The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-13
The Fertilization OF the Sweet Potn-
to Crop, Etc.


The Southern Planter saws: A corres-
pondent asks. why it is that sweet no
tatoes on rich soil run to vines and make
no good roots?" The fact is, that usually
when sweet potatoes act in such a manner
1t is evidence that the soil is deficient in
something, and is not really as rich as the
grown OF vines would seem to Indicate A
SOL IN which the elements of plant food
are perfectly balanced should grow a bet
ter crop than poor one. In old gar
denS, where the soil has been ma nIIred
with stable manure for many years, the
sweet potato crop generally fails and the
owner says II is because the soil is too
rich. 1t is rather because there is a IaclC
OF balance in the land. The stable manure
ana the organic matter introduced with it.
have made the soil rich in nitrogen but
have not added a due proportion of the
ether necessary ingredients that plants
require for their best success. The nitro
gen tends to provoke a luxuriant growth
and as full development of foliage is an
essential to the production of starch in
the plant, and starch being one of the
chief matters stored by the sweet potato
together with the sugar which originates
IN the same way, one would suppose that
the luxuriant foliage would be followed
by an abundant storing Of starch and su-
gar in the roots, and hence a good CROP
But all the organic matter in the plant
is dependent upon the manufacture of
starch in the leaves, and the formation of
starch is dependent upon the supplv of
potash in the soil. IT, them there is only
6ilOuSu 10 hGBp pace WIN the rapid deVel-
opment of leaves and stems in the soil
rich in nitrogen, there will be no surplus
for the plant to store in the roots and
hence small potatoes. The stable n1anura
has made the soA rich in nitrogen, but
has not supplied a due proportion of NOT
ash and phosphoric acid
In the south the sweet potato is more
a crop of the farm than the garden hut
its production for the northern market
belongs to the trucker rather than 10 the
farmer. This is one of these crops with
% hn cd ,.-f4I "a =
success. We years ago abandoned the
practice of starting the plants in a ma
nure heated hot bed, because the practice
encouraged the growth of the rot fun
g T., and we had more trouble from the
'black shank in the plants, which is
caused by the same fungus that after
was used. We have had little of this
trouble since we began to grow the plants
in a cold frame, depending entirely on
the heat from the sun through glass
sashes to start the growth. We bed the
potatoes in the cleanest sand attainable
and cover with the same an inch or more
above the top of the potatoes. The bed
is then watered we'll with lukewarn wa
ter and the sashes put on and kept close
till signs Of sprouting appear. After this
air must be given whenever the sun
shines, and the bed must be kept moist
by repeated waterings or by full expos
ure during warm rains. In this way we
have never failed to get good plants They
make far better roots in the sand than
they would be if bedded in a rich soil
and transplant more readily We consid-
er April l as early enough to start the
beds in the latitude of Central Virginia
but southwark it would be better to start
a little earlier or six weeks before time
to set in the open ground. There is sell
dom any gain by too early setting of the
plants for the potato is a tender plant
and needs to have the ground warm to
make it's best growth. This is one of
the crops for which deep blowing is not
best The best roots are made where they
have a hard bottom to form against to
prevent their becoming long and crooked.
For the same reason the old practice Of
making a very high hill is an error. The
best crops are grown when the ridges
are never made higher than most of our
farmers hill cotton or corn. and the work
can be done with the same tools. Some
wait for what they call a season for
setting the plants"-that is. they want
the land wet from rain. This IS an error,
for the plants set IN wet land Will often
get hard crust around them that checks
their growth. We prefer to have the soil
merely in good working order. The plants
are drawn carefully from the bed, and
al once set in buckets or tubs Of water.
A boy takes a bucket along and hands
TO the planter each plant dripping with
water. IL rs set deeply and puddles Itself
IN the soil. Only The TIP 81 the plant
IS left out " the ground, and the earth