144 Sonfhern Gardener^s Practical Manual 



Mr, Ben Lockett, of Georgia, who worked a large force 

 of convicts, planted annually thirty acres in sweet 

 potatoes to feed the convicts. He told me that his 

 practice was to plant one acre of rich soil early to grow 

 vines. From this acre, he planted twenty -nine acres 

 with vine cuttings. To grow sets enough to plant thirty 

 acres would require 300 bushels of seed potatoes, if ten 

 are required for one acre, while by his method only ten 

 were necessary. It is claimed by successful, experienced 

 potato-growers that the best seed is grown by planting 

 vine cuttings in June or July. The small, smooth roots 

 from the vines make choice seed. Some of the very 

 successful growers use only large seed potatoes. Results 

 of experiments in which large and small seed were 

 compared have been conflicting. It being necessary to 

 cut the very large potatoes in half, placing the cut side 

 down, the risk of rot is increased. The large ones are 

 more valuable for the table or for market than the small 

 ones, and a larger number of plants will be produced 

 from a bed of small than of large potatoes. 



As soon as the plants are set, the soil should be 

 stirred around them with rake or hoe, and shallow culti- 

 vation with scrape or cultivator should be continued 

 until the vines cover the ground. At the last plowing, 

 turn the vines into alternate rows while those from 

 which they are moved are being plowed. As this will be 

 the last plowing, use the Terrell heel -scrape, thirty -six 

 inches wide with shovel, both on top of the foot. With 

 this, one furrow to each row will move sufficient soil to 

 the rows of plants. Turn back the vines, and plow the 

 alternate rows in the same way. Take care not to cover 



