Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-05-18
Brief Directions for Planting and Cultiva-
ting the Sweet Potatoe.

F.
Select land for this crop that is loose and
dry, that is either sandy or light clay loan,
and not too rich, or the crop will run too
much to4sine; wet prairies, rich. bottom and
black walnut lands are the most unfavorable.
Rolling land either in the prairies or timber.
is preferable and in the north should be
selected if possible sloping to the south or
southeast, and if elevated would be less sub
iect to white frosts in the spring and fall
To avoid cut-worms and weeds, the Sweet
Potatoe ground should have been Clearly cub
tivated the season previous, and plowed late
in the fall that it may be pulverized by the
frost. Early in the spring, or as soon as the
soil is in good working order, it should be
plowed, narrowed, and rolled if dry and clod-
.dy, in which condition it should lay until the
plants are ready to set out; then it should be
thrown into ridges and crossed with small
plow into hills about three feet each way, in
the center ofeach Of which set onegood plant,
by making hole with the hand or trans
planting trowel, large enough to hold one
pint of water, in which place the root of the
plant and pour the water directly on the
roots, and draw the loose earth quickly about
the plant without pressure. BY this mode
the roots are. hoated out in their natural posi-
ton, and the soil settles around every little
fiber mere than by any other mode of plant
ing; the water is just where it is needed, and
the soil left dry on the surface will not bake,
as is the case when plants are watered on
the surface, Or are pudded into the mud after
a rain. We never plant when the ground is
so wet as not to need water; and if the plants
are good and the work well done, we do rot
expect to loose one per cent in the dryest
and hottest day Of May and June, and never
water after the plants are set Plants should
b. set so deep that one or two lcaf-buds are
covered, that they may sprout if cut down
by frost or worms. After the plants are set
out they should be carefully plowed each way.
so long as the vines will permit, and earthed
up a little at each blowing with the hoe
Perhaps the most certain plan for farmers to
get their potatoes planted in time and well
cultivated, would be to select ground in their
corntields, and make hills to correspond with
their corn rows. and cultivate the same as
the corn, putting two plants in each hill
when planted four feet apart.
The hills should be about as largo as can
be thrown up by a small plow, and where
few are made the corners may be dressed
with the hoe, but it is not necessary if the
grouiG has been well prepared, except for
turning rows and near stumps
The season for planting in this latitude is
from the tenth of May to the twentieth of
June, or as early in the spring as we feel Sc
cure from the frost.
Those that want few early potatoes mag
plant the first Of May and cover with earth
in cold or frosty weather, which will not in
.iure the plants for few days if the ground is
not too wet
Plants can be carried to great distance in
good condition, if the roots are packed in
damp moss or earth, but care must be taken
not to wet the leaves when closely packed, or
they will rot in a day or two.
Sweet Potatoes should be dug before frost
or the vines cut off Immediately after, or the
quality of the potatoe will be injured for the
table or for keeping, and should be placed in
warm, airy ROOM OF cellar, for use, as they
will not bear low temperature without in
jury
The proper time for taking out and ship
ping Sweet Potatoes from this country is the
LIST to 18th of April, from which time can be
brought forward ready for setting in the open
ground by the first Of May.