84 The Sweet Potato 



show wide variation in hardiness, thrift and vigorous- 

 ness of growth. It would seem reasonable to believe 

 that continued selection of vine-cuttings from the best 

 individual plants would in time give favorable results in 

 the offspring. Vine-cuttings seem to be especially pop- 

 ular for the very late crop. Fitz ^ cites a Georgia 

 planter who with vine-cuttings planted July 18, which 

 were given one hoeing and one plowing, produced a yield 

 of 125 bushels to the acrfe, more than half of which were 

 marketable potatoes. 



When planted especially for the production of seed 

 potatoes, the vines are usually not set until July or the 

 first of August. This late planting gives a good yield 

 of small tubers which are easier to keep than potatoes 

 from the earlier plants. It is preferable to plant out 

 vine-cuttings just after a rain while the soil is wet, but 

 if enough water is used they may be planted in dry 

 weather about as successfully as draws under the same 

 conditions. 



E. A. Miller ^ has given the following directions for 

 storing sweet potato vines which he says has been 

 used quite successfully in some western sections: 

 " Take four boards, about eight inches wide, drill them 

 full of holes and then nail them together to form a hol- 

 low flue. Set these up endwise in some protected place 

 in such a manner as to form a flue, and then place the 

 sweet potato vines around this flue, cover with straw and 

 bank up around it with earth, to protect them from cold. 

 The flue will permit a free circulation of air which will 

 keep the vines alive through the winter." 



1 Jas. Fitz, " Sweet Potato Culture," page 73. 



2 Formerly specialist in potato storage of the Extension Service, 

 Tex. A. & M. Coll. 



