AMERICAN VARIETIES OF SWEET POTATOES. 9 



on the veins above, green except for a deep-purple stain at the base of the 

 blade and the summit of the petiole. The purple color runs to the larger veins 

 of the leaf to some extent ; petioles green except at upper end, hairy to some 

 extent. Roots white in color, smooth, and regular or veined and ribbed, long 

 cylindrical to fusiform in shape, medium to large in size, and very late in 

 season; flesh yellow or dull grayish white. When baked, only slightly sweet, 

 dry, and mealy, and rather firm in texture. Flavor not pronounced. 

 The Shanghai group contains the following varieties. 



(1) Shanghai. (Also called Early Golden and California.) 



(2) Minnet "yam." 



FLORIDA GROUP. 



Vines medium to long, 4 to 10 feet ; stems rather coarse and thick, green, 

 smooth or somewhat hairy at the nodes, or they may be hairy all over ; leaves 

 entire or toothed, with 6 to 10 low marginal teeth, hairy or smooth, except 

 for scattered hairs on the veins on the upper surface, green except for a deep- 

 purple stain at the juncture of the blade and the petiole, this color passing to 

 the large veins .of the leaf and down the petiole a short distance ; petiole other- 

 wise green and smooth or somewhat hairy ; roots light yellow or yellow tinged 

 with salmon ; veins when present lighter in color than the rest of the surface, 

 short to long, fusiform in color, of medium to large size, season medium ; flesh 

 yellow or yellow tinged with salmon to dark salmon, but light yellow to dark 

 orange yellow when baked; sweet to very sweet, and sugary, very moist to 

 quite dry ; the texture soft and melting or sometimes rather coarse ; flavor good. 



The following varieties belong to the Florida group : 



(1) Florida. (Also called Arizona Prolific and Providence.) 



(2) General Grant Vineless. 



(3) Nancy Hall. 



SOUTHERN QUEEN GROUP. 



Vines large and vigorous, long, 6 to 12 feet ; the stems thick and coarse, dull 

 purple in color, hairy throughout the length, somewhat hairy at the nodes and 

 on new growth, or smooth ; leaves shouldered or sometimes entire, slightly hairy 

 above, smooth beneath, green ; petiole greenish purple and nearly smooth or 

 hairy (especially at the base). Roots white or light yellow and sometimes 

 very slightly tinged with pink around the upper end, fairly smooth and regular, 

 or somewhat ribbed and veined, globular or short, fusiform in shape or long 

 fusiform ; medium to large in size ; season medium. Flesh light yellow, sweet, 

 very moist to fairly dry, soft in texture or very fibrous ; flavor good. 



The following varieties belong to the Southern Queen group : 



(1) White "yam." 



(2) Southern Queen. (This variety, or slight variations of it. is known 

 under the following names : California " yam," Arkansas Hybrid, 

 Brazilian, Cuban, Common " yam," Hayman, Johnson's Bahama, 

 Kentucky White, McCoy, Polo, Vestal's Newark, Miles " yam," 

 Archers' Hybrid, Hamburg, Caroline Lee, Cullman Cream " yam," 

 Hanover, Catawba White, and Ballinger's Pride.) 



PUMPKIN GROUP. 



Vines long, 6 to 15 feet; stems small to average size, green, slightly hairy 

 (especially at the nodes and on new growth) ; leaves low. shouldered, or en- 

 tire with 4 to 10 low marginal teeth, hairy on the upper surface of the blade 

 and smooth beneath, green; petiole green, slightly hairy (especially near its 

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