Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-16
Setting Out Sweet Potato Plants.

THE sweet potato requires a sandy
soil or q sandy loan. IF the land has
a red cast, so much the better, say not
q few farmers, for it imparts to this
choicest of esculent roots the bright
color which obtains leading prices.
Land that has been in corn or vege-
table crop the previous season is fre-
quently chosen, though it is not an un-
common practice to plant the same
field with sweet potatoes several sue
cessiVe years, as they appear to thrive
in the latter as well as they do in
freshly-selected ground.
In preparing a field for the recep-
ton of the plants remove eorn-stalks
and all similar distractions, as these
are not only an annoyance to the
farmer during the process of cultiVa-
ton, but prove very destructive to
young plants. Plow the ground as for
any ordinary crop, but not deeply, for
short, compact roots are desired in
stead of the long spindling ones too
often produced. Harrow soon after
plowing and make the surface as fine
as possible. If the plants are to be set
in hills mark out the ground with a
plow in rows three feet apart each
way; otherwise let the rows be at least
three and half feet distant. For hill
planting apply q. shovelful of good
stable manure at each intersection of
the furrow and cover it with two or
three hoefuls of soil. When the plants
ale to be set in rows scatter the ma
nure evenly as possible along each row
and cover by turning two burrows di-
rectly over it. Apply the manure lib
orally and be certain that it is fine and
mellow.
Row planting requires a larger num-
Der of plants than hill culture. Both
methods have their advocates, and
good results are gained from each.
Cultivators of extended fields, as a
rule, claim that better crop is gener-
ally obtained for the same amount OF
labor and money where the sprouts are
planted about two feet apart in the
row than when planted in hills.
Strong plants having been obtained,
they may be rapidly transplanted.
Throw aside the crown of the hill or
ridge and thrust one hand into the soil,
with the other insert the plant, cover
it and compress it, and if the ground
is dry water it. It is also advised to
water the bed previous to pulling the
sprouts should it be deficient in mois-
ture. From 5000 to 10000 plants ars
required to set one acre.
In about fortnight after setting out
the plants require that cultivation
should begin. About this time, too, it
is well to examine the field and replant
wherever, for any reason, the first set
ting has been destroyed. Two hoeings
are usually sufficient to keep the grass
and weeds out of the hills. A free use
of the cultiYator will preserve the soil
mellow and annihilste all troublesome
groWths. When the time comes to
"lay the crop by" as it is termed-the
last of July to the middle of August,
according to locality-the ground re-
ceives its final cultivation by plowing
to the rows or ridges and clearing up
the baulks. To perform this thor
oughly the vines must be thoroughly
loosened from the soil to which they
have attached themselves and turned
over and out of the way. If the season
has been a wet one this becomes
tedious operation, but is nevertheless
necessary, for when left undisturbed
vines that have taken root in the soil
send out small sets which tend to
diminish the crop.-M 2. World.