt water, but proba- 

 bly never in that of full ocean strength. 

 It also grows in water that passes for 

 fresh, as in the upper part of Currituck 

 Sound, North Carolina, but inlets from 

 the ocean to this part of the sound have 



existed in recent years and high tides 

 at times cross the narrow beach. Salt 

 in the soil or salt springs, even if cov- 

 ered by fresh water, also give wigeon- 

 grass the conditions necessary for exist- 

 ence ; this explains its scattering distribu- 

 tion in the interior of the country (Fig. 

 17). Along the coast wigeon-grass 

 occurs from the base of the Alaska 

 Peninsula and the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 south to Central America.* 



Propagation. 



Wigeon-grass may be propagated from 

 the seeds, which ripen in late summer 

 and early autumn. These should be 

 gathered with about 6 inches of the 

 upper part of the plant, as the foliage 

 tends to keep them from drying. This 

 material should not be packed in large 

 masses, but free circulation of air should 

 be provided to prevent fermentation. As 

 little time as possible should intervene 

 between gathering and planting. If it is 

 desired to keep the seeds for some time 

 they may be placed in wet cold storage. 



After soaking the seed until it will 

 sink, sow broadcast, in quiet but not 

 stagnant water over mud bottom. 



Fig. 17 — Fruits of wigeon-grass. 



Wigeon-grass grows in water varying in 

 depth from a few inches to 10 feet. It 

 should be sown where the water is per- 

 manently 1 to 2 feet deep. 



*Authorities hold a variety of views regard- 

 ing the number of species of Ruppia which 

 occur in this area. The purposes of this pub- 

 lication, however, are best served by grouping 

 all the forms under one name. 



