FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



61 



occasionally oblong; grows to a large size; 

 very productive and earlier than the Jackson 

 "White. As white potatoes are more salable 

 than pinkish kinds, and as this variety is 

 handsome in appearance, and of good quality, 

 it has become the general favorite in this 

 section. 



Extra Early Vermont. Very similar 

 to the Early Kose, but of a stronger growth; 

 a little earlier, and the tubers are more uniform 

 and larger. It is an excellent table variety. 



Snowflalte. This is a very early variety. 

 Tubers good medium size, elongated, very 

 uniform and quite productive. Eyes flat on 

 the body of the tuber, but compressed on the 

 seed end. Skin white, flesh very fine grained, 

 and when boiled, snow white. 



Beauty of HeforoEi. I have tried this 

 variety thoroughly and found it in every 

 particular as has been represented. It is 

 earlier than the Early Eose, which resembles 

 it very much, being a little lighter and more 

 russetted in color. It is very productive and 

 of excellent table quality; more mealy than 

 the Early Kose, but smaller. 



WSiite EBeplaaaat. _This variety has 

 again given entire satisfaction. The tubers 

 are large and of excellent quality; planted 

 alongside of the Peerless, it prodviced fully one 

 third more than that variety. 



Rural BImsS?. Second early, tubers 

 roundish flattened, blush skin, flesh slighted 



with pink. Very dry and of excellent quality. 

 A heavy yielder. 



Rural New Yorker No. 2. Novelty 

 of last year. This potato is the nearest to 

 perfection of any yet introduced, and exceeds 

 all others in yield. They are of large size, 

 very smooth skin; few eyes, distinct and 

 shallow. Flesh very white, of excellent table 

 quality. At the time of writing this, the crop 

 has not been made, but I hope that it will be 

 large, so the price will be such that it can be 

 planted generally. 



T8»e TSiorburai!. This is one of the 

 earliest potatoes introduced. It is of unex- 

 celled quality, very productive. It is a seed- 

 ling of the Beauty of Hebron which it resem- 

 bles, but is earlier and more productive. 



Early ISuaiE'flSC, A variety of recent 

 introduction. It is early and fairly productive. 

 The tubers are medium, oblong and solid, 

 uniform in shape and size. They are fit for 

 the table when quite young. 



Kaiiv Saurit 



THE SWEET POTATO. 



Convolvulus Batatas. 



The Sweet Potato is next to corn the most important food crop in the South. They are a 

 wholesome and nutritious diet, good for man and beast. Though cultivated to a limited extent 

 on the sandy lands of New Jersey and some of the middle States, it thrives best on the light 

 rich lands of the South, which bring their red and golden fruits to greatest perfection under 

 the benign rays of a southern sun. It is a plant of a warm climate, a child of the sun, much 

 more nutritious than the Irish Potato on account of the great amount of saccharine matter it 

 contains, and no southern table should be found without it from the first day of August till the 

 last day of May. Some plant early in spring the potato itself in the prepared ridges, and cut 

 the vine from the potato when large enough, and plant them out; others start the potatoes in a 

 bed prepared expressly for that purpose, and slip off the sprouts as they come up, and set these 

 out. The latter method will produce the earliest potatoes; others w^ho set the vines, say that 

 they make the largest tubers. In preparing the land the soil should be thoroughly pulverized, 

 the ridges laid off about five feet apart, well drawn up and rather flat on top. If everything is 

 ready, and time for planting has arrived, do not wait for a rain, make a paste of clay and cow 

 manure; in this dip the roots of the shps and press the earth firmly around them. Old slips 

 are more tenacious of life than young ones, and will under circumstances answer best. Watering 

 afterwards, if dry weather continues, of course will be beneficial. Otherwise plant your vines 

 ajid slips just before or after a rain. Two feet apart in the rows is considered a good distance. 

 The ridges should never be disturbed by a plow from the time they are made until the potatoes 

 are ready to be dug. 



Scrape off the grass and young weeds with the hoe, and pull up the large ones by hand. 

 Crab grass is pecuharly inimical to the sweet potato, and should be carefully kept out of the 

 patch. The vines should never be allowed to take root between the rows. Sweet potatoes 

 should be dug before a heavy frost occurs; a very light one will do no harm. The earth should 

 be dry enough to keep it from sticking to the potatoes. The old fashioned potato bank is the 

 best arrangement for keeping them, the main points being a dry place and ventilation. 



