SWEET POTATOES. 235 



The gronnd should be kept free from weeds, by fre- 

 qneiit stirrings with a cultivator or hand-hoe. "When 

 the vines begin to run, they should be lifted carefully, 

 by hand, and their positions changed, so that they 

 may not take root early in the season. If allowed to 

 do so, the Potatoes, even with a strong growth of vine, 

 will not be as large as they otherwise would. 



The Sweet Potato is the only vegetable with 

 which I am familiar that vdll do better on shallow 

 than on deep-ploughed land. When the ground is 

 worked deep the roots grow long and very slender. 

 In garden-culture, we frequently tramp the spot hard 

 before putting on the manure and making the hill, 

 and find it works well. If the plants are taken off 

 carefully, a second crop of plants will soon come up 

 thickly, and grow full size, in time to set out in the 

 open field. Between three and iour thousand plants 

 can be grown under a sash 3x6. 



AVTien the soil is light and warm, suited to the 

 growth of the Sweet Potato, it is a more profitable 

 crop to raise than the common Potato. From one 

 to two hundred dollars can be made from an acre. 

 Twelve or fifteen hills should yield a bushel of Pota- 

 toes. 



There are only two or three kinds that are culti- 

 vated. 



Nansemond is the best and earliest variety grown 

 in the Middle States. The roots are short but thick, 

 flesh yellow, dry, and of a fine flavor. 



Yellow Skin is grown chiefly in the Carolinas, 

 where it is highly valued for its fine quality for the 

 table. It grows large, twelve inches long, swollen 



