Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-05-24


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Tn CuIrrnz or suEkz Po1krofs.-
7zecently noticed frequent enquiries or
the culture of the sweet potato. Hav-
ing had some little experience ii thh
branch Of horticulture, I win state ths
mode and the results. ss.-- - :,
SouRcE OF SEEp.-This always pro
cure from the city Of New York. L
which it IS, l suppose brought from
further south. sometimes send direct
" there for it. and at other times pro
cure it from grocers who have recently
procured it for retail here. Potatoes
raised here are always too imperfectly
mature to be preserved; they perish
with a dry rot, even when stored IN
small quantities in dry sand. and IN .
cool and airy place, sssa m ~
So1L-I have cultivated them in q
light sand, sandy loan. both of mod
crate fertility, and in a moist rich sand
prefer the former, becauseit secures
a slower growth and results in the ear.
lier formation of tubers, and of course,
in amore perfect maturity than either
Of the others. bse ser.s no o. -
NOPE or GRowTH.-The vine and
leaf somewhat resemble bean trailing
over the ground. Perhaps it still more
resembles wild buckwheat, though its
leaf is larger and yeliower green
The vines often make eight feet in
length in a rich and moist soil, though
usually four feet is as long as desirable.
In rich soil and moist weather they fire.
quently throw down roots at intervals
along the vines, which produce tubers
at these points, and so fiil the whole
soil with tubers. This. however, is not
desirable, as these scattering tubers are
usually very imperfectly ripened. The
tubers always stand up lengthwise in
the soil, instead of lying horizontally,
as in the case of the common potato.
PREpAR1roRY CULTURE IN rHF Hor-
BED.- Having procured your seed
tubers, bury them in an ordinary hot
bed, about the goth of April, in Cen
trail New York. Place them length
wise, and nearly end to end, in rows
across the bed, the rows about six inch
es apart, covering them about three
inches deep with soil. In two or three
weeks according to the heat of the bed,
each tuber win throw up from FIVE to
thirty sprouts close to the side Of the
parent. As soon as these are three OF
four inches high, take up the tuber
carefully and break them off close to
the parent, so as to save the side roots.
The tubers may then be replaced for
the production of second and even a
third crop of sprouts. Some prefer
breaking them off in the ground, but I
have always found it safe to take the
tubers quite out of the ground for this
purpose. This method of procuring
plants is practised even in the southern
States. since otherwise too many shoots
would be produced. With us this mode
becomes further indispensable as the on
5y means of getting our plants sufficient
ly early. dt-
AoDE OF CULTURE IN TIE EIELD.-
Plow your ground, and throw it into
ridges five or six feet apart. This is
needful-6rst because your tuber, need
ing to spread sideways, will form more
readily than when penetrating deep in
tothe soil-and secondly, they viii thus
be less likely to form roots along the
vine. Set the plants on the ridge, about
fifteen inches apart, inserting them in
the sod Just as though they were toma-
to or cabbage plants. Should the
weather be hot, cover the newly set
plants with any large leaves, as of pie
plant, balm of Gilead, DC. Hoe fire.
quently until the vines cover the soil,
but without increasing the height Of the
ridge. In wet and hot weather, it
might be useful slightly to lift up the
plants with long. smooth pole, TO pre-
vent them from roofing.
I have lot observed that the sweet
potato is not liable to disease, otherwise
than, as tropical plant, it fears cold
and rainy alterations of weather.
DIoe1SG, YIELD, MODE OF PREsERv-
NC &c.--Dig as soon as the vines are
killed by the frost. Spread the tubers
thinly on dry, cool floor, where they
may be preserved until nid-winter.
/ am not prepared to speak very
positively of the yield. Undoubtedly
it will be less than that of the ordinary
potatoes. In the hot, moist season of
1851, however, the yield was very large
and the whole cost of production not
more than the ordinary potatoes by the
bushel.
QuAITrY.-Here, after all is the fail
ing point of this crop. In dry, warm
season, when grown in rather poor,
sandy soil, they are often quite eatable,
and are very acceptible to those not ac-
customed to those produced at the
south. Often. however, they are quite