108 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



experiment. Wo believe many of tlie foilures to 

 raise sweet potatoes at the North, have arisen, to 

 some extent at least, from this cause. 



TJie sweet pot^ito (Convolvulus batatas) is a trail- 

 ing plant, resembling somewhat in this respect the 

 common l)ean. In rich soil and moist weather, the 

 -vines are frequently from six to eight feet in length 

 though four feet is as long as is desirable. In moist 

 soils, the plant throws out roots along the viuesr 

 which produce tubers; but they seldom "mature in 

 this climate, and tlie habit should be prevented as 

 much as possible. 



THB {sweet potato. 



The plants must be started in a hot-bed. Place 

 the seed tubers lengthwise across the bed, nearly 

 end to end, in rows six inches apart. This should 

 be done from the first to the middle of April, 

 according to the season. As soon as the shoots are 

 three or four inches high, take up the tubers care- 

 fully and break off" the young plants close to the 

 parent tuber, so as to save the side roots. The 

 tubers may be replanted for a second crop. 



A light, warm, sandy soil, not too rich or moist^ 

 is best adapted for the sweet potato. It should be 

 made as loose and mellow as possible. Plow the 

 laud into ridges four or five feet apart, and set the- 

 plant* on the ridge from twelve to fifteen inches 

 apart, in the same manner as though they were 

 tomato or cabbage plants. Iloe the ground fre- 

 quently, but without increasing the height of the 

 ridge. Those who have not convenience for rais- 

 ing the plants in a hot-bed, will find them adver- 

 tised for sale in this number of the Genesee Farmer. 



Clover Seed of a bright yellow, with a good 

 qujintity of the purple and brown colored seed 

 aiiK'Ug it, (whicli shows the maturity of the seed,) 

 should be preferred. 



i'LAX PLANT. 



CULUVATTOK RF FLAX. 



Fi.AX succeeds best on 

 a moist soil abounding in 

 ©■rganic matter and rest- 

 ing on a rich clay. Low, 

 swampy land, that lias 

 been thoroughly under- 

 drained^ frequently ])ro- . 

 duces heavy crops of llax. 

 The land must be free 

 from weeds, and fine tiltlj 

 is particiiSarly necessary 

 for this crop. It i* gen- 

 erally rocominended to 

 plow the land in the fall 

 and again in the spring, 

 with repeated harrow- 

 ings, till it is in fine con- 

 dition, though some cultivators contend that it is 

 better to turn under a clover sod in the spring, 

 after the clover has grown a few inches, ami then 

 sow immediately. We think this a good phin. 



Where flax is grown for the fibre, more seed is 

 required than where it is grown exclusively for the 

 seed. In the former case, as much as two bushel* 

 per acre is frequently sown by the best flax growers ; 

 in the latter, three pecks are considered suflicient. 

 On very rich soils, there is danger of sowing too 

 much, where seed is the object. On the other 

 hand, where the crop is raised for the fibre, the 

 richer the soil the more seed should be sown, or the 

 fibre will be coarse. 



The earlier flax is sown, after all danger from 

 frost is over, the better will it be, either for fibre or 

 for seed. In Ohio, where a considerable breadth 

 of land is sown with flax for the seed, the earlier 

 the seed can be sown after the first week in April 

 the better. In this State, it is seldom sown before 

 the first week in May. It is better to wait, in all 

 cases, tiU the land is in good working order. The 

 crop is frequently injured materially by drouth, and 

 early sowing is a preventive. If the land is not 

 very clean, weeds are more likely to injure the crop 

 than, when soAvn later. 



It is not generally considered advisable to manure 

 for tjie flax crop, on account of the weeds. It is 

 best- to sow on naturally rich soil. A bushel of 

 plaster per acre, sown broadcast with the seed, has 

 sometimes a .good effect^ especially on dry upland. 

 Peruvian guano has also been used with advantage. 



Harrowing Wheat in the Spring is frequently 

 very beneficial. It checks the growth of the weeds, 

 and breaks the crust on the surface of the soil, 

 admitting the air, with its ammonia and carbonic 

 acid, to the roots of the plants. There is no danger 

 of pulling up the wheat to an injurious extent. 



