430 GARDEN FARMING 



At harvest time the roots are separated into two grades, the 

 large and commercial roots forming one grade and the seed and 

 strings the other. It is the common practice to store the two grades 

 in separate bins, and sometimes in separate buildings. After being 

 placed in storage they should not be disturbed until they are taken 

 out for the market or for planting. Sweet potatoes will not stand 

 stirring or handling as do Irish potatoes. If they are rehandled or 

 disturbed after being placed in bins, they are almost sure to decay. 

 The common practice is to store several hundred or even several 



FIG. 165. Varieties of sweet potatoes 

 i, Black Spanish; 2, Shanghai; 3, Big Stem Jersey; 4, Red Bermuda; 5, Southern Queen 



thousand bushels in a single bin. Some growers, however, place 

 the roots in crates as they are gathered, and set the crates in the 

 storehouse. The most economical way is to place them in bulk 

 in the house. 



It is a good plan to make the storage bins on a unit basis so 

 that the contents of one, two, or three bins will be required for a 

 carload. To remove all the roots from one or more units does 

 not necessitate disturbing the roots in the others. 



Marketing. The common method of marketing sweet potatoes 

 is to grade them as they are taken from the bins or from the field 

 and place them in ventilated barrels with a gunny-sack covering. 



