EXERCISES, SURVEYS, AND PROJECTS 



143 



Storage of Sweet Potatoes. — The principles of storage for sweet 

 potatoes are very different from those for Irish potatoes. The 

 roots should be put in the sun or in a warm room to thoroughly 

 dry the surface before they are put away for storage. 



Storehouses are sometimes built where the crates of potatoes 

 are placed in narrow tiers from floor to ceiling. Somewhere in the 

 room a stove is used to dry the air thoroughly. If there is free cir- 

 culation of air through the crates, the potatoes will soon be dry 

 enough to avoid rotting. The same room may be used to keep the 

 potatoes during the cold weather providing they are well insulated 

 from the outside cold. 



Fig. 87. — A transplanting machine for cabbage, tomato, tobacco, cauliflower, sweet 

 potato and others grown on a large scale. The furrow is opened, the boys place the plants, 

 some water is .dropped from the barrel, and the soil is pressed against the roots. (U.S.D.A.) 



Conditions accompanying the world war have taught many 

 people to thoroughly dry sweet potatoes instead of storing them in 

 the usual ways. In the dry condition they may be kept several 

 months and there is no waste from rotting. 



EXERCISES, SURVEYS, AND PROJECTS 



1. Potatoes. — A home project in the improvement of seed potatoes should 

 be started. Use the hill-row system. That is, select seed entirely from the best 

 hills at harvest time. Plant the potatoes from each hill separately. Indicate 

 these by numbers on stakes and on a record. Compare the yield of each and 

 again select the best hills for seed. 



2. Potatoes of several different varieties may be grown in comparison 

 with each other. Compare them as to yield and judge each by the score card. 



