The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-07-03
GROWING SWEET POTA
TOES.
An Easily Grown, Profitable Crop For
South Carolina.

Clemson Collcge.-There are few
crops so we'll adapted to S5"th caro-
lima conditions that can Is grown
with equal success and pre-; is caa
the sweet potato. This crop oTe:s To
the grower every advantage that il
offered by other fields or tru.'s "Tops
says Geo. P. Hoffman, Extension Ser
vice horticulturist
Soil selection. preparation. :srtiliz.
ing. careful fitting and pla.ttcE and
cult;yating are the essential: -: sue
cess in the growing Of Z cr"p o;
sweet potatoes.
Soil: The sweet potato .c.pts it.
self to a great diversity CT soils. but
it delights in and thrives aest on o
we'll drained sandy or clay !oarp un-
derlaid with clay subsol Hut re-
gardless Of the apparent !deS physi-
cal condition of the soil, this crop
must be rotated each year. Sweet
potatoes may follow corn. cotton,
small grain, and legumincua cover
crops, and may be easily aad effect
lively worked into any we'll balanced
three-year rotation system.
Preparation of Soil: The soil may
be thoroughly and deeply prepared by
turning twice to depth OF 6 to 2
inches, followed by cross discing.
Crooked and irregularly formed roots
result from shallow preparation OF the
soil. Therefore, deep and thorough
preparation is very essential in the
growing of marketable potatoes.
Fertilizers: Both barnyard manure
and commercial fertilizers are recon-.
nended, but the former must be judi
ciously used. Because Of present
Ihortage OF potash the element of plant
food most needed in excess in potato
production, liberal applications OF
5arnyard manure will be found to be
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 barnyard ma
nures are applied in the drill. when
the soil is being fitted for setting the
plants, and, later as a 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 twe-thirds 16% 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
IA to 1S 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 s 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.
Cultivation: 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 mixture
, of one-third cottonseed meal and two
thirds 16 per cent acid phosphate
should Re apphed at the rate OIL 4oo W
600 pounds per acre, and thoroughly
mixed with the SOIL The O"cRS2burg
! sweep or heel bow and shor=! VIII be
foa~a to be very effective in cultiYat'
| 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 S.OO
Turning and narrowing twice 4.oo
Bedding ground ............ LOU
Compost-10 loads at S1.O0.. lO.Oo
Spreading compost ......... LoI
! Plants-lO.O00 at $3.50. ..... 25.OO