208 The Sweet Potato 



grow, for example, Porto Eicos for New Jersey or Dela- 

 ware for this section is noted for varieties of exceedingly 

 different characteristics. Growers often have the mis- 

 taken idea that because their neighbors grow one kind 

 of sweet potato, they should plant a different variety 

 to avoid competition. Also, if a particular section has 

 built up a reputation for the production of select sweets 

 on the extra early market of a certain city, it would be 

 well for a newcomer to fall in line with custom until he 

 has at least had time to investigate. If after several 

 seasons his experience would lead him to believe that an 

 extra profit could be made by instituting a change in the 

 period of marketing, he can make the change gradually 

 and be governed in his further actions by the results 

 obtained from his experiments. Often an individual 

 grower can in this way build up a very enviable reputa- 

 tion among a select trade of his personal acquaintances. 

 Such individual efforts are frequently very profitable, 

 but it requires time and diligence to acquire such a 

 grasp on trade. It can be done only after a careful 

 study of what the market wants and faithful work to 

 meet the trade desires in such a satisfactory and depend- 

 able manner that one's competitors will gradually be 

 out-stripped. Such successes with sweet potatoes by 

 using methods entirely foreign to local customs are rare. 



Varieties. 



The question of varieties is largely a local prob- 

 lem, depending on the conditions and requirements 

 of the markets served. Confusion still exists with 

 reference to varieties but a few kinds have become 

 so prominent and well known by continual use and 

 widespread recognition that they may well be consid- 



