The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-04-22
GrowilgSweetP Potatoes
Suggestions for Profitable
Production of Sugar"
spuds.

sweet potato. THIS crop oHerS " INC
growers every advantage for success
tul growth and profit that Is offered
BY other field or truck crops.
Soil selection, preparation, fertiliz-
Ing, careful fitting and planting, and
eultivating are the essentials OF sue
cess In the growing Of sweet potatoes,
says Geo. P. Hoffman, Extendon Ser
vice herticulturist.
solI.-The sweet potato adapts II
psK to grsa- diversity OF soil, bvt II
delights In and thrivss best On . well
drained sandy CT clay loam sod with
. clay subsoil. But regardless OF the
apparent ideal physical oonditioo OF
ihe soil, this crop must be rotated
each year. Sweet potatoes may fol
NV corn, cotton, small grain, and
Ie4uminous cover crops. II may
easily and effectively be worked into
any well balanced thrss-yesr Tots'
tion.
Preparation e SoII.-The sodl may
b thoroughly and dssply prepared
By tvrniax twice TO depth Of six &c
eight inches followed BY cross dtse-
iaR. Crooked and irregular roots 70
sult from shallow preparation OF the
ssH. Therefore, deep and thorough
preparation IL very ssIsntial In Srow-
ing marketable potatoes.
FsrtIiIxsrs. - Both barnyard ana
commercial fertilizers are recon-
uenAea, bat the former must be tuda-
eiously ussd. Ulder the present
shortare Of potash. that element q
plant food most needed In excess
liberal applications OF Sar1yard msa-
ore will b very effective both IN sup
plementiag this shortage, and n cee'
fseting the physical condition q ne
very Asayy slayey soils. Ordinarily
both commercial and bernysrd nan
ores srs applied In the dsah when the
soil Is sslas fitted tce ssttsaS ths
plants, and later as q side dresser.
For tho average clay seils that VII
psodues Q bale Of sottsa to the acre,
&se 70 coo Iosnds Il an s-s-S fsrtihsss
a rsconusnAsl. For the sandy
ssiis producing . bale Of ssAteq pes
soes, 100 10 go pounds Of an s'sS fer
tiliser 10 recommended.
Fitting the Sell and Setting he
Plants.-Prsparatory to setting ne
plants, which should - from May lse
70 July 18th, lay OF rsws 70 ) Ii
fsst apart and apply tAe bsrnysf1
manure (s-1s tons PEI. aers) o. con-
rnsrcAsl fertilizer made of two-thAros
1s psS osns scil aad eaethSrd ss<soo
seed meal applied n shs driA, ana
<Aersushly MIX With the. seai. fsAat
ing beds Of medium height, es1sae'
inR upon drainage, should b thfswn
ID and dragged down, and che plants
q vinseuttinss st II - IL inches
apart. To eesrset the packed eoudi'
Mon of ne sol brought about through
tAs transplaating process. the wafer
burrows should b Narrowed Or ether.
wise culsivsssi Immediately fellow
iag the setting q the plants.
Fer late plantings, the sae-lesf, !
10 10 inch vine cuttings are more Do
sirsble than are The slips or "drsws.
sseecially for the growing Of seed
stock.
varissIea-Nalcy HAL, Porto Hiso.
and Triumph are the ksslins and
most popular varieties grown IN NE
stats. Triumph 10 one ot he earliest
varieties, and should b planted
when potatoes are srovn ser cary
market.
cuItIystIsn.-Freouelt shallow c0l.
Hvatfea should ss prastiesd until the
vines have covered the ground, dur
ins which period ths greatest care
must be used IA tuning sas vfaes.
a. the nrst cultivation, which cen
sises Of q careful hosing and siding
with q broad furros, . side dressing
Of one-third cotton sssd meal and
two-thirds 1s per cent acid phosphate
should be applied, 400 70 800 pouads
Der acre, and thoroughly mixed wtsh
che soil. The oranEsSurg sweep sr
heel bow and shovel Is very exec
1.-Two in cultiratins this crop.
. A Good Example Of Profits.
Tho following record Of expendt
lures and returns on four acres OF
sweet potatoes grown IN 1918 was fur
pished by a farmer In Williamsburg
lesnnty:
Expenditures.
Rental value Of land ......$ 5000
Turning and narrowing 80. fS.oo
Bedding and applying fertil-
i80r .......... wv
1900 lbs. c. 8. NJ. and 1900 Tbs.
s.,0 .............. Sail
800 lbs. nitrate Of soda. 80. 12.W
"A 600 plants .............. -. 10000
Setting plants .............. s.oe
uoa,n4 .. 800
Flowing and turning ....... 11.oo
Harvssting and hauling
T+.,u, ........... 17.eo