Milford chronicle., 1910-04-08
GRANGE DISCUSSES SWEET POTATOES.

The subject considered at the Grange
last Saturday was the Culture of Sweet
Potatoes, which was divided into three
parts First-How to build the beds, by
Mr.. Hopkins. Second-How to grow
them, by Mr. Whitehead. Third-How
to set them, by Mr.. Armour.
Mr.. Hopkins said he had the first hot
bed that was ever made by any one and
It is still in use. He uses wood and brick
walls on the outside, and boards for the
floors. His bed is 9 feet wide He makes
q box and puts AXIS on it and covers
mat with bOards. leaving hollow space
under it. He uses TWO fines, and has a
furnace in each end, which works very
well. The bed is covered with boards
and marsh hay He has been growing
sweet potatoes forty one or forty-two
years, and during all Of that time they
have been profitable, with but two excep-
tons, this past year being one.
Mr.. Whitehead exhibited splendid
variety Of sweet potatoes, marketable |
size smooth and oval, which is as fine as
the celebrated Nineland Of south Jersey. /
He says the soil aud climatic conditions I
here are good for this crop. The season /
past has been trying for the sellers and
buyers The reasons for this unusually
low price Il was not on account of over
production. for this years crop was not
on an average larger than last years It
seems that tie dealers were unable to
move them The first thing to consider
in growing sweet potatoes is the variety,
soue markets want a wet and some want
dry kind. most markets want medium
sid red potato, the south demand a wet
variety Tie two methods Of starting the {
growth are by manure hot beds and bv '
fire beds Never plant what we call T
stti1g- but be particular about the kind :
ami shape Of the potato, and thus help
nature perform one OF her simplest laws. C
the reproduction OF the specie, and bv o
being particular in this matter now. we +
viii soon be able to produce the ideal for st
which We are working. {
4 my and is poor and lacks humus. "
give it light coat OF manure Cow peas
are a fine crop for sweet potatoes to fol a
o. Any organic matter in the soil p
Gems 10 be a great help to this potato pl
After the land s in good condition and d
sr71nd thoroughly warmed I set the 81
',aIts three feet apart aud IN rows four hi
eet vide; as they are worked during the to
eeson a small ridge is worked up to the hi
Wants. They should he worked soon m
iter setting and until they have made a by
are vine growth, then nothing more I'M de
Il harvest time. They must be handled pc
aretul'y and taken to storage honse as al
ooa as possible after being dug. Never vi
axe up more than can be put in the
anne day. If they are free from desease. 81
does not matter how large the bin is in an
7hich they are placed It is not neces- so
ary to keep the house in a high temper 81
ture, only little FIRE and even heat is wi
eeded. All varieties keep very well I'M ~,
. Christmas ~
The next thing for US to decide is, tai
hall We cut down our acreage this year tn
Z shall We continue to put in the same
umber of acres as in the past. l GER
,inly hope the crop which we yet have
} grow, will prove to be better paying r
ne than that which is past The sweet
plato means much to Ne down among rer
le pines in good old Sussex County. pFi
Mrs. Armour states that he can set du,
seet potatoes a little cheaper by hand -.
IN with a machine, by using the tones i"s
~ they will be set in better shape, but IS
lie cannot get them set in that way, he Hs
KS the plant setter. Year before last am
. bad 400 baskets to the acre of prime -.
'satOes. He has set "a 900 plants in qua
Il day with four men setting them. If up
&c to carry water he uses the plant Wy
Ter. He said, eff you plant sweet Do. Del
4es when the wind is in the East YOU
J. have black rot" He plants them
IN the ground gets warm, about the
Of May. ~
The subject Of interest for Saturday. =
al 9Th, is "Spring Cleaning" A Va mas
im Cleaner will be in evidence, and SOU
CObaueh will demonstrate it at that owr
e. Come out and see how easy it will -,
70 clean one room at a time, quietly
peaceabiv, thus doing away With OF \
dreaded spring upheayel was