Booting of Siveet Potato Vines 145 



the vines with soil, as this will cause them to take root, 

 to the injury of the crop. Turning the vines will not be 

 necessary with the vineless varieties, but the wing of 

 the scrape should be run under the short vines where 

 they have taken root. Just in proportion as the vines 

 take root, will the crop be reduced. The sap prepared 

 for the nourishment of the plant beyond the points 

 where the vines have taken root, will be expended in the 

 development of "strings, "or very small potatoes, along 

 the vine instead of passing back to the main roots. If 

 after wet spells, therefore, the vines take root in the 

 middles, go over with long-tined rakes and lift them 

 sufficiently to tear the roots loose from the soil. No 

 other attention than preventing the vines from taking 

 root will be needed until harvest. 



Since sweet potatoes do not produce seed, the multi- 

 plication of varieties presents a perplexing problem. 

 That they do cross in some way is a fact based upon the 

 observation of many planters. I have seen both red and 

 yellow potatoes growing on the same vine, and single 

 specimens partly red and partly j-ellow. This occurred 

 where varieties of these two colors were grown in 

 adjacent rows, but how the cross was effected is the 

 problem. Bud- variation, suggested by one author, does 

 not explain it. There are several distinct types, distin- 

 guished by differently formed leaves, different vine 

 growth and characteristic gumminess of the juice, etc. 

 Each variety has its distinctive form of root and color of 

 skin and flesh, as well as the quality of the latter. The 

 northern taste calls for a dry potato, while the most 

 popular in the South is that with a rich, sugary flavor. 



