The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-04-18
SWEET POTATOES.
HINTS ABOUT THEIR CULTURE.
One Of The Best Crops Of The South.

VIZ VI b A4!o 000s V4OP0 VI SA0 0SASAA
Harvie Jordan, in Atlanta Journal
Sweet potatoes are one OF the mos
important crops grown on southern
farms, ard stands second to none in
usefulness among the smaller side crops
In 1890 Georgia stood close second to
North Carolina, which held the lead in
potato production at that time. The
census of 1900 will doubtless place this
State ahead OF all others, as the acreage
in sweet potato culture has been large
ly increased in Georgia within the past
ten years. In 1890 the yield of sweet
potatoes in Georgia amounted to
5,616, 900 bushels
New Jersey is the most northerly
State in which this potato can be cul-
tivated with any degree of success.
In Europe the sweet potato is almost
unknown, and there are efforts now be-
ing made to ship our sweet potatoes to
England and France to be sold as a
vegetable luxury to the people on the
other side of the Atlantic. Tt is be-
lieved good export trade could be
built up, and if present efforts are sue
cessful tremendous impetus will be
given the sweet potato industry in the
South for export trade. The only Sc
rlous trouble now is to get them across
the ocean without damage and to secure
a reasonable rate of water freight.
With heavy foreign demand, coupled
with good home markets, many farmers
will be able to profitably enlarge their
sweet potato acreage and thereby
cut down improbable increased cot
ton acreage.
MAKING BED FOR SLIPS.
It is now rather late to discuss the
methods of bedding the tubers to grow
the slips which will be used later on for
transplanting. However, it may be
that some have not yet bedded their
seed potatoes, while others may have
bedded and lost the seed by rotting
and will have to re-bed. The plan
which have pursued for many years
has been uniformally successful and
has salways given me slips ready for
transplanting in from ten to fifteen
days after bedding. I have never lost
any potatoes by rot, either in the hill
during winter, or after bedding out in
the spring. I prefer the hotbed by
first laying of the eize plot needed
sufficiently large to receive all the po-
tatoes to be bedded.
A plot three by six feet is usually
large enough for two bushels. First
enclose the space with six inch planks
set up on end and nailed or staked &C.
curely together at the ends. Take out
the earth on the INSIDE of the enclosure
to depth of three or four inches and
with garden fork loosen up the SUBJ
soil six to eight inches deeper. Spread
on thin layer OF leaves or straw to
assist in future drainage, and on top of
the litter spread manure nicely pulver-
lied to depth OF four inches. Level
the manure and pack it down firmly,
next covering it with layer of coil
from two to three inches in thickness.
It is best to let this stand for "a hours
before spreading on the potatoes. In
the fall of the year always select tho
small potatoes for seed and bank them
separately.
If, however, the seed potatoes are
large they may be split in half, placing
the cut side down. Be careful in bed
ding the potatoes not to allow them to
touch each other and put none In the
bed that have decayed ends on them.
Next spread thin layer of straw oyer
the potatoes to hold them in place
later on when the slips are being drawn
Lastly cover with rich soil to a depth
of at least two inches and the bed Is
complete. If rains are not sufficiently
frequent to keep the bed moist water
must be applied, preferably the soap
water from the wash pot, which Is
usually convenient at least once week
Fresh stable manure for the bed is best
aud should never be put in deeper than
four inches for fear of overheating.
Usually about $500 slips can be Sc
cured from one bushel of seed potatoes
and about two bushels of small p0ta
toes will furnish enough sets or clips
for one acre of ground, provided two o.
three drawings can be obtained. tt
plant an acre from the first drawing
this quantity should be doubled. The
larger the potatoes the greater the
number of bushels required for bedding
Sometimes the growing vines art
clipped off in the field and transplant
cd and usually good results are obtain
ed, particularly if patch is wanted o
small potatoes for the pigs in the earl,
foil Rnt it in NOT adylaah1o tn nrunt