St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-26
The Sweet Potato.

The Editor of the North Western
Farmer, at Dubuque, gives us some
| information in reference to the grow
ing of sweet potatoes, and proposes to
fill orders for plants He says:
"The price of seed in this market
last spring, was Sc per bushel and
the price of plants 81 per hundred.
We shall be prepared the coming
spring to supply all orders for plants
at 81 per hundreds for five hundred
or 81 per one thousand, safely packed
and forwarded dy Express or any other
way ordered. Orders from distance
should be made by the first of April.
The common name Potato being
applied to the tuber, those unacquaint-
cd with the plant have generally
associated with it, the idea Of re-
semblancc to our common potato,
which idea is erroneous. Our common
potato botanically considered, belongs
to the same family as the deadly
Night shade, Eggplant and Tomato.
The sweet potato is conrolrulus, in
which family is the common Morning
Glory, which it closely resembles in
vine and foliage.
The light yellow sort, is the most
popular for northern culture-it is a
variety produced by cultivation from
G. Batatas Of the botanist, a native
of both Indies, and is with its nume-
rous varieties of very easy culture in
all tropical climates. This variety,
called the Nausemond, if we mis-
take not, may be successfully cultiva-
ted under the warm sun of the west,
wherever frosts do not occur before
the middle of September. Our best
plants cultivated here cover the ground
with thick mat of vines and verdure
to distance of or 8 feet, and oc-
casional runners each a distance OF
IL feet from the original plant, and
the tubers weigh from J to pounds
A dry, rich, deeply plowed soil
should be chosen if new, all the
better. Pulverize thoroughly, and
with the pillow divide into broad ridges
six feet apart, raised about 6 or s
inches. Deep blowing should not be
neglected, as the length and size OF
the tubers is graduated by this cir.
cumstance if the border is not deep
worked, they will be short and small
for want of sufficient moisture, and in
ability to displacc the unyielding sub
soil. Before setting out, the ridges
must be we'll rounded off, and
the centre well pulverized with
the rake. The plants at the proper
time are to be set on these prepared
ridges in straight lines four feet apart ;
only one plant in hill or place.
In our experience one plant is suf-
ficient and better than more.
The sweet potato plant stands trans
planting just as well as the cabbage,
and requires no more care in doing it.
As with cabbage plants, we advise a
day or two's protection from the sun.
For this purpose, when burdock or
some other large leaves cannot be
obtained-we take pieces of any old
paper-bend it over the plant in the
form of an arch and place dirt on each
end OF keek it inplace. If transplant
, ed in wet, lowery weather, no cover
ing is necessary. Set the plant deel
enough to cover up the side roots
about an inch. If the weather be dry
watering once or twice will be bene
fetal using the rake to prevent bak
ing Of the surface after watering.
In the wide space between the rows,
use the cultivator freely once in two
weeks, until the vines intrude too much
Along the rows dress with the hoe,
and rake alternately, and with the
iron toothed rake correct all irregu-
larities left by the cultivator keep
the rounded broad edges uniform, and
be careful neither to add to, or take
away the earth around the plants.
All weeds must be kept down f; it is a
tropical plant, and will not consent to
share the sunshine with, or grow in
the shade of any of our natives.
After the vines have spread too much
to admit the cultivator and rake, keep
down the weeds with the hoe and by
hand pulling"