Huntsville gazette., 1882-06-10
Planting Sweet Potato Sets.

SWeet-pOtatO plants should not De SEP
out until the ground is quite warm and
all danger from frosts is past, but the
soil may be prepared and the ground
marked off little in advance OF the
season for transplanting. AS success
with the sweet potato is largely depend.
ent on the. character and condltlon OF
the soil, care should be exercised in the
selection of the land and its preparation:
The soil most favorable to the growth OF
this esculent is dry, warm and sandy
loan. If the land has q red cast IN II
SO much the better, think many growers,
for this imparts a bright color to the
tubers. A mild climate, too, IS con-
ducive to potatoes of finest quality. But
sweet-potato culture is not restricted to
sandy soils or southern climates, as ex-
perience has proved. In light soil and
southern exposure, these tubers may be
grown as far north as season can be
found sufficiently long to mature them.
A stiff clay is to be avoided as the very
worst for the sweet potato.
While there are some cultivators who
do not approve of the use OF animal ma.
nures for the sweet-potato crop, it IS
HCuCl ally COECOOCO thou cces1AS AAAssAAS~-
thoroughly decomposed is an excellent
fertilizer. A favorite mode OF appnca-
ton is stable manure composted with
wood-mold worked in the burrows.
Ashes are valuable fertilizer, being
rich in potash. Ashes are usually sown
broadcast; again, they are composted
with wood-mold or marsh-turf. An
artificial fertilizer that has given good
results in sweet-potato culture contains
about five per cent. of ammonia, eight to
ten per cent. of Peruvian guano and six
to seven per cent. of potash. James
Fitz, in his manual on sweet-potato
culture, reports fine yields in Middle
Georgia from the use OF seventy-lve
pounds each per acre of sulphate OF soda
and nitrate of soda, applied as top
dressing. Other Georgia farmers open
wide furrows and put in plenty of we'll
rotted manure or some good superphos-
phate. Superphosphate of lime has re-
suited in good yields. On light land, it
ought to be explained, the use of purely
phosphate manure can not be relied
upon for producing a good crop OF
roots. On such land artificial fertilizers
will be found to give best results when
used in conjunction with barn-yard ma
nure. In a general way it may be said
that dissolved bone, Peruvian guano or
composted artificial manures containing
from two to three per cent. of ammonia
are preferable to mineral superphos-
pilates as a manure for root crops on
light soils and on loamy soils out of con-
ditiOn. ig. q,t d.
Deep blowing is not advised for sweet
potatoes. for in deeply titled soil the tu-
bers strike downward and the result is
long, spindling potatoes instead of short,
compact ones. While blowing ought to
be shallow rather than deep, the ground
must be thoroughly worked and suffi-
ciently fertilized. This advice holds
good in light soils, such as are usually
devoted to the sweet potato. Where
heavy soils are employed, which by the
way should never be when there is a
choice, Mr.. Fitz advises that these be
broken deeply to aid in draining and
warmth. Such soils may be followed
in the fall and replowed in the spring
for sweet potatoes. All soils should be
well pulyerized just previous to ridging
or laying off for planting.
Cultivators in different sections differ
in their opinions as to the hill and row
systems. Good results are obtained
from each, and the general impression
appears to be that larger roots are OBJ.
tanned by the hill system, while cultivat-
ING the ridges produces the greatest
number Of patatoes. Most cultivators
nowadays mark off the ground and set
the plants with a view to cultivating the
crop by horse power. If the plants are
to be set in hills, three feet apart each
way will be found a convenient distance; /;
if to be cultivated in ridges mark off
the ground with the plow in rows about
four feet apart. The ridges are con-
yeniently made by throwing two fur
rows together over the manure that has
been spread in furrow or marking for
the row; then with a hand hoe the
ridges are smoothed and their tops spat-
ted down. When the time arrives for
setting the plants the dry tops of the
ridges are removed and the plants set
from sixteen to eighteen inches apart in
the row. In large fields the crowns Of
the ridges are taken off with light
scraper, drawn by horse, and wide
enough to do two rows at one time.
When the hill system is practiced the
rows are usually made into small hills
with light hoes; the pointed tops of
these hills are knocked off at the time
of planting, so that the plants may be
set in fresh earth. Mr.. Fitz, in the
manual referred to, describes the prac-
tice of Southern farmers. After the land
is prepared it is laid off into rows three
or three and half feet apart with a
single-horse turn-plow; then furrow
is thrown up each side of these rows
each way, as in hilling tobacco. 1t is
now light work to form hills with the
weeding-hoe. If the soil requires food,
they run furrow each way, as above,
and at the intersection of the rows a
shovelful of manure is put in the places.
The manure is sometimes fine wood
earth, mixed with ashes, or, if this can
not be had, any rich soil well mixed
with fine stable manure is employed.
The manure being in place, the loose
soil around is pulled up with the weed
ing-hoe SO as to form a hill on the
manure. When ready to plant, the tops
of these hills are cut off with wedding