Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-04-13
AGRICULTURAL.
SWEET POTATOES--.D
TIONS FOR PLANTING.

FIRST Make box by setting boards
OF planks edgewise on the ground, and
pu, in OF good stable manure about a
foot in depth, over which spread good
rich earth to the depth of two inches
upon this lay the potatoes SO near as al.
most TO touch each other. and cover
them from two TO two aud half inches
deep with good loose earth. If the
nights are cold this bed must be carefully
and reasonably covered with straw or
some other warm covering 10 keep the
potatoes from chilling or freezing. I'm
cover the bed the next morning, or as
soon assihe weather is warm enough
fiat any time the bed becomes too dry,
water j, at the evening with rain water,
but if well or spring water is used, II
should have stood in the sun during the
day preceding. The manure put in
the box should be horse manure fresh
from the stable and should not be more
than half rotten, for if wholly rotten II
will contain no heat, and Of course not
warm The bed. There is danger oil
making the bed too warm, and thereby
spoiing the potatoes. To find If the
bed be too warm. put your hand into II
some distance below the surface. lfyou
find il to be TOO warm, cool il by waier-
ing it. If the manure be kept very wet
it will not heat, nor will i, heat if very
drv. 1t ought to be kept moderately
moist; in order tina, the heat may be reg
ular, and of the proper temperature. u
may be kept iolerably wet after the
plants begin to come up if the weather
is warm. When the plan, is three in.
ches high ii wiki do TO set in the ridge OF
hill.
PLANTING AND RAIsING.-Put two
plants in hill, set them two OF
three inches apart and make the top col
the hill sufficiently hollow TO hold about
pint of water. Set the plant little
deeper in the hill than j, was in the ho
bed. Do not wait for rain in order 10
plant. If the weather be dry plant them
IN the evening, and put abou, pint Of
water on each hill. Ii is better 10 plant
in dry time and water them, than when
the ground is wet; for when the weather
becomes dry the earth will bake and re
iard the growth Of the plant. The
ground should be prepared when it is
dry and planting done when there is q
prospect of rain; but if it should moi
rain the plants should be walered little
The giants may be planted in ridges.
and when they are thus planted place
them eightor nine inches apart. When
planted in hills put two sprouts In a
common sized hill, one is bette. Than two.
When the patch is large enough they
should be plowed; for they do best when
thus cultivated. pillow mine each way
once and sometimes of'ener. AT the
first blowing ] scrape the weeds and
grass from The hills and draw little
loose dirt round the plants. Draw up
but little dirt the first time you work
them; for the hills warm through better
when small. When plowed the last
time, hill them up; do this the last ni
July or the first of August II the
vines have grown across the burrows
turn them 10 The opposite side of the hi j.
hoe the left bare, then turn them back
and hoe the other side; never mind the
vines upon the top Of the hill, it will
pre-, en-, the sun from warming ii as much
as is requisite The vines should mol
be cut off; if they grow very rank
pull them loose from the ground and drop
them down again, this is TO prevent the
little sprouts from growing. l prefer
this course TO cutting them off. The po'
tatoes are NOT hart by light frost OF
two; they should be dug as soon as The
frost kills the vines; as the growth is
stopped. II dug before much rain they
are not much injured.