BULLETIN NO. 38
FEBRUARY 2, 1922
How The Farmer Can Save
His Sweet Potatoes
And Ways of Preparing It for the Table
BY
GEO. W. CARVER, M. S. AGR.
DIRECTOR
Typesetting and Presswork Done by
Students of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute
Tuskegee Institute, Alabama
BULLETIN NO. 38
FEBRUARY 2, 1922
How the Farmer Can Save His Sweet Potatoes
and Ways of Preparing It for the Table
By GEO. W. CARVER, M. S. Agr.
There are but few if any of our staple farm crops, receiving more
attention than the sweet potato, and indeed rightfully so.—The
splendid service it rendered during the great World War in the sav ¬
ing of wheat flour, will not soon be forgotten. The 99 different and
attractive products (to date) made from it, are sufficient to convince
the most skeptical that we are just beginning to discover the real
value and marvelous possibilities of this splendid vegetable.
Here in the South, there are but few if any farm crops that can
be depended upon one year with another for satisfactory yields, as
is true of the sweet potato. It is also true that most of our South¬
ern soils produce potatoes superior in quality, attractive in ap¬
pearance and as satisfactory yield as any other section of the coun¬
try.
HISTORY
It is said that the early navigators of the sixteenth century
recognized such a strong resemblance between the Irish potato and
the sweet potato that they called them both by the same name.
They are not only botanically, but the edible parts of each are
in character and taste quite unlike. Botanically, the sweet pota¬
to belongs to the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), and has
been given the technical name of Impomeabatatas.
ORIGIN
The origin of the sweet potato is doubtful, although there is very
strong evidence that it is distinctly American, as fifteen or sixteen
known species of the genus Batatas are found in this country.
The "Indian potato," "Tuckahoe" and "Hog potato," which grow
abundantly in this country and throughout the South, are all spe¬
cies of this genus.
5
6 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
VARIETIES
More than 11 so-called varieties make up the present list, many
of which there is a distinction without a well-defined difference.
Since some varieties do well in one section and practically fail in
others, I have thought wise to list none except those that have
proven the most prolific and best with us.
Table Varieties—Dooley Yam, Improved Dooley Yam, Triumph,
Pumpkin Yam, Porto Rico and Nancy Hall.
Varieties for Feeding Stock—These grow to a very large size
and make a fine yield, but are not very sweet and rather inferior
for table use, but for making flour, starch, tapioca, and many other
of the sweet potato products, they are excellent and in some in¬
stances, preferable—White Bermuda, Red Nansemond, "Negro
Choker" and Hayti Spanish.
CLIMATE AND SOIL
As to climate, the sweet potato thrives and does its best only in
a warm climate, with plenty of sunshine and moderate showers
evenly distributed throughout the growing season. The growing
popularity of the sweet potato, however, has caused greater adap¬
tation of standard sorts to both soil and climate and the origin
of many new varieties which to a remarkable degree adjust them¬
selves to shorter growing seasons and colder soils, thus extending
production much farther north, east and .west. However, as far
as possible, avoid planting in heavy, waxy soils as they are not
conducive to heavy yields of potatoes.
SELECTING THE SEED
Experiments seem to indicate that very large potatoes are not
preferable for seed, but those measuring from an inch to an inch and
a half in diameter; they should be smooth, long or round as the
variety suggests, and free from any woody or stringy appearance.
Also select seed from those hills that show the largest percentages
of marketable potatoes, the best flavor, the richest color and the
largest yield.
THE PLANT BED
Select as warm and sunny a place as possible; further protect
by banking up on the north side with earth. Build an ordinary plank
cold-frame from 5 to 6 feet wide and any length desired, facing
and sloping toward the South, having its south wall several inches
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
7
lower than its north wall. Bank up well on the outside, and pro
tect from water by running a little ditch around on the outside.
Remove the earth within the frame to a depth of from 4 to 12 inch¬
es; spread a thin layer of oak leaves or pine straw on the bottom
of this excavation. Upon this place a layer of manure, from 4
to 6 inches thick, and pound down slightly. Place a layer of soil
over this, from 2 to 3 inches thick. On this lay the sweet pota¬
toes, side by side, horizontally, and just far enough away to keep
them from touching each other. Cover with good rich garden soil
to a depth of 2 to 3 inches; cover with sash or canvas oiled with
linseed or cotton seed oil. '
The amount of manure required in the hot bed is governed solely
by the climate, more being needed in cold than in warm climates.
In the Gulf States, from 2 to 5 inches is the truck gardener's rule,
while 10 to 12 inches is not uncommon in Iowa, Kansas and New
Jersey. Keep the bed moist at all times. It requires from 5 to 6
weeks tox produce slips large enough for setting.
The sweet potato plant is very susceptible to frost and should not
be planted in large acreages earlier than April 15th. When the plants
are 3 to 5 inches in length and properly hardened off, they are
ready to set. Ninety days after transplanting is an old rule, but
we have been able to get potatoes as large as goose eggs, from
the earliest varieties in 70 days.
NEW METHODS
In this method pure sand is used instead of soil, anyone who
learns to use this method will never go back to the old. The chief
advantages of this method are:
1st. The slips are freer from disease.
2nd. The slips seem to grow faster in the bed.
3rd. Fewer potatoes rot in the bed.
4th. The slips live not only just as well when set out, but I
believe grow off better and faster than when grown in
soil.
5th. The slips develop very strong roots.
VINE CUTTING
It is generaly conceded that after the vines have begun to run
well; the cuttings are far mpre preferable than the slips. Several
3 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
stations have devoted considerable time to this important problem
and found that under favorable conditions there is practically no
difference in the yield. They did, however, find that a close prun¬
ing of the vines decreased the amount of marketable potatoes by
increasing1 the number of small ones.
This Station verified the above from 1908 to 1919, testing out
many varieties, each variety attesting to the truth of the above
statement.
Results of land well prepared
PREPARATION OF LAND
In this country the land should be broadcasted to a depth of 9
or 10 inches. If barnyard manure, mulch, leaves, etc., are to be
used as a fertilizer, it should be broadcasted and plowed in. Har¬
row repeatedly until the soil is thoroughly pulverized and mixed.
If rich, coarse, strawy fertilizers are used, without mixing well
the potatoes almost invariably will be black, scurfy and unattract¬
ive in appearance, with poor keeping qualities.
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
Land prepared as indicated by No. 3 (see chart). Now how small and
inferior they are
PLANTING
In setting the plants it is very essential that the ridges be clean¬
ed of weeds—never set plants on a weedy ridge, as it multiplies
the work, increases the expense of the crop and often reduces the
yield of potatoes by stunning the growth of the plant.
In planting set the slips a little deeper than they were in the
plant bed. Just after a moderate shower is the most favorable
time for setting, although this can be successfully done in very hot,
dry weather as follows: (a) By watering the plants, which is te¬
dious and impracticable where large acreages are to be planted,
(b) By puddling or mudding the roots, which consists of making
a loblolly of thin clay mortar and dipping the roots into it-
balls of this moist clay will stick to the roots and stem and, if
planted at once, will tide the plant over 9 or 10 days of protracted
drought.
10 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
FERTILIZING
A series of experiments demonstrated that the gray sandy soils
of Macon County respond best to a mixture of 600 pounds of mu¬
riate of potash, 120 pounds of acid phosphate, and 75 pounds of
nitrate of soda per acre, making a total of 795 pounds. The ap¬
plication was made exactly the same as for planting cotton except
that only half of the mixture was applied before the plants were set;
the other when the plants began to run vigorously. A Ghant
fertilizer distributor was used to put the fertilizer down each time.
The second application of the fertilizers gave the best results, as
our soils are leachy, and much of it would have been washed away
and probably an equal amount sunken below the depth to which
the roots could reach, if all had been put in at one time.
COMPOST FERTILIZERS
HOW TO MAKE THE COMPOST
Two loads of leaves and muck (muck is simply the rich earth
from the swamp) are taken, and spread out in a pen. One: load
of barnyard manure is spread over this. The pen is filled in this
way. It is either rounded over like a potato-hill, or a rough shed
is put over it to turn the excess of water, so as to prevent the fer¬
tilizing constituents from washing put. It is allowed to stand this
way until spring.
WHEN TO MAKE COMPOST
Begin your compost heap now; do not delay; let every spare
moment be put in the woods raking up leaves or in the swamps
piling up muck. Haul and put in these pens. Do not wait to get
the barnyard manure—you can mix it in afterwards, or if you can¬
not get the barnyard manure at all, the leaves and muck will pay
you many times in the increased yield of crops.
HOW TO USE
Prepare the land deep and thorough. Throw out rows with a mid¬
dle-burster or two-horse plow; put in the compost at the rate of
20 tons per acre, 25 where the land is very poor. Save all the wood
ashes, waste lime, etc., and mix into this compost.
RESULTS
Three acres of our experimental farm has had no commercial
fertilizer put upon it for 15 years. The land has been continual¬
ly cropped, but has increased in fertility every year, both physical¬
ly and chemically, on no other fertilizer than muck compost and
the proper rotation of crops. This year 215 bushels of sweet po-
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
11
No. 1 Shows the correct preparation of the land
tatoes were made per acre, with no other fertilizer than the above
compost.
No. 1, CORRECT CULTIVATION
(a) Two inches of fine soil,
(b) Seven inches of loose mellow soil,
(c) Subsoil full of water.
No. 2, INCORRECT CULTIVATION
(a) Six-inch cultivation, the ground left loose and open,
(b) Three additional inches of loose earth, which will dry
out very fast,
(c) Subsoil with its capillary water, much of which will
soon be exhausted.
All that is necessary here is to keep the ground free from weeds,
and make it loose and porous so that the soil bacteria can get
plenty of air, to enable them to do their highest service also to create
and preserve a dust mulch to tide the plants over periods of drought.
The above cut is self-explanatory; it is easily seen that the deep
cultivation given in No. 2 has cut the feed roots, and has not only
reduced the amount of foliage, but greatly reduced the crop of po¬
tatoes.
12 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
INSECT ENEMIES
In this section there are practically no insects that give the farm¬
er trouble—neither cut worms, flea beetles or the tortoise beetles.
The constant stirring of the ground and the vigorous growth are
all against injurious attacks of insects.
FUNGUS DISEASES
In this section there are two or three diseases that are especially
troublesome, vizi: black rot (Ceratocystis fimbriata). This disease
is especially destructive in the storeroom. With us, all varieties seem
to be equally affected. The tubers are more or less marked (ac¬
cording to the severity of the disease) with dark bown patches,
which give the whole tuber an unpleasant bitter taste. If only
slightly affected, they bear a strong resemblance, in taste, to frost¬
ed potatoes, and for this reason many mistakes are made. It oft¬
en attacks the plants in the bed, and may be recognized by plants
turning black at the bottom, and of course such will soon die.
REMEDIES
(a) Avoid planting slips from a diseased bed.
(b) Do not save seed from a field containing diseased tubers.
(c) Rotate crop; do not plant two years in the same
place.
SOFT ROT (Rhizopus Nigricans)
Here, this disease seems to be by far the most troublesome of
all, and so far as observation goes, is a storage trouble, being
confined strictly to the tubers. It attacks the potato wherever there
are bruised, broken or cut places, etc., appearing in black powdery
masses like the black mould of bread. Immature, cut, broken and
bruised potatoes are harbingers and breeders of the disease.
REMEDIES
(a) Nothing but mature potatoes should be banked. (See
cut.)
(b) Dry them thoroughly before storing.
(c) Avoid as far as possible the putting in of tubers cut,
bruised or injured, in any way.
(d) Keep cool and as dry as possible; also free from mice,
rats or destructive vermin of any kind.
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
13
HARVESTING AND STORING
The importance of correctly harvesting the crop is a matter
which must not be passed by lightly, as in this lies very largely
the success of any method of storing. As far as possible the fol¬
lowing should be observed:
1. Select a time when both the air and ground are dry.
2. Remove the vines with a sharp hoe, vine cutter or any im¬
plement that will do the work rapidly and well.
3. Dig before the frost injures the vines to any extent. Dig
in the morning and allow the potatoes to lie out all day. Gather
up in baskets or boxes holding not more than one bushel each.
Handle with great care, as they are easily bruised, and every in¬
jury lessens their keeping qualities.
\
r
Potatoes perfectly sound and full of vigor after keeping two years
In the matter of storing there is a variety of methods, all pos¬
sessing more or less merit. Where just a few hundred bushels are
to be kept, the old primitive method of banking is quite satisfac¬
tory, if the potatoes are properly cured and kept dry, which is
14 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
a very difficult thing to do. For this a well drained piece of land
is. selected which is slightly hollowed out—the size of the base of
the desired bank. This is covered with leaves, pine-tag or straw.
BANKING POTATOES
The potatoes are piled up into a conical shaped mound around
a piece of bark curled up, a board flue, or anything that will serve
as a ventilator.
The depth to which the straw and earth should be put for this
locality, and the cover should vary according to the severity of the
climate. When large quantities are kept, potato houses seem
preferable, and they can at all times be examined and the defective
ones removed.
HOW TO CURE AND STORE THE SWEET POTATO
During the war this station along with many others, set out to
find, if possible how to reduce the enormous storage losses which
rendered the growing of sweet, potatoes hardly thought of as a
money crop.
There seemed to be no method which had an element of cer¬
tainty about it as far as the farmer was concerned, and for this
reason the Tuskegee Station has directed its efforts almost wholly
along this line, with the following encouraging results:
(a) We found that, there was little more excuse for the
farmers to allow their potatoes to rot than their corn.
(b) That the fundamental thing in the saving of sweet po
tatoes is to cure it first.
WHAT IS CURING
By curing we mean to dry the moisture out of the potatoes to
the point where they will give a little when pressed hard between
the ball of the thumb and fingers.
HOW DONE
I always manage to dig my potatoes in a very dry time. Spread
out very thinly in the shade where the air will blow over them
freely. They may also be dried out by artificial heat, my method
is as follows:
I took an ordinary wire screen door, took off the fine wire and
covered it with large coarse wire, I put from two to two and one-
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
15
half bushels of potatoes on this door which was placed in a window
of an ordinary living froom. The window was raised so the:rfe
was a brisk breeze blowing directly over and through the potatoes.
If dug in a dry time and the air is dry, three or four days aTe
all that is necessary for medium, sized potatoes. I then lay them
very carefully in barrels without breaking or bruising any, spread a
bit of coarse bagging over the top of the barrel. I have paid no
attention to temperature, except to keep them always above the
freezing point.
I put up four barrels every year and lost less than three pota¬
toes to the barrel. Last year I lost four potatoes. I have some
of the potatoes now, October 14th, 1920, just as sound as those I
am putting away now.
Note what the Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery, Alabama,
says about them:
October 1, 1920.
"I received the cured sweet potatoes you sent me, and appre¬
ciate very much thought. I have cooked and compared one with
one of this year's crop, and readily noted the difference. I am
convinced now of their superiority.
"I exhibited to our Board of Directors at their last meeting, and
they were very much interested. Each cut a slice and ate it raw.
They could hardly believe that the flavor and interior freshness
could have been retained.
"On October 4th, I had dug nine bushels of Porto Rican pota¬
toes, they were badly cut and bruised as I had them dug by out¬
side labor in the same way the average farmer digs his potatoes,
they were removed and placed on a screen in a window, rotting
ceased and those slightly affected cured up nicely when the spoil¬
ed portion was cut off and the sound part placed in a good draft
where the excess of moisture was carried away quickly."
NOTE:—Care must be taken not to cover the barrels or boxes up
tightly or the potatoes will sweat and spoil.
AS FOOD FOR MAN
As a food for human consumption, the sweet potato has been,
and always will be, held in very high esteem, and its popularity will
increase as we learn more about its many possibilities.
There is an idea prevalent that anybody can cook sweet pota¬
toes. This is a very great mistake, and the many, many dishes of
illy cooked potatoes that are placed before me as I travel over the-
South, prompt me to believe that these recipes will be of value
16 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
(many of which I have copied verbatim from Bulletin No. 129 U. S.
Department of Agriculture). The above bulletin so aptly adds the
following:
'The delicate flavor of a sweet potato is lost if it is not cooked
properly. Steaming develops and preserves the flavor better than
boiling, and baking better than steaming. A sweet potato cooked
quickly is not well cooked. Time is an essential element. Twenty
minutes may serve to bake a sweet potato so that a hungry man,
can eat it, but if the flavor is an object, it should be kept in the
oven an hour."
No. 1, BOILED OR STEAMED
Boil or steam like white potatoes and without breaking the skin.
If boiled, pour off the water as soon as done, cover the pot with a
cloth and let stand on the back part of the range a few minutes be¬
fore serving.
No. 2, BAKED
Scrub with a brush and rinse with water until thoroughly clean.
Bake like white potatoes, without breaking the skin. When done
brjsak the skin in one place in the form of a cross, forcing the meat
partly out, cap with butter and serve.
Potatoes from 1 to 1 1-2 inches in diameter, and from 5 to 6
inches long, are the most desirable for baking—the flavor seems to
be far superior to the larger kinds, or the round or irregular sort.
No. 3, BAKED IN ASHES
In this method the sweetness and piquancy of the potato is
brought out in a manner hardly obtainable in any other way. Se¬
lect the same kind of potatoes as described above for baking; cover
them with warm ashes to a depth of 4 inches, upon this place live
coals and hot cinders; let bake slowly for at least two hours. Re¬
move the ashes with a soft brush, and serve while hot with butter.
No. 4, PRIED
Cut in slices lengthwise and fry in deep grease, same as white po¬
tatoes. Care must be taken to not allow them to become hard
and dry.
No. 5, CHIPS
Cut in thin slices, steam until nearly done, allow the surplus water
to drain, off or dry between napkins, fry in deep fat to a light
brown. This makes a fine breakfast dish. A little salt adds to
its flavor.
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
17
No. 6, PIE (EXTRA FINE)
Boil in skins. When tender, remove skins; mash and beat until
light. To each pint of potato, add 1-2 pint of milk, 1-2 pint of
cream and four well beaten eggs; add 1 1-2 tea-cups of sugar (less
if the potatoes are very sweet). Add spice, cinnamon and ginger to
taste; one ground clove will improve it. Bake with bottom crust
only. The above is enough for five or six pies.
No. 7, SLICED POTATO PIE
Line a deep baking dish with a rich sheet of pastry. Parboil
the number of potatoes desired. When two-thirds done remove the
skins, slice lengthwise, very thin, cover the dish to a depth of 2
inches; sprinkle with ground allspice and a dash of ginger, cloves
and nutmeg. To a pie sufficient for six people, scatter around the
top in small pieces a lump of butter the size of a hen egg; add one
teacupful of sugar and 1-2 teacupful of molasses. Add 1-2 pint of
cream, dust a little flour over the top' sparingly; cover with hot
water, put on upper crust, crimp edges, and bake in a moderate
oven until done. Serve hot, with or without sauce.
No. 8, GLACE No. 1
Boil and cut in halves medium-sized sweet potatoes, lay evenly
in braising pan, baste with syrup and butter warmed together,
sprinkle ligthly with brown sugar, put in hot oven till brown, and
serve in the syrup.
No. 9, GLACE No. 2
Cut in slices 1-2 inch thick, wash and place in deep saucepan;
spread with butter; season with a little grated nutmeg and salt;
moisten with broth or water, cover and let simmer over a slow
fire for three-fourths of an hour, turning the slices so that they
will glace on both sides. Serve with drawn butter or other sauce.
No. 10, SWEET POTATO COBBLER
Prepare the potatoes same as for No. 6. Proceed to fill the
dish the same as for layer cake, rolling out the layer of dough
quite thin and spreading the mixture on in layers about 1-4 of an
inch thick. Proceed until the dish is full; add to each layer just
enough water to cook the layer of crust. Bake until thoroughly
done, and serve hot with drawn butter or hard sauce.
18 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
No. 11, WITH ROAST BEEF No. 1
Roast the beef and make a brown gravy. Take sweet potatoes
of medium size, previously baked; remove the skin, and garnish
the dish with the potatoes. Serve the potatoes with the beef.
No. 13, WITH ROAST PORK
Parboil the desired! number of potatoes with the peelings on
until nearly done; remove and peel; Jay in the baking dish with the
nearly done roast; cook until done, and serve with the pork.
No. 14, WITH ROAST PORK
Select a desirable piece of fresh pork; bake until nearly done;
dip or pour off as much of the grease as possible; prepare the po¬
tatoes the same as for No. 12. Lay them in the gravy; and
slightly brown, with the meat, until done.
No. 15, BROILED
Steam, pare and cut in slices 3-8 of an inch thick; lay the slices
in a double boiler; salt; cover with melted butter, and broil over
a slow fire; serve in folded napkins.
No. 16, STUFFED No. 1
Bake, then cut off one end and scoop out the inside; season with
butter, pepper and salt; beat until light; replace in the skin; close
with the piece put off and put into the oven to heat through. Serve
in napkins. Suitable for luncheon.
No. 17, STUFFED No. 2
Prepare the same as for No. 15, to which add to every pint of
potato 1-4 pint of minced ham; mix thoroughly, fill the hulls, heat
and serve.
No. 18, A SOUTHERN DISH
Cut cold baked sweet potatoes into slices and put into an earthen
dish; add sugar and butter to each layer and bake until slightly
brown.
No. 19, CROQUETTES
Take two cupfuls of mashed, boiled, steamed or baked sweet po¬
tatoes; add the beaten yolks of two eggs and season to taste; stir
over the fire until the mass parts from the sides of the pan. When
cold, form into small croquettes, roll in egg and bread crumbs, and
fry in hot lard to amber color. Serve on napkins,
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
19
No. 20, SWEET POTATO BALLS
Prepare the sauce for croquettes, make into balls and enclose
within the center of minced meat.
No. 21, PUREE
Take mashed, boiled, steamed or baked sweet potatoes; season
and add enough "hot milk to moisten; serve like mashed white po¬
tatoes, or put in pudding dish; dress the top with egg and brown
in oven; serve with sauce.
No. 22, BROWNED
Cut cold, boiled or stewed sweet potatoes into slices 1-4 of an
inch thick; add butter, sugar, pepper and salt and put into hot
oven to brown.
No.. 23, SCALLOPED POTATOES
Wash and peel the potatoes; slice very thin; put in baking dish
in layers; season each layer with salt, butter, 1-2 teacup of sugar,
a dash of spice, nutmeg and ginger; cover with milk that has been
made 1-2 cream; bake in moderate oven until tender; serve hot.
No. 24, DELICIOUS POTATOES
Wash and pare rather small sized potatoes; steam or boil until
they can be readily pierced with a fork; dry the surplus water off;
have a little butter melted in a dish, roll the potatoes in this; place
in a quick oven and brown slightly; serve hot.
No. 25, HASHED POTATOES
Take cold sweet potatoes, either steam,ed or boiled, roasted or
baked; cut into small pieces, place in a well buttered pan, mince
scraps of meat of any kind and stir into it; let brown and sefrve
hot. Chicken makes a most excellent meat to . put into it.
No. 26, BAKED WITH APPLES
'Take four medium-sized potatoes and the same number of apples.
Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in slices about *4 of an inch thick;
pare and slice the apples in the same way; put in baking dish in
alternate layers; sprinkle. 1 1-2 cups of sugar over the top, scatter
1-2 cup of butter also over the top; add 3-4 pint of hot water;
bake slowly for one hour; serve steaming hot.
No. 27, SWEET POTATO MUFFINS
Boil until thoroughly done a sweet potato weighing about 3-4 of
a pound; mash very fine; pass through colander to free it from
20 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
lumps; add to it a large tablespoonful of butter and a little salt;
whip well; now add 1-2 cupful milk and two well-beaten eggs, and
flour enough to make a soft batter, which will be about two cup-
fuls. Before adding the flour sift into it one teaspoonful of baking
powders. Bake in muffin or gem pans.
No. 28, SWEET POTATO PUFFERS
Whip two eggs until quite light; two cups of cold mashed pota¬
toes; one cup of flour into which one teaspoon of baking powder has
been sifted. The potatoes and eggs should be worked together,
then the flour and baking powder; roll lightly; cut quickly, and fry
in deep fat like doughnuts.
Some think a little spice improves the flavor.
No. 29, SWEET POTATO SAVORIES
Boil and mash as many sweet potatoes as required; when cold
stir in sufficient flour to form into a paste; roll out and cut into
small squares; soak a few bread crumbs in water for 5 or 10 minutes;
squeeze dry; add a- little chopped parsley, mixed hexbs, and a
small onion previously soaked in hot water; season with salt and a
dash of pepper. Mix all together thoroughly, put a little on each
square of paste, and fold over as in sausage rolls; fry in boiling fat
till brown; drain and serve.
No. 30, SWEET POTATO NUTS
Take one pint of boiled and mashed potatoes, one pint of toasted
bread crumbs rolled fine, one pint mixed nut meats chopped fine
(peanuts are excellent); season with salt, a little pepper, also sage
and mace if desired; take the yolks of two eggs; stir in two tea¬
spoons of baking powder; whip until light; pour it into the above
mixture and stir well; form into small cakes; dip each into the
whites of the eggs, then into shredded cocoanut, and brown in a
frying -pan containing a little pork fat (not deep fat); turn; brown
on both sides.
No. 31, SWEET POTATO RICED
Pare and boil the potatoes in water slightly salted; when done
drain off the water, and run through a ricer; serve hot with plain
or drawn butter.
The dry, mealy varieties are especially pleasing when prepared
in this way.
CANNING
The sweet potato is quite easy to can, and in several states the
industry has assumed quite handsome proportions. They lind a
ready sale in localities where fresh ones cannot te had.
AND WAYS OP PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
21
HCilE CANNING OF SWEET POTATOES IN GLASS JARS
Peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes or thick slices; pack them
just as closely and firmly as possible in the jars; fill with cold
water; put the lid on loosely, and boil 60 minutes; tighten the lids
at once. Potatoes prepared in this way are exceedingly fine.
COMMERCIAL CANNING
Mr. H. B. Benson, head of our Canning Division, and who suc¬
cessfully cans every year several thousand cans of potatoes, hands
us the following as his method:
"The canning of sweet potatoes is not very difficult, but requires
considerable attention and care, because if not handled properly
an unsightly article will appear.
"There are two styles of packing, one being the whole potatoes,
packed as dry as possible, the other being pie stock, in which the
potatoes appear as a pulp. In packing the whole potatoes it is
very necessary to keep them dry, because the nature of this veg¬
etable is to absorb water, and they should not come from the cans
in a water-soaked condition. To avoid this, steam them about
three-fourths done; slip the skins off, and pack into the cans as
tightly as possible without mashing; exhaust 15 or 20 minutes;
seal, and cook 3-pound cans 45 minutes at 240 degrees Farenheit,
or 90 minutes at 212 degrees Farenheit."
AS A FOOD FOR STOCK
The value of root crops for stock has so long been recognized
that it is almost universally regarded as a necessity, not alone for
the'actual food nutrients they contain, but the peculiar diatetic effect
so essential to the well-being of all animals.
A glance at the table below will convince the most skeptical of
its superiority over many of the standard food-stuffs.
AVERAGE COMPOSITION
Food Material Protein, or Muscle Carbohydrates, or Fat
Builders Formers
Mangel Beet 1.4 per cent 7.6 per cent
Turnip 1-1 Pe*" cent 7.6 per cent
Rutabaga 1.2 per cent 9.0 per cent
Carrot 1.1 per cent 9.3 per cent
Parsnip 1.® per cent 11.4 per cent
Sweet Potato 1.5 per cent 26.4 per cent
We readily see that the potato contains practically as much
muscle-building material as any, and more than double that of the
fat formers.
22 HOW THE FARMER CAN SAVE HIS SWEET POTATOES
In view o± the above table and most especially the fact that
years of experience has taught us that the sweet potato crop is the
one that can be depended upon in favorable years for an enormous
yield, which can be greatly increased with a little intelligent di¬
rection in the preparation of the soil, fertilization, etc., we have
been able to produce here on our Experiment Station 359 bushels
to the acre, and I fully believe our soils can be made to yield 500
bushels of the coarser growing varieties.
A series of experiments have proven that the Dooley Yam, South¬
ern Queen, Pumpkin Yam and the White and Red Nansemond may
be left out in the field .with but slight injury for feeding purposes,
which would save the expense of housing or banking.
EXPERIMENT No. 1
Mr. M. V. Darthard, in charge of the horses and mules, who per¬
sonally conducted the following experiments, is enthusiastic over the
results. The experiment covered a period of 30 days:
Four mules were fed potatoes, two that were doing heavy work
and two that were doing light work; corn was the grain ration.
After the preliminary feeding, substitutions for grain were made at
the rate of.2 3-4 to 2 1-2 pounds of potatoes to 1 1-2 pounds of
corn plus the usual ration of hay.
These four mules kept in good condition, and were able to do
good work. In fact, they looked as well and were able to do as
much work as the four check mules.
The result of this experiment, was, that the sweet potato was
made to replace 1-2 of the corn for the feeding of mules, which
means a great saving in actual dollars and cents.
CAUTION
It is highly important that the potatoes be gradually fed in the
beginning, increasing the quantity as the animal becomees accus¬
tomed to them. Frozen potatoes must also be fed with caution,
or ascetic or alcoholic fermentation may set in and causa serious
results. Do not feed the potatoes to horses, mules and cattle after
they have become sour; hogs may eat them with safety.
EXPERIMENT No. 2
THE FEEDING OF SWEET POTATOES TO HOGS
This experiment was conducted by Mr. R. R. Robinson, in charge
of the swine herd
Six hogs were used; two were fed wholly on sweet potatoes, two
were fed shorts, and two were fed corn. Eight pounds of pota¬
toes were fed each day,, with the following gain of flesh at the
close of 28 days: •
AND WAYS OF PREPARING IT FOR TABLE
23
Lot No. 1. Fed on potatoes; made a total gain of 24 1-2 pounds.
Lot No. 2. Fed on shorts; made a total gain of 33 pounds.
Lot No. 3. Fed on corn; made a total gain of 53 1-2 pounds.
These figures are intensely interesting from the fact that such
highly concentrated foodstuffs as shorts and com only exceed the
potatoes thus: In the matter of putting on fat—corn, 29 pounds;
shorts, 8 1-2 pounds. It is also easy to see that these results are
not inconsistent with good farm practice, and all farmers with ex¬
perience know that all kinds of stock, such as hogs, cattle, horses
mules and poultry, are not only fond of them, but thrive upon them
as well, when the potatoes are judiciously fed, with concentrates,
such as corn, cotton-seed meal, bran, shorts, etc.
VINES
The vines make an excellent quality of hay, which chemists find
to be in composition about the same as that of succulent cow-pea
vines. The vines turn black when dried, but stock eat them greed¬
ily. The vines have been found to be of the following composi¬
tion: muscle-builders, 12.48 per cent; fat formers, 78.79 per cent.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
When potatoes are frozen so that they become soft they must
be fed as fast as possible, as they will not keep.
Care must be taken not to give horses, mules and cattle too much
of them, as they are very sweet after freezing and tempting to
the appetite. Steaming, boiling and mixing with grains, shorts,
meal, bran, corn, etc., make an excellent fattening food for hogs
and one greatly relished. We feed them after being frozen the same
as before without any apparent bad results.
I have very briefly and imperfectly touched upon the many pos¬
sibilities of the sweet potato. I trust that Macon County will take
the lead in developing the almost limitless possibilities of this
splendid crop and show its relation to the dairy industry, beef pro¬
duction, starch mills and that it is the most important and useful
of all our root crops for the feeding of farm animals.