The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-05-18
ia7E From the Lawrence Journal.
CULTIVATI0N AND PRESERVATION OF
SWEET POTATOES.

a
SWEET POTATOES
There ere few who have eaten well ripened
Sweet Potatoes, of the better varieties. who
would consent to be without them in their
season, where they can be so easily grown
IS ia Kansas. - =
To those who have been familia. with
their cultivation. this article NAV not i'm.
part information of great value. But there
are some essential points in the selection of
kiuds. which il is we'll for those not al
ready acquainted to be made so. The
choice Of varieties we believe to be of great
importance, as mistake made here cannot,
By any after efforts, be remedied. There are
several qualities desirable in the sweet po-
tato, some of which can be sacrificed with
less injury than others. The thing essen
tial above AL others. is richness and general
excellence of favor. If this is not present,
no amount of superiority in other respects
will compensate. Another quality that is
important in this latitude, is early matur-
ity: and by maturity we mean the entire
completion of their growth before frost
comes. These qualities rank before the
advantages of large yield, and more than
make up for any deficiency in the latter re-
spsct. We believe that those qualities in
dictated ss desirable, are combined to a
greater degree in the yellow and red Nanse-
mond. than in any other kinds.
Having said this much as to quality and
kinds. we shall now speak of their cultiva-
ton. not deeming it necessary to describe
the mode to be adopted in growing the
plants, as before this reaches its readers
the season will be too far advanced for it to
be available.
The influence Of soil, in color and shape,
is quite perceptible. giving on common up
lands of light. clayey texture. potato of
lighter color and shorter growth than is
produced on black. sandy or alluyi al soils.
The ground should be warm and dry. and
thoroughly pulverized to depth of six or
eight inches. Well rotted land, the second
year after breaking. is good. They also
succeed well on the same land in succession,
if it is kept in good filth. The ridges may
be thrown together with pillow, three and
one half or four feet apart from center to
center. This labor should be performed
while the ground is moist, to guard against
dry dirt in the ridges. The ridges should
be well raised. and narrow, at first. If the
pillow does not properly perform its work.
the labor should be finished up by hand. If
it can be go arranged. this labor should be
done Just before planting. The plants should
be put in the ground an inch deeper than
they grew in the bed, or SO that the stems
of the lower leaves are below the surface.
and the ground should be firmly pressed
about the roots. 1t is Indispensable to
success. Where but few plants are just
out, it may be advisable to break the ridges
into hills, as the plants are thought to yield
q little more when thus treated. The plant
ing may commence when danger from frost
has passed, and continue till June 18th.
The after culture commences about ten
DAYS after planting, and should be contin-
ued at intervals frequent enough to prevent
the growth of weeds and to keep the surface
of the ground light, till the vines get well
started, when they soon cover the ground
and render further attention unnecessary.
If the ridges are male high and narrow, at
planting, they should be added to in hoeing.
Care should be taken in boeing not TO strike
deep, near the roots, as the potatoes COM
msnce forming early and are easily de-
stroyed. With proper attention in trans
planting and cultivation the loss of plants
is but a small per cent.
To keep the sweet potato through the
winter requires much care and very favor
able conditions. The potatoes should be
gathered before injury from frost or from
remaining in the soil after it has become
cold and wet, and the vines have ceased to
maintain the tubers in growing condition
In gathering, great care should be exercis-
ed, handling them very carefully; and IN
storing them, reject all that are cut or
bruised If the soil is dry they may be
packed the next day. In any case the pota-
toes should be perfectly dry before putting
them up. There are different ways of stor-
ing them to keep over winter, but with the
same general object. First, to secure free
circulation of air and next an evenness OF
temperature. The potatoes require to be
packed in sand, or something of that nature
Whatever is used needs to be perfectly
dried, and it is necessary to guard against
putting them into large bodies. Ii they
are put up in bins, they should not be more
than fifteen inches deep. and a space OF
three inches should be left between the bin
and the wall, and it should also be raised as
Ear from the bottom of the room occupied.
By observing these directions, the bins may
be placed one above the other, three inches
apart, to the top Of the room. When put
ting In, cover the bottom with sand, and
pour more on the potatoes as the hllIng pro-
crosses, finall; covering the whole with
sand an inch deep. Potatoes may be Kept
till the first of January for table use. by put.
ting in barrels with little sawdust round
the outer edge of the potatoes. being careful
not TO nut in too much, as they are ilaoie 70
heat. The barrels should be put IN warm
dry cellar. -,
For those that are put up in bins for seed
the temperature must be kept somewhere
from fifty TO sixty deg. Fahrenheit Unless
this is maintained without much variation
failure is certain. The weld per acre. WIN
good care. should be two hundred ouS1eiS
or upwards. With this result atta'naole;
their cultivation shoul become so genera
as to place them. as an srt'cie OF ioed, WIN
in he reach Of all. during the season they
are usually in market.
TO RAISE CROP OF POTATOES.