THE FIELD OR IRISH POTATO 167 



dead. They should be gathered when the ground 

 is dry and placed in a dark, cool place. Potatoes 

 stored in the cellar should always be covered to 

 keep the light from burning them. In some regions 

 farmers raise from three hupdred to five hundred 

 bushels per acre (Fig. 90). 



The Sweet Potato. This potato is not related to 

 the white potato. It is not a tuber but an enlarged 

 root. Instead of eyes it has many tiny rootlets on 

 it. The sweet potato was found in the warm regions 

 of America. It thrives in our Southern states, but 

 is grown in truck patches in our Central states. A 

 light, sandy loam yields the best selling sweet 

 potato. 



QUESTIONS 



(1) How did white potatoes get the name *'Irish*'? 



(2) What is the difference between a root and a tuber? 



(3) Why do potatoes that have sprouted in the cellar 

 make poor seed? (4) Why not choose seed potatoes 

 from the bin? (5) Many growers do not hill up the 

 rows until late. Why? (6) Why cannot a farmer af- 

 ford the necessary potato machinery unless he raises 

 good-sized potato crops? (7) Make questions of your 

 own for class use. 



For exercises, problems and experiments, refer to the 

 Appendix. 



