Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-06-04
GROWING SWEET POTA.
TOES.
An Easily Grown, Profitable Crop For
South Carolina.

Clemson College.-There are feE
crops so we'll adapted to South Caro-
lima conditions that can be grown
with equal success and profit as can
the sweet potato. This crop offers to
the grower every advantage that is
offered by other fields or truck crops.
says Geo. P. Hoffman, Extension Ser
vice horticulturist
Soil selection, preparation. fertiliz-
ing, careful fitting and planting and
cultivating are the essentials of sue
cess in the growing of a crop Of
sweet potatoes.
Soil: The sweet potato adapts it.
self to great diversity of soils but
it delights in and thrives best on a
we'll drained sandy or clay loan un-
derlaid with clay subsoil But re-
gardless of the apparent ideal physi..
cal condition of the soil, this crop
must be rotated each year. Sweet
potatoes may follow corn. cotton,
small grain, and leguminous cover
crops, and may be easily and effect.
lively worked into any we'll balanced
three-year rotation system.
Preparation cf Soil: The soil may
be thoroughly and deeply prepared b.
turning twice to depth of 6 to s
inches. followed by cross Giscing.
Crooked and i'regularly formed roots
result from shallow preparation of the
soil. Therefore. dsep and thorough
preparation IS very essential in the
growing of marketable potatoes
Fertilizers: Both barnyard manure
and commercial fertilizers are recon-
mended, but the former must he Judi
ciously used. Because of present
shortage of potash the element CT plant
food most needed in excess III potato
production, liberal applications of
barnyard manure will be found to he
very effective in helping to reduce this
shortage and to correct the physical
condition of the soil. The fertility
and physical condition of the soil
should determine the amount of the
applications. Ordinarily. both COM
mercial fertilizers and barnva-d ma.
nures are applied in the drill when
the soil is being fitted for setting the
plants, and, later. as side dresser.
Fitting the Soil and Setting the
Plants: Preparatory to setting the
plants lay off rows 31a to feet apart
and apply the barnyard manure Is To
10 tons per acre. or commercial fer
tilizer made Of two-thirds 1870 acid
phosphate and one-third cotton-Seed
meal applied in the drill at the rate
Of 400 to 600 pounds per acre, and
thoroughly mix with the soil. The
planting beds of medium height, de-
pending upon drainage, should be
thrown up and dragged down. The
plants or vine-cuttings should be set
II to 18 inches apart. The period for
setting the plants is from May to
July 18th. To correct the packed con.
dition Of the soil brought about
through the transplanting process,
the water burrows should be narrowed
or otherwise shallow cultivated i'm
mediately following the setting Of the
plants.
For late paintings, the one-leaf vine
cuttings to 10 inches long are more
desirable than are the slips or
draws" this being especially true in
the growing of seed stock.
Varieties: Nancy Hall, Porto
Rico, and Triumph are the leading and
most popular varieties grown in this
State. Triumph is one of the earliest
varieties, and should be planted when
potatoes are grown for early market.
Civilizations: Frequent and shall.
low cultivation should be practiced
until the vines have covered the
ground, during which period the
greatest Of care must be exercised in
the turning the vines. At the first
cultivation, which consists of care.
full hoeing and siding with broad
furrow, a side dressing Of a mixture
of one-third cottonseed meal and two
thirds 16 per cent acid phosphate
should be applied at the rate Of 400 to
600 pounds per acre, and thoroughly
mixed with the soil. The Orangeburg
sweep or heel bow and shovel will be
found to be very effective in cultivat-
ing this crop.
A Record of Profits: The following
record of expenditures and returns on
an acre Of sweet potatoes in 1918
was furnished us by grower in Rich.
land County, South Carolina, the crop
having been produced in 1917 and
marketed during the late winter and
early spring.
Expenditures.
Rental value of land. .......S 500
Turning and narrowing twice 400
Bedding ground ........... l.5o
Composite loads at S1.0o.. 1000
snreadine compost ..... 80
pIants-1O 600 at $3.50. $500
Setting plants ............ 20
Hoeing three times ........ 3.oo
Flowing and turning vines. AS
cottonseed meal Il ton at s4S s.t.00