The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-23
The Sweet Potato.
[ American Agriculturist

Not many years ago the supply of sweet
potatoes 70. Northern consumption came so
generally from Southern localities that they
were frequently called Carolina Potatoes"
For long time it was supposed that New
Jersey was the northern limit OF their sue
eessful cultivation, but of late years they
have been grown in many other Northern
States. There are two essentials in raising
sweet potatoes at the North: a very light,
sandy soil and good supply of well decom-
posed manure. The manure should be de-
posted on the surface of the ground, in
rows or strips about three and a half feet
apart from center to center. Then with a
pillow turn burrows over this manure from
each side, to form ridges as high as the soil
can be thrown with the pillow. The ridges
are finished by the use of the hoe, and the
plants set on the tops of the ridges every tif-
teen or twenty inches. The plants generally
have several leaves. with roots at the bottom,
thrusting il into the soil, and moving it
back and forth until an opening is made
deep enough to admit the plant down to the
last good leaf. In a very dry time, make
the holes, fill them with water, and when
that has soaked away, set the plant. Should
a late frost kill that part of the plant which
shows above ground, new growth will
start from below. The plants are slow in
starting. bat afterwards grow very rapidly.
The ridges must be kept clear of weeds
until the vines cover them, and for this no
implement is more useful than a sharp
rake. In the Northern States, June is quite
early enough for setting the plants, and we
have had a good crop from planting made
early in July. When the vines begin TO
run they will show disposition to form
roots at the joints. This must be checked
by moving the vines occasionally. The
early Nansemond' is the most popular
variety at the North, though some others
are earlier.
Fighting Hop 9rubs and Borers.
Professor J. H. Comstock, Cornell Univer
sity. writes in the American Agriculturisl
for June:
Keep a very close watch of the vines early
in the spring and destroy the young worms
before they leave the heads of the vines. A.
the worms remain but a short time in the
heads. il will be necessary to go over the
yard several times during the latter part OF
April and the first half of May. If this is
done thoroughly, it may not be necessary "a
worm" the vines in the usual way, i. e, by
removing the earth from the roots, later in
the season. This, however, depends uTon
whether ali the eggs are laid in the heads OF
vines, or partly there and partly a. the
roots. Farther observations are needed 70
ssttle this point. All hop growers unite in
saying that very many hoo grubs are de-
stroyed by ekunks.
The following method of treating infested
vines is recommended by Mr.. ]. F. Clark, Il
0tsego County, New York: When the vines
are well up the pole, and at the hrst hOeing
about the last of May or the first of June,
the earth should be carefully worked away
from the vine by the hoe; all the earth re-
manning between the vines must be care
fully worked out with a sharpened stick, SO
that all the vines will be left bare as low
down as where they leave the bed root
Thus they become toughened by the weath-
er and are not so attractive TO the grub.
Immediately after this operation, good
handful of the following compost should be
applied directly around the root aud vine:
Take equal parts of salt, quick-lime, aud
hen manure; place the lime on the floor
first, aad then throw on water enough to
thoroughly slake it; Immediately spread the
salt on top, following with the hen manure
When the lime is well slaked mix the
whole thoroughly, and in couple of week:
it will be ready fJr use as oIe. Do MOI
hill up the hops until ths latter part of July
or the fist of August.