24 FARMER'S BOOK OF GRASSES 



ced to test it. With. a hand full of leaves, go among your ani- 

 mals ; if one will take a leaf, others from jealousy will come and 

 try one. If this does not succeed, have with your comfrey, some 

 other green plant that will be readily taken, only enough to 

 give one animal a mouthful. Others seeing the one eating will 

 come and try the comfrey. A few trials will get up a lively 

 competition for what they soon regard as a choice luxury. They 

 may at first nibble daintily ; but soon eat greedily. Poultry also 

 may be taught to eat it with great benefit, 



It is a very wholesome food and very valuable medicinally in 

 inflamations of the mouth, throat, stomach and bowels; and 

 may be used as an external local application in wounds and other 

 injuries that become very hot and painful. 



CHAPTER V. 



Fnmily. 



This family embraces a number of genera and species native 

 in the south ; some ornamental, as the quamoclits or cypress 

 vines, morning glory etc.; others are pests as the bind weeds, tie 

 vines and dodder or love vine ; a few are medicinal ; and two or 

 three useful for food, as the hog potato and sweet potato. Only 

 the last will be considered in this connection. 



IPOMEA. 



I. BATATUS, or BATATUS EDULIS. Of the sweet potato there 

 are very many varieties, in which the forms of the leaves differ 

 very greatly. The shape and size of the tubers differ greatly al- 

 so, as well as the color of the epidermis or skin and of the flesh. 

 The texture and flavor of the edible part differ much too in the 

 varieties. Some contain apparently no sugar, others a large 

 quantity. All are highly valuable as food for man and beast. 

 Horses, cows, sheep, swine, poultry and many wild animals are 

 very fond of them and they are superior food for all. 



The pork, bacon and lard made from swine fattened on sweet 

 potatoes are firmer, whiter, sweeter, less disposed to become rancid 

 and are easier to cure than the same products from any of the 

 grains or other foods. In the south, every farmer should pro- 

 duce enough sweet potatoes to make them a large constituent in 

 the rations of his family and all his live stock. If he has not 

 enough to fatten his hogs, he should at the very least funrish 

 them abuntly during the last eight or ten days of the process. 

 This will greatly improve the quality of the products. < ?,-. 



The potatoes may be fed to swine raw, but better cooked. 

 Unless very small, if fed raw, they should always be out or sliced 



