The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-25
SWEET POTATOES: SEED Sc
LECTION. BEDDING. MD
DISEASE CONTROL.

SWEET POTATOES: SEED Sc
LECTION. BEDDING. MD
DISEASE CONTROL.
There arc three important factors
in bedding sweet potatoes; name
ly, selection of seed. treating seed
for disease spores. and care III prep
aration of plant bed. Prop"r con-
sideration of these viii Go much TO-
wards controlling diseases and sue
ccSsful storage.
Time For Bedding.
In open ground: After the dan
ger of frost (middle Of March TO
first of April J. usually four to six
weeks before transplantinG time.
In hotbcd: Usually four to six
weeks before danger Of frost is over
Q5th to Goth of February.
Varieties.
For storage: Porto Rico OF
Nancy Hall CA pure strain Of the
one locally most popular).
For green or early nlariict: Tri-
umph.
/. Use healthy uniform seed
from fall selection from the best
yielding bills Of discase-frcc pota
toes and Of the desired type.
>. Split stems and examine for
stem rot. If the stems arc black
ened inside. do not use for seed.
8. Throw out all potatoes with
nearly round, sLnken, blacl, spots
on the surface. or rotten ends.
4. Before bedding, so over seed
potatoes again. end remove all
showing diseased spots, rottcd ends.
or bad wounds.
Treatment OF Seed.
|. Immerse for ) to 8 minutes
in "a solution of fornaldehyde (com-
mercal 80 per cent? made by dilut-
ing one quart formaldehydc i'll 80
gallons water. This solution may
be used repeatedly without losing
strength. Bed potatoes soon after
treatment.
. Corrosive suhliratc, which
may be used instead OF formalde-
hyde. is very poisonous and must be
handled in wooden vessels. Dis
solve one ounce corrosive subli-
mate in warm water. add eight gal
Ions of water. and immerse pota-
toes for 1G minutes
3. For a large quantity of .po-
tatoes make up 30 gallons of the
solution. After treating 10 bushels
add one ounce corrosive Sublimate
and enough water to bring up to so
gallons again to keep up strength.
Bed potatoes at once.
Preparation and handling OF Plant
ECd.
Potato plants arc usually grown
in open ground IN this state, but
for carly plants the hotbcd is rec
ommeHdcd Note following points
in preparation ana care of bed.
!. Locate the bed in d south
eastern exposure, with protec-
ton from wind prcfcrred: easy
reach Of water: good drainage; and
preferably new land.
3 Break land deep. scoop out
3 or inches OF soil rather than
dig. Il deep pit. Make bed rcctan-
Sular. not over six feet wide.
length TO accommodate the seed
bedded. Burning bed site, as in
making tobacco beds, helps destroy
weeds and stcrliZe soil.
3. Mix approximately half and
half cottonseed and horse stable
manure for heat % bushels of cot
ten seed to Il plot G'xl14), and put
down u layer of 4 to . inches. Level
pack, and if dry, sprinkle. Cover
the mixture with TO inches Of
sand Allow this to remain 81 to
81 hours before bedding to pre-
Vent potatoes ovcrhcatinS.
i. Immediately after heating
bed potatoes SO as to. be neariy
touching. Cover with one inch of
sand. then one inch layer of un-
packed pine straw, and cover straw
with 1 inches of sand The straw
prevents pulling potatoes out Of
ground when plants are pulled.
). Bed three to four bushels for
enough plants for each acre. or
1900 to 1900 plants.
6. Use light canvas. heavy mus
lin. or glass TO protect plants from
frost
{. Pull plants often to cncour-
age production.
s. Water plants often to pre-
Vent dryncss. but do not keep bed
soSSy. Two inche, of str.,w looae-
~ thrown on is good to prc"cnt
soilbakins. water-packinS ana mild
fros, injury.
Note: Plants shouid have 4 to 6
inches OF underground growth.
General Suggestions.
Plants required per. acre:
30inch rows. plants 10 inches
apart in the ROW. about 5000; Il
inches apart. 500; - inches
apart, 500 foot rows. plants H.
inches apart il.30o; 10 inches
apart. l3oVT IS inches apart, 81
0e0: = inches apart. ,J0n
ono bushcl of average size po-
tatocs hcddcd viii cover 10 to j.:
Square fcct OF space: hushcl jun
boS u Sol,;trc feet: bushct Primes
s square feet; ! bushcl no. IS. u
ScU;trc feet: hl$hci seed stock, 20
square feet
The practice usually is 10 bed one