The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-03-14
BEDDING SWEET POTATOES.

The following ,s cheap and effect
i've plan:
Place plank edgewise ON the ground
and secure with stakes driven into the
ground, thus forming bottomless box
of the size desired for bed The box
may be about Is inches deep next
place on the bottom green pine tops to
the depth of at least inches and pack
down well. The tops should contain as
little wool os may be convenient, wet
them we'll with water. Then place on
the tops about inches of rich soil, !
preferably sandy. For the residue Of |
covering form mixture as follows
For every bushel of potatoes to be bed ,
lied take about bushels of fine stable |
manure and mix herewith pounds |
of kainit and 4 pounds acid phosphate,
or 12 pounds murlate of potash may
be used in lieu Of kainit these elc- |
mcnts correct the excess of nitrogen
in the stable manure, and as a result
will give the plants healthy send off,
Place of the mixture to the depth of
about two inches, making in all about
6 inches that is over The pine tops.
Let the bed stand until it begins to
heat. In order to prevent the escape
of heat beneath the boards bank well
with soil on the outside a. the bottom,
especially at the corners.
a bed for this climate should be
constructed about March 2Sth or 29th.
About the 9Th or 9th of April the he'd
will be warm, when the potatoes may
be placed and covered with said mix
ture to the depth of about , inches.
Many people cover their potatoes too
deep, thus causing the shanks of the
sprout to be long and slender. They
should be covered to a sufficient depth
only TO keep the potatoes properly
moist. The bed should he well water
ed at the start, and if the rainfall be
scant water thoroughly once week
thereafter.
IN placing the potatoes, l prefer to
set them in rows across the bed about
inches apart, with 2 inches between
the ends. The large potatoes should
be placed at one end of the bed, the
small at the other end and the medium
sized in the m'ddlc. The tops of the
potatoes will thus be in line which will
enable them TO be covered TO uni
form depth.
| The vines may be left on the he'd
until they run from 2 to feet, when
they may be cut, leaving generally one
leaf on the stub. The vines may then
be cut into lengths of three leaves
each and set out in the usual Yay,
buryng two leaves and leaving one
out.
What appears to be better plan is
to construct a loose bed of proper
width in rich loose soil. Then shove
tie plants down to a proper depth
preferably not sufficiently cloSe for
them to touch. Then settle well will,
water. Water occasionally until they
commence sprouting. Then dig up
and set out in the usual way. Do not
pull them up, lest you break the roots.
ANOTHER WAY.
When the vines run out prope,
length the buds may be pinched out
and left thus until suckers make then
appearance. When the suckers get
about 1-2 inches long cut the vines
off as aforesaid and then cut into
pieces of one leaf only. The cuttings
may then be set, with or without root
ing, taking care to leave the top Of the
sucker above ground.
A second cutting may be procured
and treated as aforesaid, after which
the sprouts may be drawn and set out
in the usual way and the bed torn up.
1t appears to be an undisputed fac,
that more potatoes and better potatoes
can be grown from vines, cut as aforc.
said, than can be from sprouts. More
than this, it is generally conceded that
potatoes grown from cuttings will kcer
better, another advantage is that al
least three times the quantity of ground
can be set from cuttings. Sprouts
however, are better for early potatoes.
will state here that | have useI
stable manure, partially rottcd wheat
straw, oak leaves and pine tops in the
construction of hot beds. They all
answered fairly good purpose. In an
actual | test found tops much superior
TO oak leaves.
Last year | used pine tops alone
The bed was constructed March 20lh
April 9th the potatoes were placed, the
bed then being pleasantly warm
April 3Oth we had good bed of sprouts
large enough to set out, but we let the
vines grow for cutting purposes. \
sutiriency of stable manure was mixed
with soil to serve for fertilizer pur-
poses, but we depended wholly on the
pine tops for heat which was ample
and entirely satisfactory. No kainit
nor acid phosphatcs were used, but
they could doubtless have been advan-
tageously employed.
The potatoes were placed 6 inches
apart, but believe inches would
give better results. When setting out
sprouts they should be placed no deeper
than they grew on the bed. Cuttings
should also be planted proportionately
shallow. The potatoes will thus form
near the surface where they can le-
ccive the benefit of the heat and air.
From 1900 to 1900 bushels of pota
toes are said to have been grown on
an acre. Hence the potato crop is 1,
very valuable one. TO obtain best re.
suits well roltcd clover or pea sod
that was properly fertilized, should be
employed. If a sod be impracticablc
fertilizer composed of the following
ingredients may be used Nitrogen, 4
per cent. phosphoric acid, z per cent. :,
potash 8 per cent. Apply in the drill
about 700 pounds per acre and NIX
thoroughly with the soil.
Instead of the above mixture of
200 lbs. acid phosphate, $50 pounds of
cotton seed meal and 2OO lbs Of.muri