Nevada County picayune., 1888-03-21
AGRICULTURAL.
Sweet Potato Culture.

sweet potatoes isa dry soil threequar- ters sand. with coarse. open sub soil. The next best is gravellv loam. provided always that the sub soil is open. l find it useless to at tempt to grow sweet potatoes of good quality on damp soil. no matter how good it may be in other respects. IL can scarcely be too dry, and the plants are hilled up. so that the vines will act as a mulch as little as possi- blc.
 The ground is plowcd and harrow ed as for other potatoes. The plot is then marked out with three run ner sled lengthwise and then cross wise at wright angels, the runners being 30 inches apart thus making the crossing 30x 3Oinches. We now take a 6ne-horse blow and strike or open q luFfoN apoul VI ih'i''o '''P one way across the plot. At the crossings we put ahout four quarts of rather coarse stable manure Chat made from corn-stalks cut with fod- der cutter and placed under the horses for bedding. is the very besD in the furrow and with a potato fork hill-up until the top of the hill IS or 10 inches above the level of the ground. The plot is now receiving the sprouts. Sometimes it is deslra- able to plant in rows. Then we mark with the sled, as previously de- scribed. one way only, running the blow through each line, and filling the furrow with manure which is GOV cred with the blow by throwing fur TOW on top from each side.
 For producing the sprouts, we se- feet place on the south side of q building or tight board fence, and open pit. Cor sprouting bar rel of potatoes it should be II inches deep. 6 feet wide and 3 feet long. ) A frame for three sash, 3X5 feet, IS fitted on the excavation as for other hot beds. About April 10, the pit is filled with hot manure that has pre- viously been well worked over and we'll wet so that no iirehanging will take place. After the manure has been placed in the pit it must be tramped down solid and smooth. Now sift on sand to the depth of one inch and rub it down smooth and level. Put on sash and let the bed warm up little. One days bright sun is generally sufficient.
 The potatoes to be sprouted should be of medium size. Split them through lengthwise laying the flat side on the sand, pressing them down firmly. They should be as close together as they will lie with out touching each other. Then sift on sand, just enough to keep them in place. scarcely covering them. Then place. on the sash and let them re- main in that condition until they have begun to sprout freely. A chalk line should be drawn around the inside of the frame, two and a half inches above the top of the pota- toes. and the bed should be filled up to the line with sifted sand. Give no water until the sprouts begin to push through this. the last covering, and then sparingly. Twelve quarts of warm water will he sufficient for the first watering. Care must he taken. for if the bed is made too wet the potatoes are sure to rot. The sash should he covered at night and a uniform temperature should he kept of. say, so deg. or 90 deg. as nearly as possible. If the bed is started and managed in this way there will he good, strong plants up the first of June. and this iS the time at which 1 prefer to begin setting the sprouts. When they are to be taken from the bed. wet the sand well with water from watering-pot; place the iing- CTS of one hand on top of the potatoe to hold it in place while the sprouts are pulled off with the other. If they are planted in hills we set one sprout in the top of each hill, putting in the plant down to about the first leaf. pressing the earth firm ly about the roots. If the sprouts are planted in rows set them in the top of the ridge fifteen inches apart. Before the sprouts are set the roots should he puddled in clay about the consistency of cream. If care is ta- ken in setting the sprouts and the cut worm does not trouble them. the loss of the sprouts set out will not aver age over five per cent.
 The after cultivation is similar to that of other kind of potatoes, with the exception that the sweets must he kept well hilled up or the vines will mulch the gronnd and retain too