Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-29
AGRICULTURAL.
SWEET POTATOES.

/ y o. q II
Directions FOR THE PRESERVATION,
AND CULTIVATION OF THE SLIPS. The
Slips are nothing more than the small
potatos or roots last thrown off by the
elant. They are preferred to larger ones
on the several grounds of economy, of
food and of room-of their being more
easily preserved, and less likely to rot in the
ground after they are planted. The
writer of this, during fifteen years, never
succeeded in getting more than one large
sweet potato TO vegetate or grow in the
open ground. The ignorance of the
mode of culture has probably been the
cause of their not having been raised here.
The slips should be put up for preser-
vation without bruising them Tor as the
directions from New-Jersey expressed it,
they should be handled as carefully as
eggsl ina dry state, in perfectly dry sand
or earth, and kept in warm place as
free as possible from moisture.
Those who wish to be perfectly assured
of their success, will raise small hot
bed with, or without glass, about the 10th
of April, on the south side of a fence, wall,
or building. On this, they will lay the
slips or roots so close as to touch each 9TH
err, so that bed six feet square will be
sufficient for bushel of them. They
should then be covered with about an
inch of earth. If the cultivator has not
hot bed frames, the bed at night may be
covered with mat or with straw.
In 10 or IA days some of the shoots
will appear above ground when about
one half or even third so appear, they
are all to be taken up to be planted
The lightest soils are best adapted to them.
AS their roots almost universally strike
downwards, like those of the carrot, they
are always placed on hills raised about
nine inches, Or about the height of pota-
to hill, after its last faithful hoeing.-
These hills should be four feet and half
apart in every direction. The slips, two
in each hill, one foot apart, are then put
in either with the fingers, or a stick, or
any instrument capable of making sufli-
cient hole, and the crown or top should
be within an inch or half inch ofthe surface.
When thus started or sprouted, it will be
easy to distinguish the end which sends
out roots, from that which puts forth shoots
for the open air. The slips should be put
in perpendicularly or nearly SO, the root
end downwards. They would grow with
out this precaution, but would be delayed
and injured in their growth. A little
dung dug, or hoed in will much aid their
progress, unless the land be rich. They
cannot bear moist, or any rich grounds,
or places, where the water stands after
showers. Their vines grow too luxuriant-
ly in such situations, and their roots are
softer and more watery.
After they are planted they require the
same treatment as the squash or pumpkin,
that is simply wedding them. In the
Jerseys, they raise the runners from the
ground when they weed ,them--so as to
prevent their taking root which they do
more readily than any plant, and which
the Jersey farmers think injurious TO the
main roots. The writer permitted ma
ture to take its course-but he should
certainly make the trial another year of
the New-Jersey method.
The products for two successive years.
have been at the rate of 220 bushels to
the acre, with no greater care, nor indeed
81 hhuOh uo GHuL UcSlOWGu OH common
potatoes. They were planted this year
early in June, and were hilled on the l0tl,
of October, which is at least .forty-fve
days less growth, than they would have
in common years, or if the seed had az
rived earlier. They will begin to be
palateable and fit for table about the 18th
of Sept. or LIST Of Oct, as the season NAV
have been hot or cold but the general
crop ought not to be dug till the vines are
killed. They will endure six or seven
frosts after the common potato stalks have
been killed. So many persons have APP
piled for slips, that it was the advice of
some of them, that these hints should be
published. 1t is not pretended that the
culture is of any agricultural Importance
1t is merely an horticultural experiment,
very pleasant to those who have taste for
such pursuits-and also gratifying to those
who love the sweet potato. They cer-
tainly can be raised iiere of excellent
quality, full as often as we can raise good
grapes, peaches, or pears. They should
not be gathered in by the hoe, or spade
they must be raised like the carrot, with
the dung fork.-N. 70. Former.