The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-07-19
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Sweet Potato Culture.

This, perhaps, is not as valuable
market crop as many other garden
crops, but l consider it one OF the
easiest of cultivation, and no garden
or farm Is complete without it. A
sandy soil is generally recommended
for this crop, but l have been most
successful on rather clayey SOIL The
best results follow heavy application
of manure, yet the finest crop ever
raised was on sod turned under with
out any manure. In preparing the
land, break it not over four Inches
deep. If the land could be got mel
low, it would be best not to break
the land under the ridges, but it is
not easy to pulverize the soil with
out breaking all of it. The land
should be stirred every week, or at
least often enough to bring it into fine
condition by the time you want to
plant. Then, with a small turning
p1ow, throw two burrows together so
as to make small ridge about d foot
high and not over eighteen inches
broad. The ridges may be three feet
apart and the plants two feet in the
ridge. On clay soils, however, | think
it best to make hills. The sweet
potato is tropical plant, needing all
the heat it can get, and hill will heat
through quicker than a ridge; for the
same reason small ridges when used
are best. Many growers make large,
high hills and ridges; let some try
small ridges and hills and note the
difference in yield and quality of the
crop. There is another reason why
hills grow larger and better potatoes
than ridges, that when the potatoes
grow they crack and expand the hill
more than they can a ridge, giving
more room for growth.
The most salable potato Is one that
is short and thick, and it is to produce
these that you pillow shallow and make
fiat hills and ridges, so as the pota-
toes grow they will reach the hard soil
and be checked in their downward
growth and will develop thickness.
In forming the ridges, throw a liberal
dressing of ashes on them and finish
up with the hoe. After smoothing the
ridge with rake it is ready to set.
This is done by making a hole
with one hand, in which, as
the hand is withdrawn, is placed
the plant with the other, and
then packed with the thumb and finger
of both hands. In picking UP the
plant, take it by two or three new
small leaves and set it deep enough to
cover up all the others. In this there
are several objects. The large leaves
being covered up, do not continually,
by evaporation, weaken the life of the
plant; if a frost, which seldom comes
after setting, Injuries the top, or cut
worms cut it off, new shoots are at
once started from the base of the buried
| leaves, so that the plant is not lost.
If the ground be naturally moist, no
watering will be necessary, but if dry
give half pint to the plant, and when
absorbed by the earth draw fresh soil
over it SO that the surface will not
bake. AS soon as the vines commence
to grow, work them with pillow and
hoe, keeping the ground clean
and mellow. At least twice through
the season the vines should be lifted
with handstick so that they will not
take root at the joints and there SCI
little potatoes which can never mature
but will injure the main setting. The
earlier one can get sweet potatoes il
market, the more profitable they will
be. always, as soon as large enough
to sell, take out one to three to eacf
hill, taking great care not to injure the
vines the remaining roots. This hav,
found, by several years's experience
to be good for the crop, besides ge
double the price l could to wait unit
digging time. The crop should be du,
when the ground is dry, and let the
potatoes dry before being stored. The,
do best dug before the vines are killet
by frost.-Cor. Southern CultiUator.