Evening journal., 1914-03-17
ADDITIONS
TO THE WILD
DUCK MENU
Potatoes and Grass They
Feed On In Some
Localities

WASHINGTON, March l7.-What is
It that attracts large numbers Of ducks,
including the far-famed canvasbaclls to
certain localtesg This is question
which a specialist of the Department OF
Agriculture has been cndeavoring to
solve. and the results OF his careful in
yestigations are now being printed in q
bulletin for free distribution entitled
Five Important Wild Duck Foods.'
4 previous bulletin contained infor-
nation ON three other wild-duck foods
wild rice. wild celery and pond weeds.
The presence of certain plants near or
in certain bodies of water proves TO he
the cause OF the popularity of those To-
calities for the canvasbaclss and other
ducks. Among these the department 5
investigator found five to be of great
intrinsic value. Though at present of
local Importance only. an OF them could
he grown in moso parts OF the United
States, and there is no reason why they
should not rank among the staple foods
Of wild ducks in many places where
they are now unknown
The new data now being published
for the benefit of those interested CON
corn the delta duck potato. wapato,
chufa, wild millet and bansna water
lily.
Delta Duck Potato.
While can,ashacks in the northern
States seem 10 prefer deep water bod
les, in sections around the southern
half of the Mississippi river they fire.
qucnt certain shallow ponds and lakes
The attraction of these regions has been
found TO consist in ,he presence of delta
duck potato, popularity known as the
wild potato. or wild onion in Louisiana
This plant is found in Southern Illinois
Missouri. Western Kentucky. Tennessee
Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi-
ana and Texas.
There seems no reason why the delta
duck potato should not grow anywhere
in the southern half of the United
States, and perhaps, even further north
The tubers may be transplanted with q
large percentage of success. The tubers
should be imbeddcd in mud bottom
where the water j. not more than a
loot deep, preferably not more than siS
inches. The plant viii grow thriftily OF
soil never covered by water, but whicl
las plenty of moisture. Here. however
.ho tubers are not available to the duck.
inless overiowed in winter. =.
The WapatO.
The wapato is another tuber whicl
has been known as an important wilt
duck food for more than 100 years
The wapato ranges over PRACTICAL,
the whole United States. saving Ger
tain of most soltlisrn ones. II is 10
cally known as the swan potato, duel
potato, swamp potato, muskrat potato
Chinese onion and water nut. TIT
shape of its leaves. which is like al
arrow head, makes it easily distin
guishable from the delta duck potato
which has broad elliptical leaves.
Both seeds and tubers of the Wapa
10 may be transpianted, but the IN
bers give quickest results and ar
The most reliable. They should b
planted like the delta duck potato
and may be cultivated i'm PRACTICAL
all parts Of the country. aaa
The chufa Is another very general
iy distributed plant which is yaluabl
as wild duck food. Only in the highe
parts of the Rocky mountain regio
would there seem to be difficulty i
,ultivating IT, The chufa is a grass
ike growth. II is extremely prolific
cultivated farms usually prOducin
100 tubers 10 the plant. Chufas ca
be obtained from most seedsmen 70