HARVESTING THE SWEET POTATO. 43 



Condition for Housing. — Few crops are more sus- 

 ceptible to injury by cold and frost than the Sweet Po- 

 tato. Careless farmers often allow the crop to remain in 

 the ground in the fall, until the frosfc has killed the 

 vines. AVhen such is the case, many potatoes will be 

 found with frosted ends ; such will be bitter when 

 cooked, and will decay easily. Some of our experienced 

 growers say that to keep well, the roots should be harvested 

 while growing, before the frost touches the vines. If 

 nearly matured, doubtless this would be right. Warmth — 

 say seventy degrees — darkness and dryness, are conditions 

 we must look for, with an equitable temperature. Pleasant 

 dry days in October are preferred for i^utting the potatoes 

 into the house or kiln. 



The proper condition of the potatoes, as to dryness or 

 moisture, is very important, and an unsettled point. It 

 is the custom, when they are for early market or for 

 early family use, to dry them in the sun on sheds or 

 other convenient places. For market, before storing, 

 it is the practice of some experienced growers to dry 

 them in the shade a few days before they are put away. 

 Others equally capable of judging say: "Directly the 

 digging and sorting is over, which sliould bo in dry 

 weather, take them up in hampers and house them in 

 bulk, whilst they are plump and fresh." If they are 

 put away in sand or dry earth in this condition, and 

 properly protected from cold, doubtless it is the best 

 mode for their preservation. Potatoes put away in this 

 order have been known to keep until the middle of May 

 — and, when the sand was taken out in October to refill 

 with another crop, potatoes were found that had been 

 there a year, and as sound as those dug on that day. 

 Their preservation or decay, doubtless, depends mainly 

 on the temperature and the exclusion of the atmosjjhere 

 and light. 



Yield and Profit. — A correspondent of the ''Amer- 



