The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-22
FARM QUESTION BOX.

W. T. D., Brazil, Tenn: Will you please tell me
how to get rid of wild onions 1 have piece of
land they have been growing on for several years.
Have tried salt and have cultivated every year in
corn or cotton, and they seem TO get worse all the
time.
The onion perpetuates itself in two ways: by
forming seed and by forming new bulbs on the
side of the old one. When the old one be-
comes exhausted the new one sends up stem.
produces seed and in turn another side bulb
also. The first thing to do, therefore, is to
prevent the formation of seed This can be
done by continued clean cultivation of the land
through the spring and summer and well into
winter This may be done whilst grow
Ing crop of cotton on it, provided one is very
watchful and cuts down every stem that springs
up during summer, and also after the cotton is
laid by. The reason why you have failed
to kill them, is because they grew up after the
crops were laid by. If you will continue cut
ting them down all through the season for two
years in succession, you will not be much
troubled thereafter. Possibly few may es-
cape and require looking after the third season.
Possibly also some seed may have remained
dormant, not coming up the first year after
they were matured, and these may give rise to
some additional plants. You will have, there
fore. to exercise diligence and watchfulness
for a few years. Ii no seed are formed, and
the tops cut down as fast as they appear above
ground, the bulbs will become exhausted and
fail to develop new bulbs on their sides.
Sweet Potatoes.
have been thinking for some time of Civ
Ing your readers a receipt for growing and
keeping sweet potatoes. Perhaps it would not
be untimely just now to give the public plan
by which every farmer may become successful
In the art of raising and preserving this vaua-
BILE crop My father has been rated as most
successful potato grower for over fifty years,
and his experience together with my own OBJ
servaton) gives me assurance to advise.
adopt my fathers method of what is called
bedding for Slips Select the smallest for seed,
as they afford more sprouts, keep better when
bedded, and make the healthest and best slips
for setting. Make bed any size desired, but
usually I make it say 8 feet broad and
20 long. Dig or spade up the earth 10 inches
or a foot deep; rake over smoothly, and leave
It level with the surface of the ground. Sc
lect from the bank of yams the incest, best
seed, putting in no seed that is specked or part
rotten; place those seed as close as they will
1ie-side by side never allowing them to pile
up; press each one lightly with the hand as
they are placed down; cover over with light
stable manure II inches deep; cover then with
loose SOIL from q to 3 inches, leaving the bed
in an oval on top, and a trench all around
where the soil has been taken for the top so as c
thoroughly drain the water from tho mound
About the middle Of February is the best time
for bedding to obtain plants. For planting
select from your lands a spot that is a level a,
possible. A coarse, graveily soil with some
sand mixed is preferred for best yield. Break
tho land thoroughly with a narrow turning
pillow twice, contrary each time 10 the direc-
tion Of tho rows. Lay Off tho rows with tho
same sort of plow, running what is called hard
bedding, with two burrows leave a small
ridge between these two burrows, break this
with largo shoyel-plow, sub-soiling every
row. For manure rako off the chips from
your wood-pile Everybody has one) take tho
Totted fine layor Of moist earth and wood, and
strew those burrows a third or half full Of this
the wetter II Is when put in the
better for holding moisture 10 the plant during
q dry season. Cover up this manure with Il
turn pillow. throwing four burrows for bed
This will leave only small middle ridge oil