422 



Flk]LD CROPS 



enougli. As the roots continue to send up shoots for some 

 time, a comparatively small number will produce sprouts 

 enough for a considerable area. Half a bushel of seed will 

 supply 1,000 good plants at the first pulling. The best 

 plants are usually produced in a moderate hotbed from 



Figure 142, — The type of sweet potato plants suitable for setting. 



roots buried about 3 inches deep in leaf mold or rather loose 

 earth. Before setting in the field, the plants should be pulled 

 carefully from the bed and bunched in baskets or boxes. 

 They will keep much better if they are ''puddled" by dipping 

 the roots in a thin mud of clay and water, but the tops of 

 the plants should be kept dr3^ Sweet potatoes may also be 

 propagated from cuttings of the vines, which root readily. 

 If only a few plants are wanted for home use, it is often easier 

 and cheaper to bu}^ the plants than to grow them. 



577. Preparation of the Soil. The right type of soil for 

 sweet potatoes is easily prepared. It should be plowed some 



