WISCONSIN AQUATIC NURSERIES, 
WILD RICE 
TO LURE THE MARSH DUCKS 
Mallards, Pintails, Black- 
ducks, Teal, Widgeon and 
Canada Geese fly hundreds 
and hundreds of miles to 
the Wild Rice Marshes. 
During Fall they find the 
ripened grains in great 
abundance, also shelter and 
hiding places among the 
tall growth. If there are 
several Wild Rice marshes 
in the vicinity, great num¬ 
bers of these waterfowl will 
be seen passing from one 
marsh to the other. In the 
north only the freezing 
water will drive them out. 
Farther south they will stay 
on these good feeding 
grounds throughout the en¬ 
tire winter. Wild Rice is 
also very important as a 
Muskrat food. 
A field of Wild Rice once established makes a 
permanent feeding grounds, for Wild Rice reseeds 
itself from year to year. 
WHERE TO PLANT 
The best places for planting wild rice are in 
fresh water streams, sloughs, marshy lakes or 
ponds, having an outlet, soft mud bottom and waters 
from 6 inches to 3^ feet in depth. In sunny shel¬ 
tered bays or coves on larger lakes, streams or 
rivers where it is protected from waves or strong 
currents are excellent places to plant. If planted 
upstream, parts of the plants and some of the seed 
produced, will be carried downstream each year, and 
become established in suitable places all along the 
waterway. 
Near the seacoast wild rice will thrive in streams 
where the waters are not salty to taste and where 
the tide is not over four feet. Tame rice fields that 
depend on tides for their water supply are usually 
very good places for growing wild rice, or in old 
abandoned rice fields where there is a change of 
water. 
Wild Rice is easy to grow. It does very well in 
Canada and the United States. It has proven a 
marked success in waters where conditions were 
favorable. A free change of fresh water is the main 
requirement, stagnant waters are injurious. 
PLACES NOT SUITABLE 
Years of experience has taught us that Wild Rice 
does not do well in landlocked lakes or ponds (those 
having no outlet) waters salty to taste, strongly 
alkaline or on white marl bottom soil. Such places 
as along the Mississippi River and its tributaries 
where the water rises and stays ten feet or more 
above the low water mark for several weeks during 
spring are also unsatisfactory. Wild Rice will be 
drowned out by such a condition. If conditions such 
Wild Rice Head 
