ELEVEN IMPORTANT WILD-DTCK POODS. 
21 
WATER-CRKSS. 
VALUE AS DUCK FOOD. 
Knowledge of the importance of water-cress as a duck food is 
derived entirely from breeders of wild ducks, who almost without 
exception consider it a valuable 
plant for a duck farm. Not only is 
it relished, but it is said to grow so 
fast in some places that the ducks 
can not eat it out. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLANT. 
Water-cress (Sisymbrium nastur- 
tium-(iqu(it'icum) either floats in the 
water, rooted only at the lower end, 
or creeps along on mud or in shal- 
low water, throwing out roots at 
every joint. It is a smooth, fleshy 
plant, with divided leaves and small 
white flowers (fig. 18). The leaves 
consist of 3 to 9 symmetrically ar- 
ranged oval or roundish segments, 
of which the apical of each leaf is the 
largest. The pods vary from one- 
half to one and one-fourth inches in 
length, are slightly curved, and con- 
tain numerous small seeds. There 
is a constant succession of flowers 
and pods throughout the growing 
season. The plant sometimes is 
strongly tinged with olive-brown, 
suggesting one of its common names, 
brown-cress. Other names are 
w T ell-cress or -grass, water -kers, -kars, 
-karse, or -grass, crashes, and brook- 
lime. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Water-cress occurs practically 
throughout the United States. 
PROPAGATION. 
Water-cress usually is propagated 
by seed. This may be obtained 
from most seedsmen. The plant is also easily transplanted by cut- 
tings. It grows in springs, brooks, small streams, and shallow^ ponds. 
Fig. 18.— Water-cress. 
