Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-05-30
Culture of the Sweet Potato.
SELECTION OF SOIL, PLANTING. ETC

SELECTION OF SOIL, PLANTING, ETC.
Select rolling ground, mellow and warm
Cold or wet soils will not do. Good "scconG
years upland is what we generally prefer fol
field crops Dry, but not too barren knobs
and manured, are good. New lands, if dry
produce beautiful crops Of fine quality. Ma
nuring in the hill or ridge, is best where tht
land is not first rate filth. Plow shallow
furrow, put the manure in, and throw up .
ridge over it. The soil in all cases must b.
well worked and finely pulverized. Throw
two heavy burrows together, forming high
ridges. Three and half feet apart, from
center to center, is the proper distance. They
may be made by a hoe by hand labor, on a
small scale. And if ridging with pillow does
not do well, the ridges should be finished
with the hoe.
Ridgng should, if possible, be done when
the soil is moist on top, as then you will get
no dry dirt in the center of the ridge, as
would be the case where the surface soil was
dry. Never work it when heavy or muddy.
Just before planting is the best time if it can
be arranged thus. '
If the soil within the ridge is quite moist
you can plant all day with safety, providing
the soil next the root is properly pressed,
and the plants not wiltcd before planting
They may wilt in the sun if it is shining, but
it the work is properly done they will revive
at shutdown, and never wilt again. Keep the
roots moist and the tops shaded until planted
A boy with bucket to carry plants in, may
drop as wanted, for two planters Two men
and boy may thus plant one acre per day
II yon have not many to plant, choose the
afternoon or evening for planting. If the
ground gets too dry to plant without water,
and it is important to proceed with the work
it may be used. Plant and press as usual,
but leave cavity about the plant into which
pour about pint Of water Immediately after
Planting before they wilt. Afterwards, when
the water has well soaked away, and the
leaves are dry, pass along and pull some dry
dirt over the wet place to prevent baking
Water is unnecessary, unless the soil that
the roots have to come in contact with be dry.
The best instrument for planting with is a
mason's trowsl. Thrust it lengthwise Of the
ridge in the center, mot across it) little
oblquely, so that in bringing it out and to
you It will form cavity admitting the plant
with roots wide spread. Withdraw the
trowcl with one hand. at the same instant
you thrust the plant in with the other, letting
the dirt fall back to its place. Press it com.
pactly at the roots. Severe pressure is in
dlspensable to success, unless you should
have continuation of moist, cloudy weather,
thing not to be depended upon at all. Plant
an inch or more deeper than they stood in
the bed, so that the stems of the lower leaves
may be covered, as they then will sprout
again, if cut by frost or worms. 1.-THE plants
are very long, put in rather more obliouely
so that the foot of the plant will not be too
far removed from the surfacc-sap not more
than three inches under.
Some think that the potato will grow to
better size and mature sooner to break the
ridge into hills once in two feet, and hoe up
more conically. To make the most of few
plants, think it may be the best, but it is
not advisable on large scale, as it requires
more labor to tend them. In ridges plant
two feet apart-rcquiring about ten thousand
per acre. Plant from the 18th of Nav till
the middle of June, or as early as safe from
frost.