The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-25
SWEET POTATO POSSIBILITIES

The sweet potato may yet come %
the front as a money crop in the Soutl.
The potato grows to great state
Of nerfection in the Southern states
and especially in middle and eastern
North Carolina.
It is easily and cheaply raised and
with the new developments of its pos
sibilities. as a food crop, and the meth
DDS of preserving it for the export
trade make the potato promising
money-maker for the future.
The New York Commercial gives the
following interesting facts about the
potatoes possibilities:
"a bulletin on the sweet potato just
issued from the United States Depart"
ment of Agriculture discusses most in
terestingly the numerous varieties OF
this TUDOR. the manner Of their culti-
walton. the climates and soils best adapt
ed to each, the effort and present pros
poets of profitably exporting sweet po-
tatoes, the various ways of cooking
them. and, lastly, and canning OF the
product and it's desiccation or the MAX
ing of sweet potato flour"
The canning of sweet potatoes, al
though a comparatively new industry.
has attained a considerable commercial
Importance already, the market fof the
goods being found in sections where
the vegetables is not grOwn-the MOI tn
western States Canada, Alaska and
some parts of the Orient. The pota-
toes are sliced thin and then put up in
three-pound tins, kepp we'll and are in
fairly Aood demand The War Depart
ment has sent a good many of them
Tll.s fn1 t'Nprn
Several patents have been issued COW
ering the process and machinery ne
cessary for disincating the sweet pota-
to and for making sweet potato tlocur
and the owners of these patents are
confident that they will soon be able to
put an extensive finished product on
the market. The Commercial has al
ready referred to the incorporation OF
company over in New Jersey, with
ample capital, for the manufacturer ana!
sale of this new f1oour, and of the i'm
portant bearing that it's success would
have on the general industry, especial
| ly in the South. In view of this M
portance the departments investtga-
ton becomes particularly interesting.
The results of analysis of samples re-
| Gently examined show that the desiccat-
| ed sweet potato contained forty-slX
parts of starch, and an analysis OF
sweet potato -four showed that over
half of it was made up Of starch. The
| inventors assert that their products are
highly nutritious and palatable, that
| they can be manufactured cheaply,
| transported long distances at small cost
and kept in any climate. The depart
ment officials are of the opinion that
| the success of this industry would ben
| eft directly the agricultural Interests
of large section of the country, put a
new and valuable staple food on the
market at prices within the reach of all
and open the way for a large export
1 trade.
Exports of sweet potatoes to Europe
! in their natural state have not been
entirely successful Only certain va
| rieties stand the voyage well, and the
| time and manner of shipment have
much to do with it. But it is argued
! that the $4,000 Americans permanently
! resident in London alone ought Ia
make profitable market Tor sweet po-
tatoes there-especially rs the British
| have latterly taken a fancy to numer-
Gus American food products and Amer
! lean dishes that heretofore had nc
status with them whatever"