Cleveland County herald., 1918-08-08
SWEET POTATOES
ARE IN DEMAND
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BROUGHT
INTO SOUTH EVERY YEAR
FROM THEIR SALE.
by J. s. Knox, Extension Division.
University of Arkansas

by J. s. Knox, Extension Division,
University of Arkansas.
Millions of dollars arc brought into
the South every year from the sale of
the sweet potato. The United States
Army has recently added this vegeta-
BILE to its ration and this means that
tho crop will be in demand more than
ever before. The South is a sweet po-
tato section and none OF the states are
better suited to the growing Of sweet
potatoes than Is Our own state. We
must have an abundance of this vege-
table next fail.
Sweet Potato Pays Well.
The sweet potato will produce, on
very common soil, from 100 to 125
bushels per acre and at present prices
o; 81 per bushel there are few, If
any, of our crops that will equal Il.
However, while the sweet potato
grows and produces fairly well on a
great variety of soils, it seems at its
best on the well-drained sandy loan
soils of medium fertility. Sweet po-
tatoes intended for storage should
not be planted on poorly drained soil.
because they are much harder to
keep over winter than are those that
have been produced on the better
drained soils. Clay soils produce
good potatoes, but at digging time
the soil adheres to the potatoes and
ie re x,f
and unnecessary labor in removing
dirt from the tubers. 1t is not advis.
able to grow potatoes on the same
soil two years in succession, and il Il
stubble of COW peas or clover or Gov
er crop of rye or oats can be turned
under. so much the better.
It Pays To Use Fertilizer
AS rule our farmers use too little
fertilizer on the sweet potato soil.
From 400 TO 500 pounds per acre of q
fertilizer made by mixing equal parts
by weight of cotton seed meal and
acid phosphate should increase the
yield of the potatoes from 20 to % per
cent. If a supply of hard wood ashes
can be had. it would also be well 20
apply a few loads of this to each acre
the ashes contain lime and potash
and the latter is considered one of
the chief essentials for this crop Or
der your seed potatoes right away or
place your order with some one who
will grow the plants for you, because
the indications are that seed sweet
potatoes are going to be scarce again
this year. In sections of Louisiana and
Texas the sweet potato weevils almost
destroyed the crop last year and at the
present time they are threatening
Arkansas. Sweet potato growers from
the weeyil infested states are now
searching for suitable seed for bod
ding this spring and they have al
ready purchased great many from
our storage men. Be sure to Gull out
all potatoes showing black rot before
bedding them
Bed Sweet Potatoes Properly.
To bed the potatoes select some
well-drained sunny location aud dig a
pit about eight to ten inches deep Put
about six inches of good, rich. we'll
pulverized soil IN the bottom of this.
then place the potatoes on this Just
close enough so that they do not touch
about is inch space is enough. AZ
ter tbs potatoes are thus placed cover
over with about one inch of sand OF
soil that will not pack readily and
keep moist. Where bottom heat is de
sired it is necessary to dig the pit
about six inches deeper than men,
toned above and put six inch layer
of horse manure in the bottom of the
bed. Always water the bed thorough
ly before removing the plants.
Use Labor Saving Machinery.
The scarcity and high price of Ia
Dor at the present time makes It nee
essary to use labor saving machinery
tends to plant ten or twenty acres
will In the long run find it profitable
to buy sweet potato planter. These
can be purchased at prices ranging
from $50 to $40, and with it one can
plant three or four acres with a force
that would not ordinarily plant more
than one acre the old way. Make
rows about 2 1-2 to s feet apart and
set the plants about IS to IS inches
in the row. 1t Is claimed by some
that closer planting will lessen thu
size of the potatoes, so If your crop
has been over size try closer planting
and vice versa. Do not try to get
the plants on high ridges. Ordinarily
from to inches is high enough and
the plants are cultivated more easily.
Cultivation Should Begin Early.
AS soon as the plants have become
established the cultivation should be-
gin. Avoid the use of plows which
run too deep near the roots of the
plants. Upon examining the roots of
plants where one man had been cult
waiting with heel sweep i was found
that several roots that Would have
made potatoes had been cut off. Use
the harrow freely and as often as is