The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-29
TO BED SWEET POTATOES,

There are different methods for procur-
ing the necessary heat through the
medium of a hot bed. have tried stable
manure, oak leaves, wheat straw and
green pine boughs. as a. basis for heat
and found them all good. In a test be-.
tween oak leaves and green pine boughs
! found the latter much superior, produc-
ing sprouts several days earlier. ..
Stable manure viii probably produce a
greater heat than any of the others, but
that produced by pine boughs is ample
for all practical purposes j Z will give
directions for constructing a bed with
pine boughs, but il desirable, 7any of the
others can be substituted.
Construct a bottomIess boy of the de-
sired size, about two feet deep, of plank
placed edgewise and secured by stakes
driven into the ground (no necessity for
digging a pitt Then place in the box
green pine boughs to the depth of about a.
foot, wet with water and pack down.
A rich, mould, preferably composed
largely of sand, should then be placed on
the boughs to the depth of about six
inches, and the bed left to heat.
For this climate the last three days OF
March is plenty early to construct bed.
When the bed gets warm, which will
be in about six days, the potatoes should
be placed and covered, not exceeding two
inches deep With shallow covering the
sprouts are stouter and will doubtless
produce better than those with long
shanks.
Water should be applied once or twice
a week, and especially if the bed is like
Iy to ct too warm; a little attention will
prevent any damage from this source.
POTATOES SIX OR EIGHT INCHES
APART.
1t has in practice been found an excel
lent plan to place the potatoes from 6 to s
inches apart. They may be placed across
the bed, with the ends about one inch
apart.
CUT VINES IN LIEU OF DRAWS.
The vines may remain on the bed until
they run out about three feet. Then cut
them off, leaving generally one leaf on the
stub. Cut these vines into lengths of
three leaves and set out, leaving one
leaf, or joint, above ground
Instead of cutting as above, the vines
may be topped and left until succrs runs
out about inc inch long. Then cut off
and cut into lengths containing succor
each Sometimes a succor will run out at
every leaf, and then miss one or two In
cutting each piece should contain a sue
Ger. When these pieces are set out, the
ends of the succors should be about level
with the surface.
| have in practice found both kinds OF
said cuttings to do seemingly as we'll as
sprouts set out at the same time, but the
tests were not conducted with sufficient
exactness to give comparative results 1t
i3. however, claimed by old potato growers
that more potatoes and better potatoes
can be rown from vines, cut as above,
than can be from sprouts. An important
feature is the undisputed fact that pota-
toes grown from cuttings will keep better
than those grown from sprouts.
second set of cuttings can be procured
from the bed, which should be treated as
above.
After succors start out, the stubs may
be drawn and set out in the usual way.
About three times as much ground can
be planted from cuttings as can be from
sprouts.
Potatoes from sprouts will, however, be
earlier, and few rows may be planted
for early use.
clover or pea sod where the crop
was properly fortified with phosphoric
acid and potash, will be God for potatoes.
Construct low ridges about four feet
apart and set the plants about eighteen
inches apart. Sprouts should not be set
any deeper than they originally grew