Sweet Potatoes from Cuttings 143 



succulent, sappy growth of the plants unfavorable to 

 suitable hardiness for transplanting. Unless, however, 

 the beds have been made wet by rain, water well an 

 hour before drawing the plants. To draw the plants 

 without loss, seize one plant at a time at its base, and 

 press the soil around it with the other hand to prevent 

 lifting the mother potato. Draw only plants which have 

 fully developed green leaves, leaving those younger for 

 the next drawing. If drawing has been delayed till some 

 of the plants are a foot long, make several plants of 

 these. Cut above the first or second leaf, leaving these 

 with the rooted plant. Make vine cuttings of the rest, 

 putting one leaf-joint into the ground and leaving one 

 out. A cutting need not be longer than six inches, and, 

 strange as it may seem, the vine cuttings live better and 

 grow off more promptly than the rooted "sets," "draws," 

 or "slips," as they are indifferently named. Not only 

 so, but they produce smoother, finer potatoes than the 

 slips set at the same time. Repeated experiments de- 

 signed to compare the productiveness of slips and vine 

 cuttings resulted generally in favor of the cuttings, with 

 the exception of one variety known as Georgia Yellow 

 Yam or Sugar Yam. The common practice of cutting the 

 tender, immature ends of the vines a foot or more in 

 length and burying the center, leaving both ends out, is 

 putting the vine cuttings to a severe test. The immature 

 ends should not be used. Only the part of the vine 

 having grown leaves is suitable. 



The economy of using the vine cuttings may be 

 appreciated when we consider that ten bushels must be 

 bedded to furnish early slips for an acre at one drawing. 



