Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-06-02
How a Sweet Potato Bed is Made.

Mr.. S. L. Allen, an experienced
grower of sweet potatoes in New
Jersey, gives in the Maryland Far
naer the following directions for
making the bed for raising the
plants:
"The potatoes usually selected for
seed are of the short, compact shape,
rather below medium in size, and in
this latitude are 'sprouted' in hot
beds, and the sprouts, when well
rooted, set in the field. A mild hot
bed should be made for them about
the 10th of April. The bed should
run east and west. Dig a trench
twelve OF fifteen inches in depth, six
feet wide, and of any desired length.
A bed 100 feet long is large enough
for about thirty-five bushels of seed,
which would yield at first pulling
10000 plants, and ten days later
10000 more. Board up the south
side of the trench about eighteen
inches high; the other, three feet
Manure for the bed should be thrown
into compact heap ten days before
it is needed, being turned once OF
twice in the interval, to insure an
even commencement of heating, and
it should be of such character as to
be sure to heat, but not too violently.
A good proportion Is two-thirds good
fresh horse and one-thlrd COW stable
manure. 1t should be placed evenly
in the bed to depth Of twelve or
fourteen inches, upon layer Of two
two inches of coarse manure, ond be-
ing neatly leveled with fork, and
finished by pressing down with a
wide board or door, it must be cover
ed with three inches of sandy soil,
upon which the seed potatoes are to
be placed evenly, about half ~ inch
apart, and settled to one-half their
thickness; then sprinkle with water
and cover with three inches more of
sand.
The whole must be covered with
coating of coarse hay, two feet deep,
or sufficient to protect the bed from
any change Of temperature, and
boards must be provided to keep off
rain, supported by temporary ratters,
which are taken off out of the way in
good weather; on these boards foot
wide are laid beginning at the bot
tom and overlapping.
The sprouted plants in the hot-bed
will be ready for planting out, into
field or garden, where they are to
grow, in four or five weeks. About
five feet is distance enough between
the drills, and one foot between the
plants in the drill is enough.
Careful watching is necessary for
the first ten days. Examine thorough
ly all parts of the bed every day or
two by thrusting the finger into the
sand between the potatoes below
their level. 1t should feel decidedly
warm, and rs long as an even warmth
at this point can be maintained
through the first ten days, the beds
need no further attention. But it
almost always happens that some
parts will become too hot and others
too cold in three or four days. The
former places must be thinly covered
during the night; the latter should
have all the hot midday sun possible
and be covered up warm, and every
effort made to increase the heat. In
cases of extreme heat water thor
oughly and with a crowbar work a
double row of three-inch holes, one
foot apart, along the center of the
bed through the manure. This will
have the desired effect in a few hours.
"About ten days after putting out
the bed should show white crowns of
the plants pushing vigorously through
all parts of the surface, and will
thenceforth need uncovering through
all good days from 9 to 4 o'clock, in
creasing the length of time and de-
creasing cover as the plants strength
en-, till just before setting out time,
when they should be left uncovered
at night also to harden The bed
will need frequent watering, done
with the least risk about i. NJ"