The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-11-26
THE SWEET POTATO.
A MONEY CROP
OF IMPORTANCE
P. n. Jeter, Soil improvement Com.
mIttee.

~k @ 1WNS
potato Is rapidly gaining in popularity
II . Geld crop Of FIRST importance. ons
Of the greatest drawbacks to It's sue
cessful establishment has been that M
adequate means Of curing and STORING
had been advised until the last few
years. With the successful operation
Of these potato storage houses. how
ever, the crop can now be marketed
successfully. 1t 10 probably one Of
the most cheaply grown crops Of the
South and with proper fertilization
the least fertile lands can be made to
produce excellent yields. Statistics
show that it8is an ordinary accom-.
plishment to grow a crop Of from 200
TO 400 bushels per acre on most any
soil Of average fertility with proper
civilization.
Possibilities As a Money Crop.
As to the money income from the
crop, II must be said that 1t COM
pares most favorsbly with cotton. Sta
tistics show that the average return
from an acrs OF cotton amounts to
shout ;7o.S7 per acre. while the re-
.urns from an acre Of potatoes
amounts to sl34.1s. One grower In
South Carolina reports to the college
hat he made q net profit Of sl,21e,ss
n four acres, which BE- a return over
'hree hundred dollars per acre. This
rover was careful to keep an aecu-
ate account of all expenses, including
lat Of curing, marketing and grad
his crop, and his experience shows
q possibilities of the sweet potato
) a money crop for the South. In
ct, 1t proves the value Of the crop
yond all question.
reduces Well on Nearly All solIs.
The soil and climatic conditions OF
Q lower South r very favorable
its growth and produce q root much
seter and richer in nutriment than
. harder and NOR starchy tuber
the more northern states. The po.
o makes its best yields In the san
sr soils. It will DO well on most
y soil that 10 well drained, but Il
own On soils that n too fertile.
noduces . larger amount Of vine as
% expense Of the potatoes. A light
III. not too fertile, with . firm sub
Ill, gives best results. II the sub
III IL too loose. and net compact. .
rye proportion Of the roots will b
ringy and unfit fer market purposes.
Preparation Of tho son II about ~
,r cotton. The land 10 broken. laid
4. the fertiisers applied in the rows
nd this bodied upon. The ridge In
srerally allowed to settle firmly b.
Ore the slips or vines are planted.
Come LeaAins Varieties.
As to varieties, the Nancy Han
GEMS TO be the prime favorite ct this
me. The Porto Rico and Triumph
aristies are also very popular and
ank with the Nancy Hall a. q good
leidsr and Q market fayorite. The
.outhern Queen and YslloW Jersey are
NO other varieties Walsh have found
syor with some growers.
Liberal Fertilization important
The question Of fertilizers ID. Of
,curse, related to the kind Of soil on
which the crop II grown. On the
vhsle the crop needs liberal tsrtiiisa-
ion and responds well to this treat.
nsut. The sweet potato needs . COM
slsts fertilizer and an application Of
It least from 600 to Leo pounds per
acre. Some manure may b anpiisd.
but It should DO undsrstoed that this
u an unbalanced plant feod, that BE-
uause Of tn nitrogen content VIII de-
velop the vine to the dstrinent Of the
roots II applied in too large quaint
uss. The same thing Is true Of . com
mercial fertilizer mixture having a
high nitrogen analysis. The crop
needs potash o than do general
aels crops. since this element seems
10 aid in the elaboration Of starch IN
the roots. 1t was found. however. that
aurins the shortage OF potash. due to
he recent war. that sweet potatoes
would produce well with q less amount
Of petssh than had been previously
thought necessary.
For best results the crop must have
4 good supply Of readily available
phospheric acid A formula contain
Ing all three Of the necessary ele-
msnts Of plant fDod would be. for the
coastal plain region. . per cent avail
able phesphoric acid, . per cent nitro
zen and 4 per cent potash. For the
Piedmont region. Q coed mixture WIN
contain 3 Per cent available pies
phorc acid. . per cent nitrogen and
PR cent potash.
euHas Houses Solves Marketing
Problem.
Caring and storage houses are nsw
rosnr ID rapidly I'll over the South.
eome Of these are sstabiisAsa q The
individual farm fsr Tie individual
croa but many large houses 10 stsrs
ne community crop are also bstns osn-
.sxuet.A. The curing heass saves