Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-06-03
Sweet Potato Culture.

The soil for this crop should be .Of u
warm, sandy or grsveily naiure-rlch,
deep and mellow, rather dry or moist
We have known many failures of late,
from attempting to grow this crop Oh
clayey, or moist soils. Except in very
dry or warm seasons. the crop is sure 10
suffer by an overgrowih Of vines, with
watery tubers, on such lands.
Preparation Of the soil is of much i'm
portance, especially if not already deep
and mellow. Let il be plcwed early and
thoroughly pulverised, adding some well
roited manure. if not in good heart--but
heavy manuring is not advisable. About
last Of May, OF during the first half June,
when the sprouts or plants are nearly
ready, pow the ground into ridges, say
feet apart, and IL TO Is inches high; or if
preferred, into squares or hills 3 feet apart,
each way, the cenlers foot or more in
height, TO be finished off with hoe.
The mode Of planting described by one
of Our correspondents several years ago.is
as good as we can give Take garden
lrowel, stick, or any suitable convent
ent article, aud form trench in the top
of your ridge, to the depth desired, say A
inches, where the sprouts are planted,
then place The sprouts in the trench The
desired distance apart, at the same time
filling the trench about half full of earth
around the plants, gently pressing it TO
prevent them from falling, then pour wa
ter in the trench Il use well water) until
the earth is com pletely saturated, then
ill the trench loosely with dry earth
around the plants, and the work is done.
"The philosophy of the matter appears
to be this: the water settles The earth
around The roots Of the plants, alfording
them nourshment, and the filling of the
trench with dry earth, on the top OF the
water, prevents evaporation, retaining i
at the roots of the plants where needed
and prevents the earth from baking around
Them, matter of much importance to
their welfare"
Another successful grower of sweet
potatoes describes his mode Of planting
and after culture as follows:-'Pat two
plants in hill if the hill is small, one
is better than two. Se; them four inches
apart, and make the hill little hollow, so
as to hold pint of wafer. Set the plant
half It's length in the ground: do not wait
for rain in order to plant. If the wealth.
er is dry, plant them in the evening, and
put pint of water in each hill, the wa.
ter should be as warm as rain water. 1t
is better 10 plant in dry time than when
the ground is too wet, for when the ground
becomes dry it will bake and re,afd the
growth Of the plant. The plant may be
planted in ridges, and when they are thus
planted, put them ten inches apart. AT
the first blowing, scrape the weeds and
grass from the hills and draw up but little
dir, the first time you work them, for the
hills will warm through better when
small. Hill them up the last of July OF
the first of August. If the vines have
grown across the burrows turn them to
the opposite side of the hill, hoe the side
left bare, then turn them back. Never
wind the vines upon the top of the hill,
it will prevent the sun from warming il
as much as it requires to the full growth
of the plant. The vines should not be
cut off if they grow very rank. Pull
them loose from the hill and drop them
down again /; this is to prevent the little
sprouts from growing and encumberine
the hill with load Of stringy potatoes.
Plant early and dig before the first frost.
IF the yines are Grosted tho not,,o bo
comes watery and will not keep any
length Of time.
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