ROOT CROPS. 239 



raise his own plants. They will usually cost him much less 

 than to buy them, often less than one-fourth as much ; but 

 even if they cost more I should advise that they be home- 

 grown. My reasons are that by growing your own plants you 

 can always have them when you want them fresh from the 

 bed, and can take advantage of the best weather for setting 

 them out, either on a showery day or late in the evening. 



In the years that I have not grown my own plants it has 

 often happened that there would be such a rush that the supply 

 at the beds would be exhausted, and I was unable to get any 

 until so late that I could not grow a good crop. I would not 

 give half price for plants that had been pulled so long that they 

 were wilted. In almost any neighborhood a limited amount of 

 plants can be sold, and it will be found profitable to supply your 

 neighbors. 



I have sprouted sweet potatoes for nearly thirty years, and 

 for the first ten I oftener made a failure than a success, but do 

 not now remember that I have failed in the last fifteen years, 

 and I think if the directions I give are followed, that even a 

 novice can succeed. 



The first point of importance is the selection of seed. It 

 should be sound and fresh, with no signs of decay. Sweet 

 potatoes will not keep long after they are taken from the 

 bins where they are kept for the winter, and if decay has be- 

 gun it is nearly impossible to get them to sprout well. The bed 

 for sprouting we make perfectly flat; for a frame we nail 

 boards a foot wide together ; a convenient size is six feet by six- 

 teen, which will give room for planting about one barrel of me- 

 dium-sized potatoes. You should nail one or two strips across 

 your frame to stay it and prevent spreading. Have the manure 

 hot when put in the bed, and to insure this you will need to 

 fork up and thoroughly mix it four or five days before you wish 

 to use it. When thoroughly hot prepare the bed for your 

 frame by shaking the hot manure so that there shall be no 

 lumps in it, and building it in a compact heap two feet wider 

 and longer than your frame. It should be perfectly uniform, so 

 that it will all heat alike, and should be packed as solid as it can 



