SWEET-POTATO. 215 



even at night, except in cold weather, and never in 

 bright sunshine. In dry weather, the soil may require 

 watering. 



In case the draws are well grown, even commencing to 

 " run" and crowd each other, hefore the season admits 

 of their being transferred to the open ground, they may 

 be drawn and heeled-in closely in another cold frame, to 

 await favorable weather. In the meantime other sprouts 

 will form for another pulling. To heel them in most 

 expeditiously, a wedge-shaped opening is made across the 

 bed, by plunging the spade into the moist soil to its full 

 depth, and pushing it backwards and forwards. Such a 

 drill will hold several hundred plants. The opening of 

 the next drill, five or six inches distant, will press the 

 soil to the roots of the plants in the first drill. They 

 may be put out as soon as danger from frost is supposed 

 to be past; in this latitude about April 1st, and earlier at 

 the Southward. They may, however, precede other ten- 

 der plants, for a hoar frost will not kill potato draws out- 

 right if they were properly transplanted. The soil best 

 adapted to the sweet-potato is a warm, well-drained, 

 light, sandy loam, or pure sand. 



PREPARING THE SOIL. 



This is an exception to all other vegetables, inasmuch 

 that the soil should not be deeply stirred. A hard bot- 

 tom to the row is needed to induce a short, plump growth 

 of the potatoes. On deeply plowed, sandy soil, on a 

 porous subsoil, the " Yellow Red" variety has grown 

 over a yard in length and but an inch or less in diameter, 

 and very few well-shaped potatoes were in a crop. If the 

 surface is to be stirred, it should be done by a small plow 

 as superficially as possible, or by means of a horse-hoe. 

 The old-fashioned "listing," where the plants are to be 

 put out on an elevated ridge, or bed, is the best prepara- 

 tion, the only objection being, that in case it is necessary 



