potato by steaming it, they may learn to appreciate the soft and sugary 
yams, which will not submit to such cookery. I was amused lately at 
the statement of Mr. W. F. Brown, in the “Practical Farmer,” that the 
difference between the Southern yam and the sweet potato was that the 
yam is an underground stem, while the sweet potato is a root. Now, 
as the Southern yams are simply varieties of the same plant as the 
Northern sweet potato, both being Ipomcea Batatas, Mr. B.’s statement 
is an error. He has probably never seen a Southern yam, and sup¬ 
posed it to be a real yam, like the Chinese. In that case he would have 
been correct, as the yam is a tuber or underground stem, while the 
sweet potato, in all its varieties, is a tuberous root, the upper part of which 
is stemlike in its nature. W. F. Massey. 
SECOND CROP AND LATE IRISH POTATOES. 
June is the proper time to prepare the land and plant Irish potatoes 
for winter keeping, and also to prepare the seed and get ready the land 
for planting the second crop of Irish potatoes, from which the best 
seed is raised for the early spring crop. For winter potatoes prepare 
the land and plant as for the spring crop. We prefer to plant whole 
medium sized potatoes rather than cut sets. If, however, the seed is too 
large to plant whole, do not cut to less than three eyes. It is unreason¬ 
able to expect strong, vigorous plants, from small bits of seed with only 
one eye, and without strong vigorous plants, especially at this time of the 
year, it is useless to expect a good yield of tubers. Last year’s crop was 
such an exceptionally large one and so over-supplied the market that we 
anticipate there will be the usual revulsion, and instead of being a full 
crop planted this year there will be only a small area set out and the 
price will improve. At any rate, plant a full crop for home use, if you 
do not set out some for the market. Remember that this crop is one of the 
few crops which make a better yield from the liberal use of commercial 
fertilizer, if that fertilizer be rich in potash, than from the use of farm¬ 
yard manure directly on the crop. Farm-yard manure should be applied 
to the previous crop to enrich the land. If used directly on the potatoes, 
they are very apt to be scabby. 
The second crop Irish potatoes* for which there has been so large a 
demand for the past few years and which demand is likely to continue, as 
they make the best seed from which to raise the early spring crop, should 
be prepared for this month by selecting from the early planted crop, at 
digging time, all the medium small-sized potatoes. These selected 
potatoes should be spread out in a shady situation, and there remain ex¬ 
posed to the atmosphere until they become green. They should then be 
bedded down in a shady, moist place on some nice light soil just suf¬ 
ficient to cover them, and be allowed to remain until they sprout. In the 
meantime, the land inteded to be planted should be well prepared and 
fertilized. Lay off the rows two feet six inches apart and throw out the 
soil so as to leave a deep furrow in which to plant the sprouted sets. 
When the sets have just nicely sprouted, take them up from the seed-bed, 
set them out in the bottom of the furrow and cover them lightly with soil 
and make this firm upon them either by tramping or running a small 
roller in the furrow. Set out in this way, few will fail to grow. As the 
plants grow, work in the soil from the sides of the furrow until a level 
surface is obtained. The end of June and beginning of July is the best 
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