GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



81 



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 vines from the 

 potato i hen 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 who 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 slips and press the earth 

 firmly around them. Old slip? are more tenacious of life than young ones and will, under 

 favorable circumstances, answer best. Watering afterwards, if dry weather continues, of 

 course will be beneficial. Otherwise plant your vines and slips just be: ore or after a rain. 

 Two feet apart in ro s is considered, a good distance. The ridees should never be nis- 

 turbed 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 lar^re ones by hand. 

 Crab grass is peculiarly 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 in the potatoes. The old 

 fashioned potato bank is the best arrangement for keeping them, the main points being 

 a dry place and ventilation. Bedding one barrel of seed will produce enough slips for each 

 acre to be planted. This will be sufficient provided the seed potatoes are rather small 

 and all in good sound condition so that they will produce an abundance of slips, other- 

 wise a larger quantity, even as much as two barrels, will be required. While, under 

 ordinary methods of planting, about 7,000 plants are set on an acre, it requires an 

 excellent barrel of seed to produce this number of draws or slips. Varieties generally 

 cultivated in the South are: 



Pumpkin Yam. 



PUMPKIN YAM.— Taking into inconsid- 

 eration quality and productiveness, the 

 Yam stands at the head of the list. Fre- 

 quently when baked the saccharine matter 

 in the shape of candy will be seen haniiiri:' 

 to them in strings. Skin and flesh yellow 

 and very sweet. Without doubt the best 

 potato for family use. 



SOUTHERN QUEEN.— Very similar to 

 the former, but smoother, the tubers hav- 

 ing no veins, or very few; it is earlier, oval 

 in shape. 



SHANGHAI OB CALIFORNIA YAM.— 



This is the earliest variety we have, fre- 

 quently, under favorable circumstances. 

 giving good sized tubers two months after 

 planting the vine. Very productive, bavin? 

 qiven 300 bushels per acre when planted 

 early on rich land. Is almost the only kind 

 cultivated for the New Orleans market. 

 Skin dull white or yellow, flesh white, dry 

 and mealy, in large specimens frequently 

 stringy. 



PUMPKIN. 



Por Price List See Red Pages in Back of Book. 



Potiron (Fr.), Kurbiss (Ger.). Calabaza (Sp.), Zucca (Ital.) 



CULTURE. — Are generally grown in the field, with the exception of the Cashaw. 

 which is planted in the garden; but great care must be taken not to plant them close to 

 Squashes or Melons, as they will mix and spoil their quality. Plant in hills from S to 12 

 feet apart. 



YELLOW STRIPED CASHAW CROOK | KENTUCKY PIELD.— Large round soft 

 NECK. — Same as the Green Striped except shell, salmon color; productive; best for 

 in color. I stock. 



Try Steckler's New Calico Bush Butter Beans. 



