The Forrest City times., 1905-10-13
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
RAISING SWEET POTATOES.
An Important Industry Owing to the Largely Increased Demand
 For Them.

A few years ago sweet potatoes were rarely seen in the northern parts of the United States after November. Now they are shipped leg distances in winter with safety, anG through tie introduction of canning their use is still further extended. Dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato four starch. glucose and alcohol are not new prod ucjs. but they have never been of commercial importance.
 Sweet potaoes are produced very cheaply on the rich lands of the Mis- sissippi valley. but they do not stand in market with eastern sweet pota- toes. or with those grown on thin lands in the middle west. The New York market is generally supplied about ten months in the year, from August to May, inclusive. The high est prices are obtained early in the season, the yield being then compara- lively light. for the tubeTs have not then finished their growth By the middle of August the supply is liberal. and prices decline until the lowest level is reached in October and No vemher After that prices are likely to advance slowly to compensate for shrinkage. loss in storing and the eX- tra risk attending winter shipments. The advance does not always begin before the first of January and is not always maintained through the winter.
 For profitable general field culture the sweet potato requires al least four months of warm weather. free. not only from frost, but from cood winds and from the cool nights that prevail in summer at the north and at high attitudes everywhere. Sweet potatoes do not suffer as quickly as Irish po- tatoes from drought. but are injured by excessive rainfall and oyer-irriga- tion A temperature below 45 degrees Fahrenheit injures them. and frost is immediately fatal. The best soil for sweet potato is light well-drained. But not 'eachy. sandy loan that will not adhere to the potaoes.
 The English people arc not educated up 10 fhe delieacy of the sweet potato as sroEn in the southern states of america. because those known in that country come mainly from tha Canary islands. and are a poor. wet and soggy l product There are about 50,003 per manent American residents in Lon i don. and if they could bay good ar i tiele t T moderate price there is no Gouht they would do so and from the Ameri PTS the English might learn to l like .kem. An elaborate attempt was raGp Il March. 900, 70 introduce the sweet potato into England and France. stock me foreigners did not take kind Y 10 the tubers Other trials have lroduced similar results.
 Sweet potatoes do not bear rough handling and for this reason are more commonly shipped in packages than in la..k, as are Irish potatoes. Barrels are p.e3erred. but many are shipped ia l half barrel crates. part.ca arly early IF the Season. In packing sweet poia- to-s r tarrels. the barrels are filed l loosely i.1d covered with burlap. or "douhle-headed." under pressure. as apples are packed for shipment. "PIime Select" and Fancy" brands are packed under pressure and double headed. while the cheaper grades in 'ae market are found under cloth GOV CTS. A barrel packed under pressure holds peck more of sweet potatoes l thaI barrel of the same size loosely filed. Adding the value of peck of sv eet potatoes to the extra cost of better barrel and double heading ths ferme. should sell for 25 cents more than tie later when sweet potatoes are worth 50 cents q bushel at the snippine point. This assumes that the swee, potatoes in the two barrels are of tha same grade
 The Iollowine are the principal sweet pos&to states. with their production ia bushels, as furnished by the last goy- l eraEen' report:
 l North Carolina .655 .391 ; GcarG32 ..=................... 5i6fs.3iT It&aS ,oH9, 7o- i Aidhahl2 ...'.'....'.. .,f,@"3, ~ M's .issippi ..................t2. o7.!25 l S1dtA Carolina .............,.3,0 g, 063 GAO l Alr2.E!a ....=.-...,........... ,Hlb,e4l Nv Jersey ..................2,2 254 ,Sfi ] Tennessee .........,.....,....1, ,913,635 i LoRlsIaha ..,.,..,........... I9lZ.tHJ 1 artsaY1ae 600 Geo