The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-25
Fertilizers for Irish and Sweet Po-


would be glad to have you give a state
r7ent Of the comparative value of sweet
and Irish potatoes as a food for human
beings and animals. and at the same time
state the relative yields of the two crops
and cost of making them and the best
farulzerss y orief description of the best
modes Of viii also be acceptable.
] am western man, and have had no
experience with the sweet potato. though
/ have grown the Irish or white with
considerable success. r. I. f.
Southwest Georgia.
To begin with, we will give you the
composition of the two potatoes:
Irish potatoes: Water, Is; protein, 2.10:
\ fat 10; carbohydrates, IS; ash. LOO.
sweet potatoes: Water, 20; protein, So
fat IS; carbohydrates "a: ash los.
4 The above careful analysis made by the
. California Experiment Station, shows the
sweet potato to be much richer in the
fat-forming elements and at the same
time very nearly as rich in the fesh-form-
ers.
While there are a thousand different
named sorts tive cannot say varieties)
of Irish potatoes, there are not more than
forty different names applied to sweet
potatoes. In any one locality there are,
perhaps, not more than a half dozen to
be found, probably.
As is the case with the watermelon.
corn and cotton, there are certain local
names applied to sweet potatoes, and there
may be dozen or more different names
applied to the same potato even in one
state; so il is hard toerecognize a variety
usually by its common name.
There are really not more than three
or four different varieties that are en-
faN Il Ii
who grow potatoes for table use In the
absence of perfect nomenclature. it
would be difficult TO enumerate even the
four kinds under names that would be
understood and accepted throughout the
potato-growing section.
Nomenclature of sweet potatoes most
assuredy needs revising, and II Is a great
pity il cannot be done.
In the past few years a new variety of
sweet potatoes has been added to the list
OF valuable table varieties, and this rem
GERS it easier to name only three or four
kins that should be considered in discuss
ing the5 subject briefly and practically
The variety alluded to is known as the
"vineless" or bunch yam. AS fast as il
becomes known it is supplanting the
kinds that should be considered in discuss
ters not what the kinds We're 1t is not
likely that this new variety will alto
gether supplant all the varieties hereto
near it as it would be possible for such
a thing to occur
Among the old well-known sorts there
arc kinds that, in our opinion are worthy
Of preservation, and IL is more than likely
that they will be preserved for a very
long time yet. Such kinds as the"Pump-
kin YAM" the Georgia Yellow YAM"
the Pink Skin Spanish" These are to be
named as good table potatoes. For stock
foods there are kinds like the Hayti or
Shanghai variety that while not very
desirable for human use, are more or less
worthy of preservation on account of
their enormous yields of succulent matter.
usually twice as much as the table varie-
ties named.
While the average yield of sweet pota-
toes, taking the country over, is consider
ably less than 100 bushels per'acre. it ought
not fail below 200 bushels where any
thing like good attention is given the crop.
With soil perfectly adaptable to the crop
and with good manuring and cultivation
it is not difficult to make 400 or even 500
bushels to the acre.
While thirty inches distance between the
lows is ample distance for the bunch or
'vineless" yam. it is we'll always to give
ihtrty-siX inches to the ordinary running
kinds. In the rows the plants should
stand fifteen to eighteen inches apart.
An acre should contain about 10000 plants
or hills, and it is within reason to expect
me hills to average a quart. We have
taken two quarts from hill many time.
OF course, it is difficult TO make an acre
OF ordinary land to average that.
As shown above the sweet potato,
pound for pound. is somewhat more val
uaole than the Irish for food purposes.
PRACTICAL tests, we believe, have proved
ehis TO be true
Now so far as the manurial requirements
q the two crops are concerned there is
very little difference
crop of 10000 pounds, Q60 bushels say
OF the two crops would take from the
soil the following elements in pounds.
about:
Nitro Potash Phos-
gen. Acid.
lush potatoes ..34 81 1880
The total ash or mineral elements
taken from the soil by a crop of 10000
rounds of the two would be as follows:
liish potatoes ...................1 100 pounds
NNeet potatoes ..........-.......1 los pounds
IN following the above analysis as a
guide we will find that the fertilizer that
other
Allowing that the soil was sufficiently
lertle naturally to produce 100 bushels of
e1her what fertilizer and how much
would we apply in order to double the
crop or bring its productive capacity up
10 go bushels?
II we used cotton seed hull ashes 800
rounds of it would more than supply
me necessary potash and phosphoric acid.
10 supply "a pounds nitrogen It would
require about 500 pounds of cotton seed
meal or 200 pounds of nitrate of soda or
oy pounds of dried blood.
There is no finer mineral manure for
any crop than cotton seed hun ashes.
bnt it is A material that cannot readily
De procured except in certain localities
contiguous to an oil mill.
The more common materials to supply
81 pounds OF potash and IS pounds Of
pnosphoric acid are the following:
Two hundred and fifty pounds kainit