CHAPTER XII 



FAMILY CONVOLVULACEiE 



This important family includes but one truck 

 crop, the sweet potato. The latter is of great eco- 

 nomic importance to truckers who are situated in 

 sandy or sandy loam regions. Sweet potatoes cannot 

 thrive in heavy clay soils. 



According to the Thirteenth Census of the United 

 States, the total acreage of sweet potatoes in 1909 

 was 641,255 acres, with a total production of 52,232,- 

 070 bushels, worth $35,429,176. North Carolina 

 has the distinction of having the largest acreage in 

 sweet potatoes, 84,740. The other States which 

 follow, according to rank, are, Georgia, Alabama, 

 Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Vir- 

 ginia, Tennessee, New Jersey, Arkansas, Florida, 

 Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Delaware, 

 Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and West Virginia. States 

 with less than 2000 acres are here omitted. 



DISEASES OF THE SWEET POTATO 

 (Convolvulus batatas) 



Sweet potatoes are subject to numerous field and 

 storage diseases, many of which may be controlled. 



151 



