The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-18

hardly less unsatisfactory To the
southern white man than to the
man OF !hc north.
q Great Money Crop in the Making
Some real progress has been
made by !, few enthusiasts in hav-
ing curing and storage houses builf
| in tn" southern Starcs in which 10
save tic delicious. Sugary NanCT
Hall and Porto Rico sweet potatoes
! for the late winter and early spring
markets.
Sweet potato storage is no lonScr
an experiment. it is = decided sue
ctsS. ii not only saves most Of III.
potatoes proccssed. but improves
the eating quality Of tho potatoes,
and they can be kept for several
ta,ocS placed in carihcrn banks fo;
Keeping: and after removal from
| the storage house they can b.
transported in good condition TO-
long distances. if necessary. Some
experimental shipments have becn
successfully made TO London. Eng
land and to Honolulu, U;:waiian
Islands.
Much more progress has been
made in saving sweet potatoes than
in marketing those saved. as most
of the agencies interested in mar
. keting the potatoes have somewhat
naturally looked TO the. great mar
ket centers of New York, Philadcl-
pl1ia and baltimore for 4 market.
But these densely populated places
and those cities and towns in the
surrounding country are we'll sup
Piled With dry potatoes. known as
the Jersey variety. which are large
| ~ grown in New Jersey. Delaware,
Maryland. Pennsylvania, West Nir-
! rinia, Eastern Shore Virginia and
extreme northeast North Carolina.
In the cities mentioned above,
the Carolnas and the other south
ern states producing the most Va
rietieS Of sweet potatoes. Will for
some years to come have great
! difficulty in even getting a chance
to compete with the present pop
ular jersey potato. popular with
! the dealer who has his connections
already formed. and also with those
customers who are unfamiliar with
a better potato). but eventually,
the Nancy Hall and Porto Rico will
not only gain favor, but will, be-
ievc. capture thes" markets, as
quality will tell in the long run.
In the meantime, what are We
going 10 do? Are we going 10 sop
the building Of storage houses
which are saving a fearful econo-
mic waste? Are we going to let
those potatoes already stored rot
in the houses as we have permit
ted the crop for years TO rot IN
carthcn banks? Does the south
need new money crops to fill the
! gap. due 10 IosSes caused by the
cotton boil weevil?
know We are going TO continue
building houses. and | believe we
can find market for Stora house
potatoes in southern cities, towns
and hanllets. and in the. great wes-
tern country now only partially
supplied with sweet potatoes. EE
keeping potatoes on the local mar
kets almost every month in the
year we should be able 10 dou':'e
the consumption Of this splendid
staple article Of food.
When the present condition OF
this new industry is brought TO the
attention of chambers OF commerce
and boards of trade in the cities
and towns, and to the attention
(; of BANKERS and storekcepcrs IN
those places not having business or
saniZations. l fee! that the produce
dealers ard Srocer> will be called
| into conference in each commun-
itv, and that Rotary and kiWanis
clubs will lend their valuable aid.
not only b. eating and talking
sweet potatoes. but in seeing that
dealers in y,hcir towns keep them
on sale as lons As they can be had.
j And last. but by no means least.
/ the home economic divisions in the
several states and wonlcn's clubs
can largely contribute to the ac-
compliShnlcnt so much needed and
so much TO be desired. the making
of money crop out OF the southern
sweet potato.
The crop is valued on the farms
in the southern states. according to
United States department; Of asri-
culture figures for 1921 at seventy
| four million dollars. but this means
little, for so per cent or more OF
this crop-value rots in earthel>
banks Some part Of the crop is
saved by feeding to livestock. but
most OF it is lost after being made
| and harvested Only small part
Of tho crop actually reaches the
market and brings wealth TO the
! farms for later circulation IN all
avenues Of trade.
! Eie can correct this. and We
can make this delicious southern
! product a money-crop. If YOU will
help. Put Your back under the
! load, and lets go.
This department will be glad 10
give names Of associations and
| stora &C. h ousc owners having sweet
potatoes for sale.
G.. ) CARDWELL
Agricultural and Industrial Agent.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co.