176 HORTICULTURIST'S RULE-BOOK. 



rough shelter of boards built over the whole. The main 

 point to be considered in putting up sweet potatoes for win- 

 ter is entire freedom from moisture and sufficient covering 

 to prevent heating. It is therefore advisable to allow the 

 tubers to undergo sweating (which invariably occurs after 

 being put in heaps) before covering them too much ; and if 

 the temporary covering is removed for a few hours, a week 

 after being heaped, the moisture generated will be removed 

 and very little difficulty will follow from that cause. If 

 covered too thickly at once, the sweating often engenders 

 rapid fermentation, and loss is then certain to follow. Sand 

 is never used here in banking potatoes. Some varieties of 

 potatoes keep much better than others. The Yellow Sugar 

 Yam and the Pumpkin Yam are the most difficult to carry 

 through ; while the Trinidad potato keeps as readily as Irish 

 potatoes, only requiring to be kept free from frost and light 

 by a slight covering of straw, if the tubers are placed in a 

 house. Next in keeping quality come the Hayti Yam, the 

 Red-skinned, Brimstone, Nigger Killer ; and the last of the 

 potato section is the Nansemond. 



Tomatoes. Pick the firmest fruits just as they are beginning 

 to turn, leaving the stems on, exercising care not to bruise 

 them, and pack in a barrel or box in clean and thoroughly 

 dry sand, placing the fruits so that they will not touch each 

 other. Place the barrel in a dry place. 



In the autumn when frosts appear, tomatoes, if carefully 

 picked and laid on straw under the glass of cold frames, 

 will continue to ripen until near Christmas. Fruit ripened 

 in this way seems to be as good as that ripened naturally on 

 the vines. Green but full-grown tomatoes may be gradually 

 ripened by placing them in cupboards or bureau drawers. 



The ripening of tomatoes may be hastened ten days by 

 bagging them as grapes are bagged. 



Grading and packing fruit. A first-class apple, pear, or 

 other tree fruit is one which is full grown, of normal size, 

 symmetrical, characteristic of the variety, wholly free of 

 blemishes of insects or fungi, and not overripe. In apples, 



