The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-05-02
SWEET POTATOES.
How the Tubers, which are Not Potatoes
10 T7~ 0st at all, Az Grown.

uOW VIC AuUeESS WhIoh dtHo NV ob"Sooe
tH f5~ Du at all. Az Grown.
z Sweet potatoes are not potatoes, and
yet they gave the name to the true po-,
tato, They are species of convolvu-
lus, closely related to the well-known
plant of that name, and more closely to
the common garden plant, ipomea, Its
botanical name is Conyolyulus batatas
or Batatas edulis, and from this has
been derived the common name of
very different plant, Solanum tuber-
.osum, our .commOn4 potato. 1t is
twining plant, and when grown as an
ornamental climber makes a very pref
ty ornament for the window garden.
! 1t is an exceedingly valuable plant for
its anutritive tuberous root, and was the
! popular substitute for the South Amer
| lean potato in the northern part of the
| continent when it was discovered by
Columbus. 1t formed the principal
subsistence of the Revolutionary Army
in the Southern States, and formed the
MONDAY meal of General Marion in
South Carolina when he was visited by
| the British officers after his victory at
! CoWpens. 1t contains not only a large
portion of starch, but also much sugar,
and when dr.ed and reduced to flour
makes an equally nutritious and agree
able food as when cooked in its natural
! form. 1t Will grow wherever corn will,
and usually yields us much rs an aver
age crop of the common potatoes and
twice as much in the South, which is
too warm for the latter crop 1t
thrives best in a warm, light, sandy
loan, but will grow even upon clay
soil If it is thoroughly well pulverized
by good culture.
The mode of culture is as follows:
Early in the spring, as soon as the
heavy frosts are over hot-bed is pre-
pared in the usual way and the tubers
are planted whole in it. The sprouts
soon appear, and when they are about
six inches long they are slipped off
with the roots attached to them, and
are then set out in beds about eighteen
to twenty inches apart. The eyes or
buds sprout again, and so large num-
Der Of slips are taken from each tuber.
The beds are usually left uncovered
during the day, and are protected by
sashes for by covering of straw or
swamp hay during the nights. The
plants are set out about the time of
corn planting, when the ground is
warm. The beds are made as follows:
Two vide and deep open burrows are
made in the form of a trench, three
feet apart; the manure, which should
be well rotted, is spread in this open
furrow and covered by double turn OF
the pillow; the sol is then smoothed
with rake or pliable harrow, and the
slips or plants are set out in the beds as
before mentioned. The after cultiva.
ton consists in keeping the soil mellow
and free from weeds and moving the
vines as soon as they begin to run &c
prevent them from roofing at the Joints
and wasting their strength upon un.
necessary growth This is done with
the hoe or a rake at the last working Of
the ground.
The crop is gathered by opening
the beds with pillow and turning on
the tubers. In small patches this il
done with the hoe. The tubers arr
well dried and are then CAREFUL,
packed away for preservation; ant
just here begins the trouble, of which
more or less appertains to every worl
and labor of mankind. This is tn,
difficulty of keeping the tubers sound
They are very tender and easily injured
by exposure to cold, which causes de
cay. For their perfect preservation
they require temperature of a
least sixty degrees. In the Southern
States, where large quantities ar
grown for shipment to Northern mark
cts, potato houses are made for storing
them. These aare made with tigh
floors and lathed sides protected b.
close shutters. Bins made of laths ar
ranged on each side and raised fey
: inches from the floor, to permit o
. a free circulation of air. In fine, dry
warm weather the shutters are openo
. and the air permitted to pass throug
the potatoes. When the weather i
wet or cold stove provided for tn
purpose is heated and the hous
/ warmed to a right temperature. /
this way the tubers are kept in goo
order until the spring. In small wa
the tubers may be preserved safely j
boxes or barrels packed in dry san
, or wood ashes and kept in war;
closet, or in u dry room which may b
I kept warm, or in dry cellar whic
! may be warmed by stove.-M.
r Times.
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