The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-06-23
Among 1hr :: :fayu(ry55,
Sweet Potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes.
Sweet potatoes do not constitute a
profitable crop in this country north
OF the to''irth degree of latitude.
sun ever, farmer can raise enough
for the supply of his own table any
where within the limits of the pro!ita-
b|c pr"dncti"n oi Indian corn. Good
sized tuhrrs have been produced in
the vicinity Of Green Bay, st. Paul,
""' i""Eton, and it is gratifying to
kno" that these lv.,l,h, .ni tou,.
some products of the t, opical regions
are being cultivated further north
each succeeding year. The northern
grown sweet potato is not the equal
OF that cultivated III the south. either
in the size Of the tubrr, in Tie
amount Of sacclIalinc matter it con.
talnS, or in its keeping qualities.
Neither Is II rs easily cultivated here
as there. Still with all these di>ad-
van|a%r> there is scarcely amy small
crop that pays a FARMER any better
for his time and trouble. The sweet
potat" is arh"ap luxury which farm
rr should not deprive his family Of
II ne has the money to procure til"
plants and the time to cultivate
them.
SAect.rn!ato raising received a
great impetus in this part Of the west
during the years the Colorado beetle
"a> the most troublesome. The APP.
pct'tcs of most people became ",lu-
Gated up t" the use of this most rx-
crI|rnt vegetable, till now there is
hardly table in city, town, or vii
laye that is not supplied with them
from October till Jannary. The de-.
man'i for them is scared. half sup
piled with the product of western
fields and gardens. They arc brought
to this market not only in car loads
but in tlain loads from New Jrr>y,
Delaware, and Maryland. The east
rrn farmers devote more care and at
trntion to cultivating and packing
them than western farmers do and
accordingly they receive higher
price for their products, as they de-
serve to do. Northc!n-Srown swec,
pototors being less sweet than those
raised in the far south are generally
preferred by persons who are NOT ac-
cu>tomcd to their use from early life,
and there are very few people WHO
relish the genuine southern yam when
they first taste it. The sweet potato
is cheap a. well as excellent food. 1t
contalns all the elements of nutrition.
Children arc especially fond of them,
as they are well calculated to supply
their craving for articles that arc
sweet. Almost any other vegetable
is nearly va|uclcss after it has been
cooked and has become cold. But a
cold sweet potato does not require
the keen appetite of hungry person
to make it paatablc. They are in
their best state for the table when
baked till their skin is of light Gin
namon brown color, and served best
with fresh butter in the gravy of
roast meat. But they rank as cx-
ccl'rnt when boiled or steamed, if the
water is drawn off by placing them
in an open dish over a brisk fire. In
most hotels and restaurants they are
first boiled and then partially baked
by placing them in hot oven Il few
minutes before they are served. 1t
is more easy to warm up a cold sweet
potato so it will DC palatable than it
is most cold dishes. Cold boiled
sweet potatoes when cut in thin slices
and fried in fat or butter, form il ia
vorite breakfast dish, that is In favor
with old and young. 1t is reversing
the directions given in the old cook :
book, "tirst catch your hare to tell
how to cook a sweet potato before
telling how to raise it. 1t was done
by way Of encouraging the cnltiva-
ton Of the vegetable. In the uatu-
raj order Of things we should have
said first select yonr ground. 1t
should be light, warm, dry, and
should have a sunny exposure. In
the south, where the sweet potato is
largely raised, the planters prefer
what is known as thin soil. They
pillow it shallow purpo<r|y. and pay
no attention to Grcelr\'s advice
about sinking the pillow to the beam
if it takes four yoke Of oxen to draw
| it. 1t is the nature of sweet-potatc
tnbcrs to increase in length TIL they
strike firm bed, and if the soil be
mc|lowcd very deep the tubers viii
he long and spindling. They vii
not be in good shape to cook, and i
baked the ends will he OWED to ;
c,iSp. \ sweet. potato tubcr is not o
ii good form if its length is more thar
three times the average diameter.
After the soil is plowed and wei
pulvcrizcd it should be thrown int
ridges from three to four feet apar
with pillow or by means of a hoe
The finishing process must be dom
with the hoe in any event. After tn
ridge is thrown up the top should b
cut oft till there is fiat surface abou
six inches wide. In a small patch
is cheaper to buy the plants than t
raise them. as a hot bed is required
Two hundred plants will prohuc
; potatoes enough to supply an o,dina
ry family during the months whe
they are most desired. If possib|
the plants shonld be set ont when til
, ground is moist from a rain. If the,
is no favorable season there is littl
difficulty in making the plants live
+ pint Of water is poured round ea(
plant, after it is set out, and the
, some dry earth drawn over tn
7 which is wet The plants should
E set sing|y and quite deep, one TO
, apart on the ridge. They are lab
Z to injury from no insect except Il
cut worm, which must be careful
{ watched for.
!. There is no hurry about setting o
;. sweet pOtatO p|auts. It il hptt