The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-06-21
Prom ihs Ohio cslivsler.
Sweet Potato Culture.


The soil lar this crsp should be IL
warm. sandy or graveliy nature-rieh.
deep, aud mellow. rather dry than moist.
We have known many failures ~ bate.
from attempting Ia grow this erop ON
clayey, ar moist soils. Except in very
dry or warm seasons. the crsp is sure
To suffer by an overgrovth of vines.
with wstery tsbers. ea sxch lands.
Propagation ef the soil is of much
importance. especially if not already
deep aud mellow. Let il he plpwca
Early and thoroughly pulverizr,l, add
ing somc we'll rottcd maaure, IL nat ia
good hcart-but heavy ,naaaring is not
sdvisable. About the last Of MAY. or
during ths frat, of June, when the
sprouts or plants are nearly ready,
plow the gruund ints ridges, say feet
apart. aud l2 to rs inches high; or IL
preferred, into squares or hills . feet
apart each way. the centers ioot or
more in beigbt, TO be finished of with
"A hoe.
The mode Of planting described by
one oi our correspondents several years
ago, is as good as we can give: Take
a garden trDwel, stick or any suita-
Bile article convenient. and form a
trench in the top Of your ridge, TO the
depth desired, say four inches, where
the sprouts are planted. then place the
sprouts in the trench the desired dis
tancc apart. at the same time filling
The trench about half full Of earth a
round the plauts, gently pressing it to
prevent them from falling; then pour
water IN the trench q use well water)
until the earth is completely saturated.
then fill the trench loosely with earth
around the plants, and the work Is
denr.
"The philosophy of the matter aP.
pears to be this /: the water settles the
earth around the roots Of the plants,
ahording them nourishment, aud the
filling of the trench with dry earth, on
the top Of the water, prevents evapo-
ration. retaining il at the roots Of the
plants where needed, and prevents the
earth from baking around them, mat
ter Of much Importance to their well
fare"
.qnofher successful grower oi sweet
potato describes his mode Of plant
Ing aud after culture as follows: "Put
two plants in hill; IL the hill is small
Que is better than two. Set them -four
inches apart, and make the hill little
hollow, SO as to hold a pint Of water,
Set the plant half its length in th,
ground !; do not wait for rain in order
to plant. II the weather is dry. plant
them in the evening and put pint d
water in each hill, the water should bt
as warm as rain water. 1t is better I,
plant in a dry time than when th.
ground is too wet, for when the groun,
ibecomes dry it will bake and retar.
the growth Of the plant. The plan
Imay be planted in ridges, and whel
they are thus planted, put them TEL
inches apart. At the first plowing
scrape the weeds and grass from thu
hills and draw up but little dirt the
first time you work them, for the hill
will warm through better when small
Hill them up the last Of July or tn,
first of August. IL the vines have
grown across the furrow, turn them t.
the opposite side Of the hill, hoe thu
side left bare, then turn them back
Never wind the vines upon top Of tn,
hill, it will prevent the sun from warm
ling it as much as it requires to the ful
growth Of the plant. The vines shoult
not be cut Oft if they grow very rank
Pull them loose from the hill and ,lroI
. them down again this is to preven
! the little sprouts from growing an,
cncumbcring the hill with load Q
stringy potatoes.
) "Plant early and dig before the iirs
frost. lf the vines are frosted the po
tatocs become watery and will not kecl
, any length Of time"