White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-07-03
GROW MORE SWEET spups

Farmers in the lower irrigated val
leys Of the state have planted more
than rs acres to sweet potatoes this
year, says Harry Jensen, Horticultur-
list at the Irrigation Branch Expert
ment Station, at Prosser, Wash. Last
yea the planting totaled about twelve
acres, showing a substantial increase.
As early as 1903 men from the South
settling in the Three Rivers District
(where the Yakima and Snake Rivers
join the Columbia) began experiment.
ing with sweet potatoes in their new
gardens. Several Of these efforss were
SO successful that attention has grad
ually been drawn to the commercial
possibilities of the crop under irriga-
ton.
The sweet potato is second only to
the Irish potato as a commercial truck
crop in the United States. Its produc-
ton has tripled since 1849 and the price
paid to growers has increased about
80 per cent during the last 80 years.
! Washington growers who are sue
cessful in producing marketable sweet
potatoes are assured of fair prices. The
growers will of necessity, be limited
, dIta IL ID uHllhCAy liLdt talC oolPut Will
ever over supply the demand Of the
Northwest markets. Southern grown
sweet potatoes a.e burdened with
transportation costs. Washington
grown potatoes sold at home is the
solution for making the most Of our
sweet potato crop and meeting the
competition from the Southern states.
In 1921 the Kennewick Commercial
Club sponsored the distribution Of
sweet potato plants TO number OF
farmers for experimental paintings
Other small paintings were made at
Prosser, White Bluffs, Hanford Rich
land, Pasco and Umatilla.
The Irrigation Branch Experiment
Station at Prosser. promnted by re-
gu SITS for information on this new crop
began variety tests and studies of the
irrigation and cultural need of sweet
potatoes. The results of the preliminary
| t:tals last year, together with the ex-
periences of a majority of growers, in
Dictated that the crop is well worth
further investigation.
| This year twenty varieties are being
gbwn at the Station. These are the
Red Bermuda, Nancy Hall, Southern
Queen, Bride of Kansas, California
Golden. Early Golden, White Yam,
Southern Yam, Triumph, Politics
Black Spanish, Bronze, Yellow Jersey
Red Jersey, Big Stem Jersey, Red
! Nausemond, Yellow Nausemond, Porto
Rico. Vineless Bush and General
Grant.
Most of the plants were propagated in
our own hot bed, while some were
secured from Richland and Umatilla.
Besides the variety tests, five meth.
DDS of irrigation are being tiled to
determine the water needs of the crop
The general study of plant development
both above and below the ground, as
affected by irrigation, is being contin.
ued.
A few suggestions on cultural prac.
tees as we now know them may prove
beneficial to those who aHe growing
+, their first crop of sweet potatoes. Trans
planting should preferably be doas
medium early, about the first of June ir
ordo. to secure the ong growing season
which sweet potatoes require. A med
ium fertile sandy loan is considered
best Careful irrigations and cuitiva-
tons after transplanting should keep
/ the soil moderately moist and loose
Too much water after the vine covers
the ground causes excessive vine grow.
tn at the sacrifice Of tuber production
and also prevents proper maturity. L
| is better to have the crop little Dirt
than too moist.