The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-03-19
From the Paye,teviIle Observer.
SWEET POTATOES.


MEssRs. EDlroRs You will please per.
init me, through your paper, TO make lew
remarks upoa that valuable esculent, the
sweet potato. As many Of our farmers are
now 10 the battle field. and probability Of
more soon being there. think il behooses
those remaining behind to turn their allen.
ton 10 the cultivation Of those products
which will Yield them the most for their Ia.
bor. think there Is nothing grown upon a
farm that will make more handsome yield.
according to the labor bestowed, than the
sweet potato.
vas reading in Patent Office Report of
4 gentleman that selected an acre from }
field ii ten, AMI dug and measured them q
decide bet He 70, 200 bushels from HI.
acre. What else could lfe have put his acre
in TO have cot hall such a crop; Although
we may not raise | 200 bushels per acre. We
can very easily raise from 400 to 500. They
are not only an excellent iurary for the "a.
ble. but also nearly a. good a. corn for fa,.
iening p0rk. therefore an astonished that
there i not more of them grown. taking into
nsdtratinn the small amount Of labor ne i.
cessary 10 their production. compared with
nther products. Boiled potatoes. with the
addition Of some salt and meal. will. think
fstten hogs as .ast. or faster. than all eorn,
and Al about one third The cost. Potatoes,
10 be fed prof,ably 10 hogs. should always
be cooked. IL an experiment of cooked and
aneonksd pntate.s fsI 70 fattsning hogs. ii
was found that the cooking increased their
value 230 per rent.
| Having said thus much about their uses.
will COW make few remarks about their
/ production.
/ 1T. The seed shoul! be perfectly sound.
There are 4 great many different varieties Of
the potato. and most persons have their no.
tions about the kind ihrs wish 20 plant.
think the African. or negro ehoker" q
they are commonly called. will produce
most lhey are likewise very handy pOta-
10.
2d. They should b. beideh On warm bed
made ~ folloss: stand doan plank edge.
aise = large = you want ynur bed. and y.
cure them by driving sp stakes; or 10 other
words. make you a boz as large as YOU waui
+ Your bed. and IN . sum, place convenient "a
water. Then haul stable manure and put IN
/ your Dor twelve inches deep. Pack Il down
sril and vet il we'll With water. whirh vii
i cause IL ii heat snnn. Then place % this
. manure two inches olrafth. Then your 20.
tators, and DO not crowd ihem-thr slip.
will have a better sel Then cover your
/ potatoes from 10 2 inches with loose earth
fhey should not be covered too deep. a,
they are more ap, 10 ri. and will likewise
cause the slips 70 BE- more spindling. You
have now only 70 attend 10 your bed and va
ter II about three times 4 week 20 keep Il
from getting too hot. THIS should be dome
IN the nDrning, - you e4n then. by grab.
bling IN them. best tell the temperature ol
i The manure. II dome IN the evening. wher
the sun has warmed The bed. you eannol A.
well tell. Keep Il as near a. you can af !
/ blDnd heat. | have tried this method ul
/ bedding Tor three Or lpgr years, and | have
never failed 70 produce a. many agar
sprouts, think, a. would have done by N,
old way. will remark that you may. i
YOU see proper. dig down same six or eighi
inches aud let your bed be partly above and
partly under the ground. The advantages
of hot bed are these;
/ 1T. Your potatoes, when the direction,
are followed. are much less liable to 10
than when bedded the old say.
1 2. They are from two TO three weeks car
lier.
Q. They sprout much faster. the heat o
the manure causing them 70 sprout nearly a
fast in the night as they 10 N the day time.
9TH. You can get some three drawings II
May. People should make II rule 20 sc
out no slips after May goes out The pro
duct Is not only larger and liner. but they
get their growth and therefore keep mueE
} better than " planted late.
Remdrks.-Land lot sweet potatoes shonlt
be manured with a mixture Of ashes an,
stable manure. II Is the best manure 4
which we would be likely 60 get enougl,
scrapings from under houses il probably IN
: best. omitted mentioning that sand an