Viewing page 23 of 117

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

- 6 - 

(see fig. 2) In some cases the cap sheaves had been pulled off and paths were trodden about many of the shocks. The rice inside which the ducks had not been able to get at indicated that the yield of grain had been heavy. There was some indication of injury from frost along the lower border of this field but this was comparatively slight. Where the kernels had been touched by frost the grain had not developed and this the ducks had not touched as the hulls were empty. A few shocks had been pulled down but this was restricted to a small area when there was no ice. The loss here was estimated at about two-thirds of the crop. The damage was due in part to blackbirds but the greater proportion, probably nine-tenths, had been done by wild ducks. Mallard feathers were scattered about in the fields and much duck dung composed almost entirely of rice hulls was found.
 
According to authentic statements, Ralph Rhodes had lost about 1200 bushels of rice through wild ducks in a field one and one-half miles from the Basye place noted above. More damage would have resulted here but threshing started soon after the ducks came in so that part of the crop was saved. 

Ducks came in to another field nearby according to Otto Jensen and destroyed ten shocks of rice in one night while threshing was going on. The harvest was completed in this field the following day or more harm probably would have resulted on the following night. 

Charles Spicer stated that Mallards had attacked rice in two fields belonging to him located not far from the Basye place. Damage resulted to 30 acres in one strip and 18 acres in another. Mr. Spicer said that he did not see these fields personally but that the incident had been