THE VALUE OV THE SWEET POTATO. 77 



great increase of material they yield more nutrition to 

 a given quantity of land, than any of the cereals. Irish 

 potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots, both in Europe and in 

 our Northern States, are all justly prized as the most 

 vahiable of farm crops. The sweet potato is superior to 

 them all as food for man and beast. It may be used for 

 all the purposes to which the others are applied and for 

 many others besides. In the fresh state, just out of tho 

 ground, it makes an excellent substitute for arrowroot 

 by grating the pulp into water and allowing the starchy 

 matter to subside. 



"As a vegetable it is a favorite on every table, cooked 

 in great variety of ways. As a dessert, it makes better 

 jiudding or pie than the pumpkin. It is good food for 

 stock of all kinds — horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. We 

 knew an old planter once who always raised an abund- 

 ance of corn and other provisions for his stock, but who 

 was an enthusiast over the sweet potato crop, estimating 

 it on the yield returned from the labor bestowed as of 

 more value than any other food producing crop. 



"Our best Southern varieties will probably soon be- 

 come a very important article of export to the Northern 

 States and to Europe. The farmers in Georgia are com- 

 plaining that with an immense crop of favorite ' Yellow 

 Yam,' raised in expectation of shipment, there is no de- 

 mand in the Northern market for the variety, the North- 

 ern people preferring the dryer sorts. 



"We have ourselves been noticing this thing for some 

 time with a good deal of surprise. In the St. Louis 

 prices current sent us, the 'Southern Queen' ('Pojjlar 

 root') and 'Red Bermuda' (' Musgrove '), two of our 

 worst varieties, are each quoted at about double the 

 price set upon the 'Yellow Yam.' " Our contemporary 

 says it is because they don't know how to cook the Yam 

 up there, and adds: "A well-seasoned 'Yam,' baked 

 slowly, as it should be, is really more a fruit than a 



