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SWEET POTATO CULTURE. 831 
SWEET POTATO CULTURE. 
J. R. CUMMINS, WASHBURN. 
Within the limits of the state of Minnesota there are many districts 
adapted to the successful cultivation of the sweet potato. One of 
the first considerations of the intending grower must be whether 
the locality is likely to be free from frost through June, July and 
August. The nature of the soil and subsoil have a great effect in 
preventing frosts. On sandy or sandy loam, well drained and suf- 
ficiently elevated not to be affected by moisture from streams or 
marshes, frosts may not be injurious until October, as was the case 
last fall in favored locations. The cultivation of the sweet potato is 
entirely different from that of the common sort. The sweet potato 
is planted in a hotbed from April 20 to 30, and the plants ought to 
be grown large enough to be set out in the open ground by Junel, 
as this is generally the earliest date to safely set them in this lati- 
tude. 
In making up a hotbed atleast two feet in depth of manure should 
be used, and two feet outsideof the frames. The soil in the bed should 
be six or eight inches deep, and a large portion should be of sand. 
Great care must be taken to keep a proper temperature in the bed, 
probably about 70° or 80°. Having never raised plants, I will de- 
scribe the method as given by acultivator: “The tubers should be 
placed lengthwise, end to end, in rows six inches apart, and covered 
three inches deep. In two or three weeks, according to heat of bed 
each tuber will throw up five to thirty sprouts. As soon as these 
are four or five inches high take up the tuber carefully and break . 
off the sprouts close to the potafo, so as to save the side roots. The 
tubers may then be replaced for the production of a second and 
even a third crop of sprouts.” Sweet potatoes from the South are prob- 
ably better for seed than from the North, and those that are large 
but not long would be best for our soil. There seems to be a ten- 
dency here for the tuber to grow long and slim. But for any one 
intending to grow a few potatoes, it would be preferable to buy the 
plants. They are offered at $2.50 per thousand and, sometimes, at 
less. The plants should not be on the road over twelve to twenty- 
four hours. In warm weather the sprouts are very likely to heat, 
and if this happens very few will grow. 
A sandy soil or sandy loam is the best adapted to growing the 
sweet potato. They can be grown on clay lands, but in wet 
seasons would not be likely to ripen well and would not be sweet. 
The ground should be well plowed and harrowed; furrows should 
then be opened five or six feet apart, by plowing. one way and then 
back. These furrows should be partly filled with manure, the 
amount used depending something on the quality ofthe land. The 
furrows are then plowed back from both sides, making ridges twelve 
or fifteen inches high. These ridges should be gone over with a hoe 
or rake and smoothed off. The plants are then set out on the ridge, 
fifteen or eighteen inches apart, choosing damp weather to set them. 
Before setting out, the roots of the plants should be dipped ina 
mixture of soil and water of a proper consistency. Should the 
