Harvesting the Stveet Potato Crop 147 



Hanover Yam. — A large, round, white variety, 

 adapted to heavy soils; a heavy yielder, but not first- 

 class in quality. 



There are several different types of the Bunch or 

 " Vineless^^ Yam, the peculiar characteristics of which are 

 that the vines are very short, owing to the fact that the 

 spaces between the leaves are frequently not more than 

 one inch. There are about as many leaves to the vine 

 as on the vine varieties, but clustered closely on the 

 stem. They are more easily cultivated than the long- 

 vine varieties, but the potatoes average smaller than the 

 vine varieties and are not as good keepers. The potatoes 

 are clustered closely in the hill and are hence easily 

 dug. 



The Spanish varieties, which -were very popular forty 

 years ago, are rarely cultivated now. They are usually 

 long, slender and of an ashy color inside. They were 

 planted by breaking or cutting the potatoes into pieces 

 one or two inches long and dropping in the row like Irish 

 potatoes. This is not a desirable method, as the grass 

 and weeds usually appear in advance of the potatoes. 



HARVESTING OB DIGGING 



There is much difference of opinion among growers 

 as to the proper time to dig. The general practice is to 

 wait until the vines are killed by frost, but there is risk 

 of having the potatoes injured if a freeze accompanies 

 the first frost, as was the case in 1904. The theory on 

 which this practice is based is that the frost stops the 

 growth of the vine and hastens maturity, but it often 



