SWEET POTATOES. 189 



In rows not over twelve inches apart. The roots are generally 

 kept by storing them in moist sand the same as carrots. 



Marketing. — Celery is marketed when well blanched. In 

 preparing it for market most of the roots are trimmed off and 

 the green and decaying leaves are removed. About a dozen roots 

 are generally tied together for a bunch, although the size of the 

 bunch varies in different markets. Celery can be easily shipped 

 long distances when trimmed and packed in tight boxes. Much 

 of that which is supplied to the markets of this section comes 

 from Kalamazoo, Michigan, where it is raised on drained swamp 

 land. 



THE MORNING GLORY FAMILY. (Order convolvulaceae.) 



The Morning Glory Family includes mostly twining, trailing 

 or rarely erect plants (some tropical species are shrubs or trees, 

 ours are herbs.) Commonly with some milky juice, alternate 

 leaves, no stipules, regular gamopetalous flowers; fruit a 2-4- 

 valved capsule. The Sweet Potato is the only vegetable that 

 occurs in this group which is here mentioned. This family also 

 includes the Morning Glory, Bindweed and Man of the Earth. 

 SWEET POTATO. (Ipomea batatas.) 



Native of South America. — Perennial, but cultivated as an 

 annual. — It is a near relative of the morning glory and scarcely 

 resembles the common potato in any particular. It probably can- 

 not be profitably raised in the extreme northern states, but may 

 be grown in a small way in warm, sandy soil as far north as 

 Minnesota and will produce even there very large tubers. The 

 plant never flowers at the North and is never cultivated from 

 seed. 



Culture. — The sweet potato is raised from sprouts, which 

 are produced abundantly if the tubers are planted in a hotbed 

 in the early spring. The sprouts are carefully pulled from the 

 tubers and are planted out after the soil has become warm. 

 They should be set two feet apart in rows four feet apart. They 

 need considerable care until ' started, after which they require 

 good cultivation only and are easily grown. The vines spread 

 on the ground and have a tendency to root at the joints, which 

 should be discouraged by moving them at every hoeing. They 

 are very susceptible to cold weather and should be pulled as soou 



