Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-08
Culture of the Sweet Potato.

Two modes of cultivation are common.
The former may be described as inn
planting-the latter as planting in ridges.
In the one case the compost OF short
barnyard manure and mari is dropped
about half shovelful at intervals, where
the furrows are crossed at from two and
a half to three feet apart, covered with
soil by means of the hoe, forming hill
for the insertion of sprouts at the proper
season. In the other a furrow is marked
out (as in ordinary potato plantingl from
three to four feet apart, then filled with
compost and covered with return furTow
and left until planting time-setting the
sprouts about twenty inches apart i'll the
row.
The latter method has my preference,
although the other is the most economical
of compost / have tried both modes,
and the most satisfactory results have ac-
crued under the latter method. Ridges are
far more conviently worked than hills, not
only with the hoe and cultivator, but with
the plow also l think | am safe in say
ing that in the average experience of Sc
ries of years no advantage is secured by a
very early setting out of the sprouts from
the hot-bed.
| greatly prefer that they should remain
under the frame until they are well fur
nished with roots. The small and sickly
scions never do well, and an earlier return
may be expected from well-rooted plants,
set out in the field week or two later,
provided they are supplied with roots.
Many farmers set great store by getting
their plants out in the first week in May.
| believe they will generally fare better by
deterring the main planting of the crop
until the beginning of June. l admit
that if the season should prove favorable,
and the early planting encounters no
drawback, the product may be available
for market in advance of the more tardy
but less venturesome planters; but If the
experit nee of five or six years be aver
aged, l am inclined to the opinion that it
will confirm the view have expressed.
One of the most fatal enemies to the
growth of the sweet potato is frost,
whether early or late; and in order to
avoid the labor and loss of replanting L
prefer the course which l have advocated.
After setting out the sprouts, for which
purpose wet time is always desirable,
though they may be planted in dry
weather provided they are well watered
with rain or creek water, not too c0td, and
allowed to warm in the sun if possible.
Great care is requisite in guarding the
plants against the ravages of the cut
worm. This ugly little customer shows
his prowess by biting the sprout off close
to the ground 1t is necessary to follow
the caitiff, and he will generally be found
coZily coiled up for nap, If the surface
soil is carefully removed. When caught
he is to be disposed Of In large field
this is troublesome work, but ifyou follow
it up for few days, replacing the sprouts
which are cut off by fresh ones, you will
generally succeed in eXterminating these
| vile noacharS
Keep your plants from being parched in
the SOIL as they will be, if not attended to
after warm sunshine upon hard rain. In
order to do this, loosen the ground about
| them. This is an important matter. Then
keep down the weeds with hoe, throw
up the ground between the ridges with the
cultivator, and keep light and fresh unit
it is time to use the plow in order to throw
the soil up into ridges. Turn the vines
all one way, then run your plow between
the rows, always turning the turrow to
wards the plants. Reverse the plants aftel
you have done this, and plow over the
space which you have vacated for this pur
pose, and generally nothing more will b,
needed except an occasional wedding (anC
the vines should be pulled loose to preven
their taking rooD until you harvest th'
potatoes.
DlopCl W S"SOb pObheoO
for harvesting them for winter sales or us,
is the first week of October, if possible
before frost blackens the vines; for, if tn,
season is stormy, and the ground keep
wet and cold, the potatoes will take in
jury. The potatoes when dug should lii
in the sun, if possible, to dry before being
packed away for keeping, and be particu
lar not to handle them roughly, bruise o
skin them.
Great difficulty is encountered in keep
ing sweet potatoes, as they must be KEEP
at uniform temperature and are very sen
sitive to frost. The most successful mod
for keeping them is to pack them up il
ranks four feet square to eight feet higl
upon the floor in chamber or room owe
stove beneath where fire is kept in coli
weather throughout the day-the room
being heated with drum connecting wit
the stove, and keeping the room warn
enough to make the temperature betweel
fifty and seventy degrees Fahrenheit, AM
not allowing it to go below fifty.-GermaH
| to,n5l TiIo0rUnh