The Opelousas courier., 1895-06-15
DPLANTER
THE SWEET POTATO
In Nomenclature Mrch =
he nooi~os y

~. aho altogether unreliable.
one variety is often known bv NAM
olnerent names. '
He Nansemond, a yellow potato Of
,neoiuin size, and very smooth ;s tba
a'or1te IN n northern market. It's
Leu IS rather firm and dry; there are
many other varieties decidedly suner;or
20 IL IN quality. This VARIETY is known
"A me north as the Jersey Sweet, and
largely now in New Jersey, Mary
iaho and Virginia. In the south it is
Known as the Mississippi Yellow, or
mississippi Yellow Yam. The leaf ;s
sh nall ana entire, some being heart
SNAPPED and some slightly shouldered.
me foliage is slight and light green in
color. h'een ia
- 'ne south every forked-leaf, yell
" potato Is known as the yellow
yam. This class, though generally
small y%lelders, possesses superior eat
ing qualltles. and the name is the syh-
ohyln OF excellence. There are five Gar
N varieties some being dry and sweet
aho others soft and sweet. The varie-
~ OF this class which possesses the
nlshest eating qualities has a rather
long root of medium size, and yeined:
us skin is a little rough and a rich vel
low; the flesh is a rich yellow with
streaks OF orange. In quality it is de-
cioeoly above any other sweet potato.
us SOFT, juicy sweetness, when once
TASTED, can never be forgotten. The
yam Is partial in its growth, requir-
ing a sandy clay loan of good fertility.
The Queen is the favorite in the
south-the home of the sweet notato-
n is the best all-purpose sweet pota-
10 grown. Some varieties may possess
better eating qualities, some NAV be a
llttle earlier or a little more produc-
1--WE, n others may be mere attrac-
tive in appearance, but no other one
variety combines SO many good quail
Ties. 1t Is early, prolific, of excellent
quality, a fine keeper and shipper, a
good selling potato, and suited to any
SOIL. Truckers like it because it yields
we'll, keeps well, and grows well in
any soil; marketmen and grocerymen
like it because it will bear rough han
ding n also please customers; whole
sale men and commission merchants
like it because it ships wen. Any
sweet potato will stand shipment bet
ter If put on cars direct from the cellar.
The Strasburg, most probably asport
from the Bermuda, is the ~favorite for
early use in the Nashville market. 1t
is a variety not widely known. 1t be-
longs to a class of sweet potatoes which
are individual in their habits of
growth. Roots of this class terminate
quickly and produce many slips, are
large, short, surface usually ridged
deeply, and OF inferior quality. This
class, however. are early and produc-
tive, and every grower of sweet pota-
toes should have a few for early use.
The Red Jersey, about the same as the
Bermuda and Peabody in every respect,
and the Early Golden belong to this
class. The Strasburg and EARLY Golden
SO much resemble that they should be
called one and the same. Every dis
,tinction should have a difference.
This class is also suited to any soil.
The Niger Choker Il call it this be-
cause it is the name by which it is
most widely known) is v%ariously
known as Orleans Red. Louisiana Red,
Shaker Red, Red Yam, Black Yam,
Mexican Yam, and perhaps by other
names. The name Niger Choker is
also sometimes given to the Bermuda,
and the name Red Yam is also given to
another variety which has a pale red
skin and a deep yellow flesh. The Mig
ger Choker, as here listed, has a pur-
- -s-o %Ia ,,otafo &c 10nr q nd irrnr1.
lar in shape, skin a~niline, flesh snow
white, and is day, mealy and sweet.
1t takes the name yam perhaps from
it's divided leaf. The leaf is not divided
as is that of the yam; its center lobe is
long, and that the two small lobes at
it's base on either side might be called
shoulders to this main lobe. This va
rietv is grown from Kentucky to the
gulf, and possesses individual charac-
teristics. It is slow to terminate, and
is therefore a good variety for late
spring. While IFS range Of adaptable
ity to different soils is large, the va
riety decidedly has its preference. 1t
does not love a poor soil, which is i'm
material with many varieties.
The Shanghai, OF California, is SINH
lar to the Queen in habits of growth
and general appearance. Its keeping
and eating qualities are good, and 1t
decidedly stands at the head OF the us.
as a producer. will remark here mat
The soil and size of the root has much
to do with the quality of any variety
the sweet potato. 1t is an excellent
variety for stock.
The Bunch Tor Vineless) Yam is a
variety of late Introduction, n the
biggest novelty among sweet potatoes.
II, belongs to the yam family, as Its
name indicates. It is also partial to
certain soils. yields about like other
vans, and is only moderate in quality.
BEING upright in growth, with very
short vines, it can be cultivated like
the Irish potato. Remember, though,
farmers. that it will not keep down
the grass and weeds as other varieties.
The Bunch Yam stands drought Well
its vines can be easily moved for nay
and its keeping qualities are good
Considering the novelty O the variety
and some good qualities II: la, agri
c~ulturists should give it a trial.
The varieties Of the sweet potato are
marked and many, though there are moi
nearly SO, many varieties as names
The Louisiana state experiment sta
t;on. at Baton Rouge, gives thlrty-slS
different varieties. Many OF these nave
pot 4 marked difference. lima ano
coil have much to do with varieties a
careful comparison and dissemination
would greatly reduce the nunioer
-. 49, d;ffar from each other In