THE QUESTION BOX. 



Pumping from Deep Wells. A. F. S., Nebraska. We 

 have some rich table lands, but they are high, and the swells vary 

 from 100 to 200 feet and more. Would like to irrigate, if only a 

 garden spot. Can you give us the experience of those who have 

 tried deep-well pumping? Give depth of well, size of cylinder and 

 discharge pipe, power used, amount irrigated, and the success. 



My pumping plant consists of a 7-inch 50-foot-deep 

 well; 5x20-inch brass-lined Macdonald cylinder; 

 2 1 :3 '-inch discharge pipe; 12-foot Dandy Steel Wind 

 Mill, and a reservoir 25x36 feet, four feet deep. 



This plant watered 2% acres last season, when the 

 rainfall amounted to but 5 3-16 inches from April 1 

 till November 1. We raised a variety of vegetables 

 and fruits. 



Used vegetables and fruits all we wanted in their 

 season and canned fruits and kept vegetables to 

 abundantly supply our wants until they are grown 

 another season. 



Vegetables sold 8375.06; fruits $18.35; and in 

 spring set strawberries, grapes, and other small fruits 

 that gave no income, amounting to % of an acre. 

 This plat is included in the 2)4 acres, total amount 

 irrigated. J. F. GANSON, Lodge Pole, Neb. 



Sweet Potatoes. T. J. C., Kansas. What is the best soil for 

 sweet potatoes? They seem to be a profitable crop on a small 

 scale. Would it pay to plant several acres? How are they 



cultivated? 



1. The best soil for sweet potatoes is a rich, sandy 

 loam moderately well drained. 



2. Whether or not it will pay to grow sweet pota- 

 toes for market will depend entirely upon the local 

 market. In a good town the grocers can always be 

 depended upon to dispose of considerable. The best 

 plan would probably be to canvass the market before- 

 hand and see how large quantities are usually sold 

 there. Sweet potatoes can be grown with less cost 

 and greater certainty of a crop than common potatoes. 



3. They are propagated by "slips" or sprouts pro- 

 duced by laying the sweet potatoes on a mild hotbed 

 in April. The ground is thrown in ridges from three 

 feet to three and a half feet apart and in the middle 

 of May, when the weather is warm and settled, the 

 sprouts pulled from the hotbed are planted on top of 

 the ridges a foot and a half apart. If irrigation is 

 practiced the soil should be well irrigated between 

 the ridges immediately after planting. Cultivate 

 when the soil is again dry enough to work, to prevent 

 the formation of a crust; repeat this every two or 

 three weeks until the vines cover the ground to such 

 an extent that cultivation is no longer practicable. 

 The potatoes form chiefly in September and October 

 and should be dug as soon as nipped by frost. Two 

 hundred bushels per acre is but a moderate' yield. 

 There is much difference in the quality of varieties; 

 the coarse and less desirable kinds yield the most. 

 Those which cannot be sold for human consumption 

 can be fed to advantage to cattle and swine. 



C. C. GEORGESON, Kansas Experiment Station. 

 The best soil for sweet potatoes is a warm sandy 

 loam. They will do well in very sandy soil. The 

 sweet potato crop is one of the best to grow ( year after 

 year as a specialty, provided, of course, a market is 

 in reach. We have a number of growers who raise 



from one to ten acres, each, per year, and they have 

 made it pay, though Denver is our best market, over 

 300 miles distant. Our sweet potatoes are shipped as 

 far west as Utah. Set the plants 16 inches to 18 inches 

 apart in good, high ridges thrown up by stirring 

 plow. It is an advantage if the ridges are thrown up 

 some time previous to planting, so as to be settled 

 and firm, as well as mellow, at planting. With a hoe 

 or "spud" make a good-sized cup for each plant, in 

 setting, and pour it full of water; then when the bot- 

 tom of the cup is soft mud put the ends of your fing- 

 ers on the end of the root of the plant and shove it 

 down in the mud. Let it stand a little while and 

 draw some loose dirt about the plant. Set in this way, 

 every one will live without shading. Keep the 

 ridges mellow and clear of weeds and irrigate be- 

 tween. It is very convenient to let the water into al- 

 ternate furrows in setting plants, as the workers 

 pass along the dry furrows and dip up the water from 

 the opposite side of the ridge. 



T. W. GREGORY, Garden City, Kansas. 



Sweet potatoes require a warm sandy soil to do the 

 best. They are raised about here by the hundreds of 

 acres. They do not require a great amount of irri- 

 gation. The plants are raised in a hotbed and want 

 to be ready to transplant here from May 10 to 20, to 

 get best results. The ridges are thrown up with a 

 two-horse stirring plow by throwing two furrows to- 

 gether, making the rows 3% feet to 4 feet apart. 

 Smooth off the top of the ridge and set plants about 

 6 inches apart. It takes from 7,000 to 9,000 plants 

 per acre. As fast as the plants are set out a boy 

 comes along and puts about a quart of water on each 

 plant to settle the dirt around the roots and if the 

 weather and ground are dry we turn water between the 

 rows and fill the furrows one-half or two-thirds full to 

 give the plants a good start. Then keep the weeds out 

 by shallow cultivation until the vines begin to run. 

 Then take a Lister or a Diamond plow, throw the 

 dirt to the plants, ridging them well, and when the 

 potatoes begin to set on give them another good irri- 

 gation, but do not let the water over the rows. In 

 this way we raise from 150 bushels to 300 bushels of 

 fine potatoes per acre. They are a profitable crop 

 here under pump irrigation. LEE L. DQT^, 



Garden City, Kan. 



"What on earth are you doing with that little wa- 

 tering can, Tom ?" 



" Spwinkling the baby's head so's his hair'll sprout.'' 

 Harper's Young People. 



Those who make it a point to do a little more than 

 they agree to do are scarce. Be careful what you 

 promise to do, and then do a little more than you 

 promised. 



"One thing is certain that if you desire improve- 

 ment in anything, it will never come to you acci- 

 dentally. It must begin in a distinct, resolved pur- 

 pose to make a change for the better. Ephraim Pea- 

 body. 



'57 



