Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-05-22
Growing Sweet Potatoes In South
Carolina.

Growing Sweet Potatoes In South
Carolina.
There are few crops so we'll adapted
to South Carolina conditions that can
be grown with equal success and profit
as can the sweet potato. This crop
offers to the growers every advantage
that is offered by other field or truck
crops.
Soil selection, preparation, f~ertiliz-
ing, careful fitting and planting, and
cultivating are the essentials of sue
cess in the growing Of a crop Of sweet
potatoes.
SoiI:-Tke syeet potato aAapts it
self to a great diversity of soil but IL
delights in and thrives best On q well
drained sandy CT clay leam soil un-
derlaid with a clay subsGil Regard
less OF the apparent ideal physical
conditioa of the soaI this crop must be
rotated each year. Sweet potatoes
may follow corn; cotton, small grain
and hgumiRsss eeVg crops. This
crop may be easily and effectively
worked fnte any well balanced three
year relative system.
Preparation Of SoiI:-The sell may
be thoroughly and deeply prepared by
turning twice to a depth of 6 to 8
inches followed by cress discihg.
Crooked and irregular formed roots
result from preparatory shallow prep
aratien of the soil. Therefore, deep
and thorough preparation is very es-
sential in the growing Of marketable
potatoes.
Fertilizers: - Beth barnyard and
commercial fertilizers are recommend
ed, but the former must be judiciously
used. Under the present potash short.
age conditions, that element of plant
food most needed in excess, liberal ap-
plications of barayard manure will be
found to be very effective in supple
menting this shortage, and correcting
the physical condition of the soil. The
fertility and physical condition Of the
soil should determine the extent Of
the applications, which should not be
in excess of the needs. Ordinarily,
both commercial fertilizers AID barn.
yard maaures are applied in the drill,
when the soil is being fitted fer set
ting the plants, and as a side dresser.
Fitting the Soil and Setting the
PIants:-Preparatery to setting the
plants, which should be from May LIST
to July 18th, lay off rows 315 to 4 feet
apart and apply the barnyard or CEN.
mercial fertilizers in the drill and
thoroughly mix with the soil Plant,
ing beds Of medium height, depending
upon drainage, should be thrown up
and dragged down. and the plants or
~vine-cuttings set Il to Is inches apart.
Correcting the packed condition Of
the soil brought about through the
transplanting process, Immediately
following the setting OF the plants, the
water burrows should be narrowed or
otherwise shallow cultivated.
For late paintings. the one leaf. 8 to
10 inch vine cuttings are more desira-
bile than are the plants. this being es.
pecially true in the growing OF seed
stock.
Varieties:-The Nancy Hall, Porto
Rico. and Triumph are the leading
and most popular varieties grown in
this State. The Triumph is one OF the
earliest varieties, and should be plant
ed when potatoes are grown for early
market.
cuItivation:-Freauent and shallow
cultivation should be practced until
the vines have covered the ground
during which period the greatest Oh
care must be exercised in the turning
of tbe vines. At the first cultivation
which consists of a careful hoeing and
siding with a broad furrow. q SIDE
dressing of c~ottonseed meal should be
anplied. at the rate Of one-half ton per
acre, and thoroughly mixed with the
soil. The Orangeburg sweep or heel
how and shovel will be found to De
verv effective In %cultivating this crop
The following record of expenditures
and returns on an acre Of sweet po'
tatoes was furnished US by a grower
in Richland county, South aroma
during 1917 and 1918:
Expenditures.
Rental value of land..........S s.oe
Turning and narrowing twice. 4'oe
! Bedding ground .............' I'oo
Compest-1o loads at $780,. le.oo
Spreading compost .....-..... Low
p1antsN1o aoO at s. 5e........ 25.oe
ea+t;na n,.nts 2.25
Heeing three times .....-...... 3.oo
| Flowing and turning vines.....- AZ
Cettonseed meal. " ton at S4S.. 24'oo
| Applying cottenseed meal....~ LOU
Harvesting and storing iS'o
m