The farmer and mechanic., 1915-10-26

interesting article on sweet potatoes |
as a money crop written by Mr.. ;. K.
Winters, now Durham correspondent |
of the News and Observer. Mr.. VIM !
ters takes the example of Mr.. Seaton |
Welch, Of Chatham county, who grows
sweet potatoes on large scale and
shows the method by which Mr.. Welch |
has made a success of this industry |
MIR. Winters article follows:
Profitable marketing and Souno
methods of winter storage are quite
as important as successful culture IN
the development of the sweet potato
as q money crop. Sweet potatoes may
be grown for seed with reasonable
profit but the small farmer should
devise satisfactory methods of keeping
the potato and find profitable utiliza-
ton OF the crop before making heavy
investments.
The case Of Seaton Welch, one OF
the most successful sweet potato grow
ers in North Carolina. is an example
that can be followed with profit. the
small beginner will find his methods
easy to duplicate. This farmer owns
"a l60-acre tract in Chatham county
only 35 acres being under cultivation.
About one-third Of this acreage is de-
voted to the culture Of the sweets.
1t was 12 years ago that Mr.. Welch
decided to adopt the sweet potato as
a staple crop. He entered the untried
field with the feeling that it was
gamble crop. Two acres constituted
his first years crop. Another year
and it was doubled. During the sue
ceeding years the bushels bedded and
the yields produced have been con-
stantly multiplied. His yield in 1913
was $3.50 bushels-the production
from 10 acres From the 1913 output
ne marketed 81 500 worth of the tub
ers. The profit realized from that
r, inn n O.
imburse him for his expenditure for
his home and farm, with $512.5O on
the credit side of the ledger. His farm
was purchased a number OF years ago
for $3.50. His calculations as to the
expenditures and profits accumulat-
Ing from the 1913 output are thus
itemized. Thirty bushels were bed
ded. The prevailing market price OF
81 bushel places the expenditure for
seed potatoes at $40. He invested
$3.50 In commercial fertilizers The
sum of 1925 represented the cash out
lay for expenses in digging the crop.
The total production was 1880 bush
els and $500 worth of the product
was marketed. These figures permit
Of marginal profit OF $l,362.50. The
calculation Goes not take into account
the bushels utilized In home consump-
ton, both for table use and invest
ment in pork.
When you approach Mr.. Welch or
the subject Of the culture Of the sweet
potato and it's possibilities as a saft
investment for the small farmer. his
mind invariably reverts to the sort o.
structure to house the sweets.
would secm that in the logical Sc
quence OF things that the matter o
bedding and cultivation would be frs
entertained. To the contrary, he frs
invites the visitor to inspect his potato
at
the culture Of the product largely t
the fact that his potato house insure
safety OF preservation Of the tube
until the market IS susceptible to higl
prices.
The model Of this house is worth
OF detailed discussion. The materia
used and cost Of construction Of tn
building were s12b. Mr.. Welch wa
the architect and builder of the struc
ture. Location was the first item 70
consideration. A slight incline is de
Sirable inaSmuch as the house may
built with the furnace in the north
ern end. the furnace slightly slopin;
The sources of drainage are provide
around the edge of the building-ti
Ing being preferable. A sand floor {
possibly 6 inches higher than the lev,
Of the land is desirable. Il trench
dug to a depth Of i 1-2 feet, and
furnace bearing similarity TO a tobaco
barn fS constructed. 1t Is built
brick and capped with rock.
course is through the center of tf
house from north to south and elbow
to the west. The top OF the furnat
Is level with the floor Of the buildin
The dimensions OF this particuls
house are IL X 81 feet on the exteri(
and II X 26 on the interior. The c;
pacity of the building is $50 bushel
1t is built of pine timber and fro
5000 to 1000 feet of lumber was use
The order OF construction was: VI
derpinned sufficiently to elevate IL
sills inches from the ground. ST.
inch posts are used for the walls, al
the structure was weatherboarded
the outside and ceiled on the insid
The space of inches between weat
erboarding and ceiling is stuffed wi
sawdust, which affords the necessa
warmth for the potatoes The co
70 co 6oldi,arx -,