The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-05-21
Agricultural.
The Culture of sweet Potatoes
BY J. c. THOMPSON, ToMPKlNSVlLLE, N. Y.


Attempts to raise sweet potatoes have Of
Ssrng the ground, dIl6 not knowing how
to preserve them after they are dug. When
they are planted in too deep a soil. the
tuber runs down too deep and becomes
watery and insipid.
PLANTS OR SLIPS.
About the first of April put the potatoes
in hot bed. If they are large, split them
lengthwise, laying the fiat side down. They
may be placed so near as almost to touch
each other; then cover about two. inches
deep with light compost made of fine sand
manure, and good soil or leaf-mould from
the woods When the sprouts push above
the ground add an inch or SO oftle compost.
Water occasionally with warm water; keep
the bed warm at night, and on warm days
give them air and sunshine to render them
hardy. When ready to set, the sprouts may
be pulled off, or the potato may be lifted
out and the best plants selected and the po-
tato returned to the hot bed. A bushel of
seed will produce from three to five thou
sand plants and every thousand plants which
are set should produce forty bushels OF pota-
| toes.
PLANTING THE GROUND.
A warm sandy loan is best adapted to the
|
| merely scratching the ground for the rows,
| which should run north and south. On the
| mark spread barnyard manure with fork :;
then turn mp the earth with pillow from
each side towards the manure, and form n
ridge about ten inches high, and finish the
ridge with rake. The base of the ridge,
which should be foot in width should not
he disturbed with the pillow. The top of the
ridge when finished should BE flat and three
or four inches in width.
| Plants should be set rs soon as all danger
from frost is past. have obtained fair sized
potatoes when planted the lst day Of July,
but donot advise late planting.
| PLANTS on SOD.
Sweet potatoes will grow more chubby
when planted on sod than when plantet
in any other way. Strips of sod eight OIL
ten inches wide may be laid in line on the
surface of the ground with the grass side VI
manure strewcd on them, and the earth tur
ned up OIL each side so as to form ridge
as directed above; Or u piece of pasture or
meadow may be selected. and the turf uset
as the base of the ridge to be formed by the
pillow. In either case manure or rich com
post should be used; for unlike Irish pota
toes these are not injured but greatly bene
fitted by manure.
SETTING THE PLANTS
! A marker should be used to prick off the
spaces for the plants, sixteen inches apart
y boy is then able to drop the plants in the
right places and the hole is made for setting
them. The plant should then be put in tn e
ground down to the first leaf, and the earth
pressed gently around it. Care should be
tskcn to set the plants when the ground i,
moist and, if possible, on cloudy day.
AFTER TREATMENT.
keen the weeds sllUlued Use n hoe OF
rake. raking upward towards the plants. =
Where the plants run down the ridges, lift
and lay them on the top. Do this several
times during the season, in order to permit
the sun to act upon the ground.
| GATHERING AND PRESERVING.
For early use feel in the ridges and mir
from the stem those that arc fit for use leav
ing the others to grow. For winter use,
after the first frost select q dry, clear day.
Cut the vines with a cythe, leaving the stem
to which the potatoes are attached three or
four inches long to lift them by. The vines
are ready eaten by cattle. Use fork for
raising the potatoes; lift them by the stem
and lay them on the ridge to dry. In few
hours they will be ready to pack. Prepare
plenty OF dry. cut straw, (old straw is pref
crable,) and take straw and barrels or boxes
to the field. Select the best potatoes, land.
ling them carefully, without bruising them.
Put layer of straw at the bottom of the
barrel, and then alternate layers of pota-
toes and straw until it is filled. The pota-
toes should be placed close to each other
one at a time and handled as carefully as
eggs. The barrels are then to be moved to
IL dry room or cellar where there will be no
| frost. If they are placed in a cellar they
must be raised from the floor and must not
touch the wall. Keep warm and dry is the
secret of their preservation. They will
keep six or eight months and improve i'll
quality. From one plot of ground 80 by
100 feet l gathered in October last 40!
bushels u. $. agricultural Report.