242 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



inch and a half of earth between it and them; using rotten 

 wood instead of suitable earth in the bed on the manure ; allow- 

 ing the sun to shine all day on the bed, so that the heat be- 

 came so great as to scald the potatoes; neglecting to cover the 

 bed properly, and allowing it to be wet through and chilled by 

 cold rains; keeping the seed too long after it was taken from 

 winter quarters before putting it in the bed. Any one of these 

 causes is sufficient to cause a failure in sprouting sweet potatoes. 



VARIETIES. I have found no sweet potato that gives as 

 good satisfaction as the Jersey yellow. The skin and flesh 

 are a deep yellow, and the tubers are smooth, and have the 

 peculiarity of growing short and thick. I am inclined to think 

 this yariety identical with the Nansemond, which is a potato of 

 similar color and flavor, but generally longer and more slender. 

 The difference in form is probably due to soil and methods of 

 culture. Sweet potatoes are largely affected by soil and cli- 

 mate, and the same variety that is dry and sweet in one locality 

 is often watery and flavorless in another. 



The yam family are generally earlier and grow larger, single 

 specimens often attaining a size of from three to seven pounds ; 

 but in the north, at least, they are deficient in quality. I have 

 found the Red Nansemond of excellent flavor and a fair yielder. 

 The Southern Queen is early, a large yielder, and of good shape, 

 and although not equal in quality to Jersey or Nansemond, is 

 worthy of a trial. I can grow as large a yield of sweet as of 

 Irish potatoes, and as the price is usually considerably greater, 

 I always found them a more profitable crop. With a fair sea- 

 son, one hundred bushels to the acre I consider a fair average 

 crop, and one hundred and sixty bushels is not uncommon, 

 while crops have been reported exceeding three hundred bush- 

 els to the acre. 



PREPARING THE SOIL, PLANTING, AND CULTIVATION. I have 

 learned by long experience, and have been glad to have it con- 

 firmed by many of the most successful sweet potato growers I 

 have met, that shallow plowing and small ridges or hills are 

 best for this crop. If the soil needs manure, give a light 

 dressing that is well rotted before plowing, and then break not 



