432 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



popular variety among the Southern consumers, when 

 obtainable, is the Yellow Yam, also called Georgia Yain 

 and Sugar Yam. Since this variety is so much less pro- 

 ductive than others, it is seldom obtainable, and its place 

 among Southern consumers is taken by the Dooley, which 

 seems to be a synonym of the Pumpkin Yam. 



402. Desirable qualities. — The qualities most desir- 

 able in a variety of potatoes are (1) texture and flavor 

 of the kind demanded by the market for which the crop 

 is grown ; (2) productiveness, and (3) keeping qualities. 



To supply the market for a few weeks in the latter part 

 of summer, there is also need for early varieties, which, 

 however, are usually inferior in quality to the standard 

 kinds. Examples of early varieties are Nancy Hall and 

 Strasburg. 



When potatoes are grown chiefly as a stock food, yield 

 is the main consideration. As a rule, the most productive 

 varieties have a hard texture and high percentage of dry 

 matter, and are not favorites for the table. Among the 

 most productive kinds are Southern Queen, Hayman, 

 Providence, and Shanghai. This class of varieties is also 

 the type best suited to the manufacture of starch and 

 industrial alcohol. 



403. Classification of varieties. — No system of classi- 

 fication is thoroughly satisfactory. For the sake of con- 

 venience, varieties may be divided into four groups as 

 follows : — 



Group I. Bunch, or vineless varieties, having short 

 vines, with leaf-stems closely crowded to- 

 gether (Fig. 189) ; leaves usually deeply 

 cut (Fig. 190). 



