Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-05-14
farrn ano 6ol1se)olo.



Iris now about twenty years since Mr..
Davenport planted sweet potatoes at Long
Neck, Staten Island. This was the earliest
attempt to raise this esculent In the vlclni'
ty of New York, or in the Northern States.
OF I course, neighbors were incredulous,
and Mr. Davenport himself seems to nave
met with such moderate success as led soon
to discontinuance of the attempt. But a
Mr.. Hancock went on with the expert
ments, and at last he established the Iact
that the sweet potato could be grown
with advantage in the colder climate ana
of equality fivalling the crops OF Virginia
or the Carolinas, He sold plants quite ex-
tensively, and the increasing demand IN
duced others, both on the Island and IN
Monmouth and other counties In New Jer-
sey, to embark in the same enterprise.
Now thousands of bushels are raised each
season for the Metropolitan market, ana
the business is extending its proportions
The method of culture is simple. Ihe
crop. is raised from slips pulled from the
potato, the potato having been first placed
in a hot bed one month before The man
of growing them lin hot-bed Is as
follows :. ,st4. a fst..4 5slf IT .fsl0 ~ g 9
Make the hot-bed the same as you would
to raise tomatoes or egg plants, with the
exception that one inch of dirt is suftl-
cient covering for the manure. Over this
place the sweet potatoes (small ones are
preterable) so they cover just one half the
space !, or, in other words, one barrel
should be placed in bed six feet wide by
seventeen and one half feet long Give
sashes, six by three and one half feet) /;
then cover the potatoes one inch deep. In
about two weeks the sprouts will begin to
show through the ground, then cover
again with one inch of soil till they show
themselves again, when the covering may
be repeated the same as before, making
three inches of soil, which will be sufi-
cient. AS to watering, great care should
be used, and the ground should not be-
come thoroughly wet, as in most cases it
would rot the potatoes. Neither should it
become so dry that they will not sprout.
Here practice only can tell the true
amount of water to be used. The tenn
perature is of the utmost Importance, as
many of the old growers will tell you,
and the heat should never be allowed to
get higher than 90o One hour of hot sun
will entirely rot and ruin them. In one
instance. 1remember, by the carelessness
peeling condition, and had to replace
them by other potatoes, at cost of eight
dollars per barrel. The soil is an essen
tial part for the hot-bed, and should be of
q sandy nature. Heavier soil bakes and
retards the sprouting. After the sprouts
are sufficiently large, remove the sashes,
and they will be sufficiently hardened in
three days to bear transplanting in the
field. After the removal, the sash may be
replaced and second crop of plants pro-
duced.
After the potato sprouts, plenty of
water should be given to make rapid
growth. For the last few years some of
the larger growers are giving UP hot
beds in the cultivation of such plants, and
are raising them in houses heated by hot
water. This practice is preferable, be-
cause more certain and much less expen-
slve than buying manure, and also on &C.
count o. the facilities for controlling the
heat, which cannot be obtained in hot
bed 81 gf.T
The ground in which the plants are to
be set should be plowed very shallow (not
more than four inches) as soon as the soil
is in suitable condition-the earlier the
better. Then leave it till time of planting
(Which is from 18th of May to 10Th Of
June), then strike the burrows with a corn
ploW, making burrows three and a hall
feet apart; after which place the manure
in the burrows, spreading it along to even
thickness; the manure may be the same
as that used for corn on Irish potatoes
a compost of horse-manure with barnyard
and hog find best Then take q
two-horse pillow and cover the furrow from
each side, throwing the soil directly over
the manure as high as practicable. Then
smooth the ridge with a hoe, and set the
plants sixteen inches apart, either way
just before or just after shower, or on an
overcast day. The attention required is
the same as that of common potatoes, ex
cept when the vines begin to run they
must be kept from roofing in the rows, al
this takes away the substance from the
hill. 'f,s I2+ a" 80 a5fan 2'fa4H7 ~
The above is adapted only to loamy
soil; those who have a sandy soil must
not give the same treatment. I have
found that it pays well to put sand in the
hills here the ground is a little heavy
Hearth and Home. ,'''-''aa 5ai tsa