QUESTIONS 145 



ties of sweet potatoes or Irish potatoes be brought to the school for study. Each 

 should contain five of the best specimens. These should be properly labeled 

 and then studied and compared by each student. Then let the labels be re- 

 moved and the specimens rearranged for use in a contest in identification. 



19. Scoring Contest. — A scoring contest with Irish potatoes may follow 

 the variety study. Let each student score each lot, using the following 

 points. The best ranking and scoring of all samples should win the contest: 



1. General appearance ; size (5) , uniformity in size (5)>, freshness (5) , shape (5) 20 



2. Trueness to type or variety; Bize (5), shape (6) , color (5), skin texture (4), depth of 

 eyes (5) 25 



3. Soundness; freedom from hollow center (5), toughness of skin (7) 12 



4. Vitality; strength of eyes (8) , frequency of eyes (5) 13 



5. Cooking qualities; color (6), texture (8), flavor (8), dryness (8) 30 



Ride. — Deduct }^ to 1 point for every tuber badly off in any one feature. 

 Disqualify any that show scab, rot or bruise. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What can you say of the origin of Irish potatoes and of their name. 



2. What are the best types of soil for this crop? 



3. Give important points in fertilizing Irish potatoes. 



4. Describe the preparation of soil for a potato crop. 



5. What varieties of potatoes are used in your section for the early and late 



crops? 



6. What can you say of the production and sources of seed potatoes for dif- 



ferent sections? 



7. Give directions for cutting potatoes for planting. 



8. How are they treated to prevent scab? 



9. Give method of sprouting them. 



10. What are the advantages of this? 



11. Discuss methods and rate of planting. 



12. Give directions for best cultivation. 



13. What spraying is usually necessary? 



14. What are the advantages of using a combined spray material? 



15. Discuss methods of harvesting. 



16. How may Irish potatoes be stored for winter use? 



17. Contrast the storage of sweet potatoes with that for Irish potatoes. 



18. Discuss soils and fertilizers for sweet potatoes. 



19. Describe the construction and management of seed beds for starting sweet 



potato plants. 



20. What are the chief methods of transplanting to the main field? 



21. How should the crop be cultivated? 



22. Discuss the time and methods of harvesting. 



References. — U. S. Farmers' Bulletins: 533, Seed Potatoes, How to 

 Produce Them; 544, Potato-Tuber Diseases; 753, Commercial Handling of 

 Potatoes; 847, Potato Storage and Storage Houses; 868, Increasing the Potato 

 Crop by Spraying; 970, Sweet Potato Storage; 999, Growing Sweet Potatoes; 

 1020, Sweet Potato Weevil; 1050, Handling and Loading New Potatoes; 1059, 

 Sweet Potato Diseases; 1064, Production of Late or Main Crop Potatoes; 

 1091, Potato Shipping; 1190, How to Grow an Acre of Potatoes; 1205, Potato 

 Production in South; 1225, Potato Leaf Hopper. 



The Potato : Its Culture, Uses, History and Classification, by Wm . Steuart, 

 J. B. Lippincott Company; The Potato, by Grubb and Guilford, Doubleday, 

 Page & Company, The Potato, by Gilbert, The Macmillan Company. 



