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THIS IS THE LIFE—What a thrill to catch these big ones. Try your hand on this rod and lay the lure 
right at the edge of that weed bed. 
FERTILIZATION OF WATERS 
To promote the growth of natural wild duck foods 
it is not necessary to fertilize waters at all. 
To promote the growth of plankton and other 
microscopic animal and plant life for game fish one 
may fertilize to advantage. We suggest the use of 
100 pounds of 4-8-4 commercial fertilizer and 10 
pounds of agricultural lime per acre foot of water. 
If worthless undesirable mosses or other sub- 
merged plant life are too abundant and it is desired 
to eliminate them, excessive fertilization will gradu- 
ally cause them to disappear without harm to the 
border plants or the fish life. 
TO DESTROY PLANTS THAT PROTRUDE 
ABOVE WATERS 
When such plants as Caitail, certain species of 
rushes of little value, Lotus Waterlily or other aqua- 
tic or semi-aquatic plants that protrude above the 
water’s surface or grow along the borders become too 
abundant these can readily be controlled or destroyed. 
A practical method of control is by the use of 2-4-D 
(Sodium 2-4 Dichlorophenoxyethyl) can be obtained 
from local seed store, ask for 2-4-D. Mix 1 ounce 
2-4-d to 1 gallon of water and add 1/1000ths part 
of vatsol to each gallon of water as a wetting agent 
and spray on plants to be destroyed. For a stronger 
application use up to 18% of 2-4-D. If one treat- 
ment does not accomplish the purpose, wait about 
one month and give it a second application. These 
are hardy plants, but will eventually yield to the 
treatment. 
MUSKRAT FARMING 
Man has been engaged in the trapping of fur- 
bearing animals since the early ages. The women 
of the stone age wore furs as clothing, the modern 
women wear furs, not alone because of the warmth, 
but for the beauty and their personal adornment. 
Trappers, spurred by high prices, have ruthlessly 
depleted the wild supply. The drainage and reclama- 
tion of swamp lands have destroyed the breeding 
grounds of millions of muskrats. So, if we are to 
have a dependable supply of fur, they must be raised. 
Statistics compiled by Frank G. Ashbroeck of the 
U. S. Biological Survey, show that the muskrat is 
the most important of all fur bearers. More than 
fifty per cent of all fur used today is muskrat. His 
glossy pelt is not only used in its natural state, but 
when dyed is sold as Hudson seal, river mink, south- 
ern beaver, neutria, otter, sable and many other 
popular furs. For the past few years the demand 
for muskrat pelts has exceeded the supply by from 
fifteen to twenty million pelts. The result of this 
Page 20 
demand has prompted the commercial raising of 
this little fur bearer, by some of our largest manu- 
facturing furriers and far-sighted individuals. Musk- 
rat farming is a business, the same as banking, 
manufacturing or mining. It is as practical as the 
raising of sheep, cattle or hogs, the difference being 
that it is ten times as profitable. 
To successfully raise muskrats one must have a 
marsh with a uniform water level. The depth of the 
water and musk, or floating bog, must be sufficient 
so that it will not freeze to the bottom in the most 
severe winter, the result of which would be cutting 
off of the food supply and the starvation of the 
animals. The swamp lands must abound in the nat- 
ural foods of the muskrat, such as cat-tails, burreed, 
bulrushes, duck millet, three-blade grass, wild rice, 
wapato and wild celery. The location must also have 
high dry ground surrounding the swamp. 
If a muskrat farm is ideally located and well 
planted with natural foods, it is bound to be a money- 
maker, It is a never-failing crop, unaffected by hot, 
cold, wet or dry weather. 
Muskrats are hardy and immune from diseases. 
They multiply rapidly, being the most prolific of 
fur bearers. U. S. Government Bulletin 869 states 
that from actual observation one female produced 
thirty-three young in one breeding season. An in- 
teresting experiment has recently been concluded in 
Manitoba. A pair of muskrats were put into a pen 
and in nine months they and their progeny increased 
to the astounding total of 138. 
It has conclusively been proved that the young 
female born in the Spring will produce the same Fall. 
We have had increases of a second litter in the Fall 
from a female born in the Spring; this, however, is 
unusual. The next Spring she has the average 
litter, which is eight or ten young. 
—Courtesy American Field. 
Natural 
Muskrat Foods 
Listed here are the 
aquatic plants important 
as Muskrat Foods, all of 
which are listed with 
prices and description of 
growth and water condi- 
tions required, in _ this 
booklet. 
Page Page 
Willd Rice. etree onpmaretes 5 Sweet Fl hex: 
WaldsCelery=o cere man 6 Water ae Biba nosh ae . 
Savon Pond weedunme en mete 7 7 Or ae ae 
Wild (Jap): Miller) eeee 4 tees Plante nantes 15 
istaindl Sian Tenia 9 ree-Square Rush ........ 14 
Deep Water Duck Potato ..11 Burreed a ahaticehienenete ee eneasdemnn ue 14 
White Waterlily ........... 12 Cattaulsmicre go anaruemen ener: 14 
American: Lotus: ofc..0e4 00% 12 Reed (Grass: woe tnorrcn ses 14 
Wapato Duck Potato ....... 11 ehiere IG soc os ane manos 14 
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