352 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



A large quantity of water is not necessary, one-half pint to each 

 plant being generally considered sufficient. 



Where level culture is practiced, the plants are set from 24 to 30 

 inches apart in each direction. On the eastern shore of Virginia the 

 greater portion of the crop is planted 24 inches apart each way, re- 

 quiring about 11,000 plants to an acre. By planting 30 inches apart 

 each way, only about 7,000 plants are required to set one acre. Where 

 the crop is grown on ridges it is customary to have the ridges from 

 36 to 42 inches apart from center to center and to place the plants 

 14 to 18 inches apart in the row. By this method an acre will require 

 from 8,000 to 12,500 plants. An acre of good sweet potato land will 

 readily support 9,000 to 11,000 plants, and the number most com- 

 monly planted by the several methods will fall within these figures. 



Cultivation. The methods of handling a crop of sweet potatoes 

 do not differ materially from those employed with ordinary farm and 

 garden crops. Within a few days after planting, a sweep or one-horse 

 plow should be run in the alleys to break out the strip of earth left in 

 ridging. The loose earth in the alleys should be worked toward the 

 rows until a broad, flat ridge is formed upon which a small-tooth 

 cultivator can be run quite close to the plants. After each rain or 

 irrigation the soil should receive a shallow cultivation, and during dry 

 weather frequent cultivations are necessary in order to retain mois- 

 ture. About two hand hoeings are generally necessary in order to 

 keep the rows free from weeds and the soil loose around the plants. 

 As nand labor is expensive, it should be the aim to perform the 

 greater part of the work by means of horse tools. Where sweet 

 potatoes are planted in check rows and worked in both directions the 

 hand work required will be reduced to a minimum, but a certain 

 amount of hoeing is always necessary. When the vines begin to 

 interfere with further cultivation the crop may be "laid by," i. e., 

 given a final working in which the soil is drawn well up over the 

 ridges and the vines then allowed to take full possession of the land. 

 To do this it is often necessary to turn the vines first to one side of the 

 row and then to the other by means of a stick or a wooden rake. After 

 "laying by," very little attention is required until time for harvesting 

 the crop. 



Harvesting. The harvesting and marketing of sweet potatoes 

 direct from the field begins about the middle of August and continues 

 until the crop is all disposed of or placed in storage for winter mar- 

 keting. During the early part of the harvesting season the yield is 

 light, but as a rule the prices paid are good. The supply for home use 

 and those potatoes that are to be kept in storage should not be dug 

 until just before frost. In the localities where frosts do not occur until 

 quite late in the season the sweet potatoes ripen and the vines show a 

 slight tinge of yellow when ready for handling. 



Effect of Frost. The foliage of the sweet potato is very tender 

 and is easily injured by frost. A light frosting of the leaves will do 

 no harm, but should the vines become frozen before digging they 

 should be cut away to prevent the frozen sap passing down to the roots 

 and injuring them. Where there is a heavy yield of potatoes the 



