Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-08
SWEET POTATOES
ARE WIDELY KNOWN
Facts AS To How Vines
Are Cared For and Crops
Harvested
NEW JERSEY HAS
BIG CROP THIS YEAR

New Jersey is one of the 10 leading
States i'm acreage of sweet potatoes.
The crop consists of what is know
as dry sweets" which in our North
ern markets are preferred to
Vans. SO popular in the South. but
not grown in New jersey. Jersey
sweets are known far and wide for
their high quality.
The bulk of sweets in New Jersey
arc harvested between September -
end October l5 The vines are cut
with a regular sweet potato vine
cutter \ sweet potato digger,
similar In construction to pillow,
and having fingers iron rods or an
iron strap attached to a short mold
board, is then run under the rows.
The crop Is never dug when the
soil is very wet After running under
the row with tho digger the plants
are lifted carefully and laid in piles
and not shaken of i'm heaps for fear
Of bru.sing and skinning them.
Sweets intended Tor storage are dug
before The ground freezes and are
handled carefully. As general
thing six or eight rows arc thrown
together when digging. thus making
what IS called q row of heaps" AZ
for the plants arc collected in piles.
the potatoes are picked off by hand
Grading Aud Packing For Market
Tho potatoes arc Grated az the
time OF harvesting. saving the OK
pousc OF another handling. and insur-
ing their arrival in market in better
condition
The New Jersey growers. as a rule,
do not have more than two grades
primes and seconds The culls are
fed 10 stock The market calls for a
bright smooth medium-sized
uniform type OF sweet potatM free
from bruises and decay.
Careful grading cleaning and pack
ing Is What has greatly helped 10
make the Jersey sweet so popular.
They arc shipped in the standard
sweet potato hampers. containing one
bushel. and also in barrels, containing
three bushels approximately heaped
+ measure. Jersey never sends her pO-
N'atocs to market in bags or in bulk.
\ When marketing in cold weather,
TINE baskets or barrels are lined with
palpor The hampers when shipped
are ordinarily headed
How the Potatoes Are stored.
Those who store sweet potatoes are
not necessarily. guaranteed a higher
price later on Storage is resOrted 10
for part Of the stock. AT least. in or
der that the crop may not go into d
market that is oversupplied. This
would meet with Improbable pr cos.
In New Jersey the storage build
ings. are built from frame. for the
reason that IL is easier TO keep then
dry than those constructed OF Other
materials The houses are slightly
elevated, so as to allow the air 10 cir
cuiate. and a wooden floor is laid
Several thiclnesses of boards are
used ordinarily for the sides of thu
houses. The outside boards are faced
with heavy paper. and there are ali
spaces between the first and secOnC
and second and third thicknesses {,
prevent moisture from accommodating
n has been the experience that an
material placed i'm between these thick
nesses to keep out the cold will holt
moisture and causes walls to rot.
Few Windows Are Used.
Few windows are used. and thes'
are constructed of solid pieces open
ing outward one fitted with glass t
admit light when needed. A ventila
tor is provided at the roof TO carr.
out the warm air as it rises Bin
are arranged inside the house will
convenient passageways through them