80 SWEET POTATO CULTUKE. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

 HARVESTING AND STORING SWEET POTATOES. 



A correspondent from Wisconsin makes the following 

 statement : " I raise a good many sweet potatoes, and 

 have kept them perfectly sound through winter by dig- 

 ging promptly after the vines are frosted (we and others 

 say, dig sweet potatoes before the frost kills the vines) ; 

 spread thinly in an airy, dry place, where they will not 

 be chilled, leaving them for a couple of weeks, or until 

 they are perceptibly wilted ; then wrap all those which 

 are an inch through or upward in papers, and pack them 

 snugly in barrels, and place them up stairs, near a chim- 

 ney, in a room where it does not freeze. The small po- 

 tatoes I pack in sand which has been dried in a kiln or 

 oven, and set them in a similar place." 



Mr. J. B. Wallace, of Chico, Wise Country, Texas, 

 gives his mode of keeping and storing sweet potatoes as 

 follows : "I think the most essential thing is to dig 

 them at the proper time, and I think that time is about 

 the full moon in October — that is, in Texas. Bo matter 

 about the weather, unless the ground is too wet. I never 

 wait for frost ; but if frost comes before the full moon, 

 dig as soon possible, or at least before any rain. I dig 

 with a bull-tongue plow ; but any way will do, if they 

 are not cut or bruised. In gathering them, sort out the 

 cut ones, but before putting up let them have at least 

 one day's sun ; if the ground is wet, two days or more is 

 better, but in no case let them take the dew at night. I 

 put them in a shallow cellar, say from three to four feet 

 deep, under some house. After they are put away, throw 

 a little fine, dry earth over them — just enough to dust 

 over the cut potatoes, if there be any. This will cause 

 them to dry and not commence rotting. Let them lie 

 that way till the weather begins to turn cool ; then cover 



