428 



SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



The blooms of the sweet-potato are purpUsh, and in 

 shape and size resemble those of the larger wild morning- 

 glories. 



Composition and Uses 

 396. Uses. — The principal present use of the sweet- 

 potato is as a vegetable for human use. It is shipped to 

 the Northern markets in enormous quantities. On farms 

 it is also used as food for live-stock, especially for hogs. 



Analyses of sweet-potato roots, vines, and dried or desiccated 

 sweet-potatoes 



Dry 

 Matter 



Pro- 

 tein 



Fiber 



Nitro- 

 gen- 

 Free 

 Extract 



Fat, 

 etc. 



Sweet-potatoes, edible 



roots ' . . . 

 Irish potatoes . . . 

 Dried sweet-potatoes ^ 

 Sweet-potato vines, 



fresh ' 



h 



31.9 

 21.1 

 89.5 



17.0 



/o 



1.0 

 1.0 

 3.0 



1.5 



% 



1.6 

 2.1 



4.5 



2.1 



/o 



0.9 

 0.6 

 1.9 



3.1 



A 



27.9 

 17.3 



75.7 



9.5 



/o 



0.5 

 0.1 

 1.8 



0.8 



397. Value as food. — From the above table, it may 

 be noted that the sweet-potato root is specially rich in 

 nitrogen-free extract, which consists chiefly of starch and 

 sugar. Therefore, in any diet for man or animal, sweet- 

 potatoes should be supplemented by foods rich in protein. 



1 Average of 14 varieties grown at S. C Expr. Sta. in 1908 

 (Bui. 146). 



2 Farmer's Bui. No. 129, U. S. Dept. of Agr. 



' Calculated from average composition of dry matter found in 

 four varieties ; S. C. Expr. Sta., No. 146. 



