Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-11-17
SWEET POTATO TALK.
Chesterfield" in Potomac Prog
ress, Tells How to Keep and
Care for the Sweet Tuber.

I 'NN
oy the fortunate ones in this and, nc
doubt, in other sections of the coun-
try. Those attending the rite usu-
ally carry an empty sack on their
arm, and an expression Of anxiety on
their faces until results are known to
be favorable. This ceremony ia
known as stalking up sweet potatoes, "
or "plantlng roots" aud for solem-
nifty and impressiveness is only ap.
preached in importance by that other
old custom of little later season
known as ''gettiug your fish." Until
these two customs are successfully
observed the seasons work doesn't
really ''get on its legs"
Ever since l have been a resident
of Virginia there has seemed to be a
mystery with most people in regard
to saving and keeping successfully
sweet potatoes aud the management
of the plant bed. There are but two
essentials to success, viz: dryness and
warmth. Goa these two command
ments hang all the law and the
prophets"
Not the least moisture, except that
contained in the tuber, is permissa-
BILE. After digging they should be
piled in a slightly warm place with
something to keep them off the cold
floor, if it happens to be exposed to
cold current underneath. 10 this
shape they will pass through sweat,
and few, (sometimes quite per-
centage) will rot. These decaying
ones are, l think, the overripe or
bruised tubers, or those grown from
plants having black stems. The pile
should not be over large, or nearly all
may spoil.
After the sweat is over, they may
be put away for the winter in bins,
or barrels having plenty of holes
bored in them near the bottom for
ventilation. No packing, like dry
sand, or pine leaves, or chaff, is need
ed. Just handle them carefully and
lay them one on another. Keep
them N a dry place and in a location
where water will never freeze, and
success is assured.
This looks simple enough, but not
very simple in practice. A dry place
that never gets below say SO degrees
is hard to find. For this reason
growers build sweet potato houses,
with furnace aud hue arrangement, t,
and with the aid of a thermometer,
they can control the temperature
exactly.
OF from and adjoining our cham
Der is small room 1916, known to
us as the bathroom. In this room
water never freezes. Our chamber
has in it some fire on all cold days
and nights. An air-tight stove gives
us perfect control. Our chamber
door is always open, and the warmth
keeps the bathroom just right. In
that room we keep our seed roots. A
few will dry rot, but we always have
enough.
When our cellar was first dug we
kept our table potatoes in that room
also. The concrete porch floors (con-
structed since) and outside kitchen,
under which is the cellar. has helped
greatly in drying the cellar, and the
bulk of our crop is stored there.
Qnite a number will sometimes dry
rot by spring, but as there are usu-
ally more than enough, We do not
care.
| have just finished putting forty
bushels down there; some of them as
large as cantaloupes-too large, in
fact, and too many.
In growing sweet potato plants
more beds have been spoiled by over
heating with large banks of manure
than were ever killed by having them
get too cold. Strictly speaking, ma
nure is not at all necessary to the
production of potato plants. can
grow as good, or better, plants in a
bed of clean sand than over a large
bed of manure. They will be later,
but early enough for me, and health
ier by the entire absence of the black
stem often noticed in manure forced
plants. A very moderate amount of
manure under bed acts as tenn
perature regulator, and requires less
care than a simple bed of earth.
But, no matter how the general con-
struction of the bed otherwise, at
least an inch-and-a-half to two
inches should be of clean sand.
Healthier plants will be insured. 1t
is years since | had q failure.
Now is the time to save your seed.
Select the small, smooth and bright
looking ones, and keep them in a
room that is alWavs maderafalv