The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-06-16


case grneral improver and often presses the corr
forward so AS 10 expose 1t TO serious injury by al
early drought. The late application during tht
cultivation of the crop of corn makes very "a
vorabe impression upon the weedy crop Of whea
and will secure the best results if rs lbs. to the
| acre is added when the wheat is sown. Thu:
| two crops of grain are secured from tho arplica
! ton Of two hundred and twenty five pounds o
guano. Both IRISH and sweet potatoes are greatly
benrfirte: by the application either broadcast OIL
in the hill or driII.''
From the Southern A gricuIturist.
! The Sweet POtato-Eis Culture and Pre-.
| Sery:asEOEi.
MEssRs. EDIToRs :-Believing it 10 be duty
we all owe one another to relate experience
IN The cultivation, successfully, OF any or all plants
and having been reader Of your paper now for
several years, thereby giving us much valued in.
structlon, for which truly grateful, and de-
string TO afford mite in the production of a VAL
liable root which has been very successful in our
hands, nd-may induce others 10 follow the exam
pie, TO their benefit and not to be tedious, we will
state that object in this article is the produc.
ton, cultivation and safe keeping of Sweet Poa-
toes of the yam variety, both yellow and red be-
ing the experience OF nearly twenty years, having
at all lines an abundance for my own family and
seed to sell y my potatoes never rot.
In the first place, as early in February as the
season will admit, by the first of March at fur.
thest, spade out trench, say feet wide, 25 feet
org ~ inches deep, then fill the trench with good,
sound cotton seed, which prefer, or fresh stable
manures, well lorked, so that the long may be
equally distributed with the Short wet it very free.
ly with water, let 1t remain few DAYS if there
is prospect of rain; when the ground becomes
sufficiently dry to be worked, cover the cotton
seed or manure with well pulveriZnd earth to the
depth OF or inches, rake smoothly and evenly
and then carefully lay down your seed so as not
to touch each other when the bed is full (the size
will bed ten bushelS) cover the potatoes with well
puverlzed earth TO the depth of inches, rake
smooth and cover the cotton seed about inches
deep, hoe up the earth all round the bed and pack
with the spade, OhiS keeps in the heaI When
the weather gets warm and settled, remove the
cotton seed from the top Of The bed and rake slight
Iy this gives fine, smooth surface for the sprouts
10 come through Your bed will soon be covered |
with sprouts growing very luxurian;ly. You can
hasten and greatly improve the produ:tiveness Of
the bed if you will keep it wet with soap-suds, (the
refuse OF the washtub) always pouring it on the |
bed at sundown, (no other time.) This makes
The best hot bed for potatoes / have ever used
AS early as the ground will admit, plow the |
piece you design for potatoes very close and deep,
and keep it regularly plowed. alternately each and
every two weeks. When your slips in the bed are
we'll grown, lag off the ground with a long bull
tongue IN rows 3 feet apart, then, with turning
blow, ridge over the furrows as high as the plow
will throw; then pull your slips from the bed and
set them out on the top of the ridge very deep, and
rec from clods and in good tIth before ridgng up
o plant and not ridglng up the ground in Dry
weather. but when the earth is most. prefer set.
ing plants out in the evening late, when the earth
S moist, than after rain, and watering few
venlngs-a half teacupfu of water will be suffi.
ient for plant Sc; your plants out Is inches
part IN the ridge. Always make your ridges so
hat they will hold the waller, and not run off
Now tor the cultlVaton-in about two weeks
ou must plow down your ridges, leaving only s
OF dirt TO support the plant. Plow deep
nd thoroughly with bull-tongue, then follow ,
with your Carey or turning pIow and
brow the dirt up TO the ant and finish your ridge
S at hrSt-thls must be done every two week as
ong the vines will admit-and very frequently d
break The vines. in order that deep, loose soil
lay be had for the formation Of roots This is
Il the cultivation necessary-a hoe is not needed d
When The frost kills the leaves, [ proceed to Il
g. using the plow, the uiitongue, breaking down
Ie ridge on each side, and then, with one deep
row, plowing out the roots. gather in BASKETS
~ bushel at time, and carry to an open shed
being careful not to bruIse or break The roots
rst the largest and soundest and then the smallest
r seed, and lastly, the broken ones pour down =
'le SIounu, uudHr lne SIleO, IN separate piles OF
'ou 30 bushels; when you are done, cover with ?
raw, each pile, separately, and then cover COM
eely, each pile, but separately, with dry Girt a
OF thick, and all is over. Your potatoes will
ep as long as you want them, perfectly sound
Sc the broken potatoes first commencing at the ,
p OF the pile. BY putting only 80 bushels in a u y
ap you will be better enabled to consume ,hem o' It
lore injury can take place from exposure to air u
d light. y ou must have good shed open TO al
2 south and inclined to the north This is nv m
ethod after 20 years experience always have 10
1nd potatoes, and have to supply seed every OF "
ar TO my neighbors at dollar busheI do nj
t claim any thing for this plan exclusively, for "
ere may be others equally as good all [ am
aid OF is. tha too little attention is paid to their
'ducton and cultivation and preservation The te
Eat majority of my roots would weigh from to 81
pounds. The bed before described would set w
two acres at two settings. Get your sprouts '"
soon possible and set out. al
prefer the red yam African, " hich will pro. a'
'e twice as many as any other, and will keep M
ger and better, and is of much larger growth. on
My cultivate the two varieties OF yams-the red
yellow. Four hundred bushels to the acre
be easily raised. iu:
have thought that the red or African yam co
lid be an excellent root for hogs. Plant about mt
acres lay off the ground as for cotton, then on
IS and between the burrows, covering the ridge The
p potato and with the hoe cultivate. ipr
when grown fence itself and lei in ! ge
r hogs: when they have used up the acre fence to
mother, and so on, unl they use up the patch. me
Verv resnPcliIIIly i'm