The Florida agriculturist., 1881-08-24
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\, ,orket Gardening i'll Florida

tain at least NnIee ,rAo .Lrae
Ills ci Srnm two and one>halt to tnIee @
q fna+ Glltio onaTt q W plant potatoes from
7eeS neoonober aD vt to the end OF March bat
- Dec1u~ a,rest ond best time for market is
i'm in January. Il planted early t. 'hey 'hey.
81 should be planted deeper than when. .he
1Iented late. and hilled up as lhey
prow pow # potatoes are planted shal, al,
lu" FL, and not billed soon they VIII
aufTar auT I'm more if caught by late lFost.
than if planted deep and ,aa hllleo ore Te
veil Eastern grown potatoes are are
nraferable TO Western grown ipr
seed, The Early Rose i thipk 10 ., oe
sSnI+ sGeu, the best variety to plant, al;
though | have seen good t:e crops o,'d o1
the Bermuda Breeze, Pfohnc io anu
Peerless. The latter is not so SAFE,
able Potatoes shipped from mere
last last April sold for nine dollars ana
fsv faSS % cents a barrel They should be
shipped in ventilated 0arre'''
SWEET POTATOES.
The. sweet potatoes is one OF the
most important food crops IN tns
south. % They are Wholesome and
nStritious diet, good for man ana
beast and will grow here to perlecee
ton With but little cultivation and
At the Time OF year when we are not
cultivating any other gar0eh CROP i
II also leaves the ground IN good
condition to plant in other vege'a-
bIa HIao far snrino market. In preparc
;no tbe land for this crop the ground
should be thoroughly SpulverlzSed.
The ridges laid off about I've 1eet
anart. we'll drawn up, and rather nat t.
on top. Some plant the potato Itself
in the prepared ridges, and cut e the
vines from the potato when iarge
enough and plant them ont others
start fhe. potatoes il bed prepared
tor that purpose, and slip off the
sprouts as they come up, ana set
these out. Others, who set out the
vines, say they make the largest
txbers. Some plant what they call
"standovers" for Spring; these are
planted in September, and before
frost occurs, cut off the vines about
six or eight inches from the nli' then
cover the hill with dirt. They VIII
be ready to dig in March Inc
sweet potato does not require much
cultivation. The vines should never
be allowed to. take root between the
rows. and the ridges kept clear OF
all grass and,weeds. They should be
dug before a heavy frost occurs; q
very light one will do no harm. The
earth should,be dry enough to Keep
it from sticking to the potato. The
old fashioned, potato bank is the best
arrangement for keeping them. 1'hls
is done by levelling off the ground
in dry place, then cover WIN. ory
hay, straw or leaves TO the depth OF
two or three inches; then take
small hollow log, chop holes III 1t to
within about foot as high as the
Top of the bank will be, (or long box
can be made to answer the same pur-
pose by leaving the ends open and
chopping holes on all sidesl, set tins
in the centre and pile the potatoes
up around it, cover them with dry
straw, hay or leaves, then with
boards, Uhen with several inches OF
dirt. Wben it rains, cover the TOP
OF the log or box with board.
Plant only the white or yellow va
rieties. The yellow sells best IN
Northern anarkets. Parties who
shipped to Eastern markets last
Spring realized as high as FIVE dollars
a barrel, and one person go9 three
dollars barrel for bis crop deliver
ed on the St. Johns river, and has
engaged all he can raise the present
season at that price. They sold in
Chicago lasJ March at eix dollars
barrel. Ship in ventilated %afeiS.
PURITY OF SEED.
It there Is one thing OF parausouG
Importance in vegetable gardening it
is purity of seed, aad for this reason
every se4 d that is practicable for us
to raise Gar our own use We ought 10
GROW. i; is claimed that seed grow&l
here eenminates much better THAI
Northern grown seed. This l know
to be true with melon aud cucumber
seed. We should always select the
FIRST ma,ured fruits, and the best
specimens only. The best way to
wash them is take keg or tub, cut
the cucumber O. melon lengthwise,
being careful not to let the knife cut
the seed, hen with the fingers scrape
out allthe inside into the vessel aud
set 1t III dry place for eight or
ten days, giving an occasional Stir'
ING with a stick At the end OF the
me all can he poured off but the
eed, which will-be found in the bot