the Northern or Middle States, and the
perfect ripening of the seeds is of still more rare occurrence. The
latter are, however, never employed in ordinary culture; and are sown
only for the production of new varieties, as is sometimes practised with
the common potato.

_Soil, Planting, and Cultivation._--In warm climates, the Sweet Potato
is cultivated in much the same manner as the common potato is treated at
the North. It succeeds best in light, warm, mellow soil, which should be
deeply stirred and well enriched. The slips, or sprouts, may be set on
ridges four feet apart, and fifteen inches from plant to plant; or in
hills four or five feet apart in each direction, three plants being
allowed to a hill. During the summer, give the vines ordinary culture;
and late in September, or early in October, the tubers will have
attained their growth, and be ready for harvesting. The slips, or
sprouts, are generally obtained by setting the tubers in a hot-bed in
March or April, and breaking off or separating the sprouts from the
tubers as fast as they reach four or five inches in height or attain a
suitable size for transplanting. In favorable seasons, the plucking may
be repeated three or four times. In setting out the slips, the lower
part should be sunk from one-third to one-half the entire length; and,
if very dry weather occurs, water should be moderately applied.

_Keeping._--The essentials for the preservation of Sweet Potatoes are
dryness and a warm and even temperature. Where these conditions are not
supplied, the tubers speedily decay. By packing in dry sand, and storing
in a warm, dry room, they are sometimes preserved in the Northern States
until the time of starting the plants in spring.

_Varieties._--Though numerous other varieties, less marked and
distinctive, are described by different authors, and are catalogued by
gardeners and seedsmen, the principal are as follow:--

KENTUCKY EARLY RED. _Murray._

Red Nansemond.

Tubers red, or purplish-red, of medium size; flesh yellow, dry, sweet,
and of good quality. A very prolific, hardy variety; recommended as the
best red Sweet Potato for Northern culture.

LARGE WHITE.

Patate-blanche of the French.

Tubers from six to ten inches in length,--thickest at the middle, where
they measure from two to nearly three inches in diameter; weight from
six ounces to a pound and upwards; skin dusky white; flesh nearly white,
but with a shade of yellow. Not so fine-g