SWEET POTATOES. 219 



while in Louisiana the ridge culture gave the larger 

 yield. For an extensive crop the plants may be set in 

 checks ; -this requires fewer plants to an acre and a 

 smaller yield, but it does away with considerable hoe- 

 ing an expensive operation. 



The labor of transplanting is an important item of 

 expense, and if this could be reduced it would largely 

 increase the acreage. The machine used for trans- 

 planting tomatoes may be used for this crop, but 

 hand planting is still adhered to in all sections. 



Make the rows three and a half to four feet apart 

 and set the plants fifteen to eighteen inches in the 

 row. If the crop is to be checked make them three 

 and a half by three and a half feet, or for the smaller 

 kinds two and a half by two and a half feet. 



CULTIVATION. 



The soil should be stirred often enough to keep 

 it loose and free from weeds. If many and heavy 

 rains fall it will be necessary to cultivate oftener than 

 when only a moderate amount of rain falls All culti- 

 vation should be shallow and no vines covered. After 

 the vines begin to run it may be necessary to raise 

 them with a pronged hook, or an attachment to the 

 plow. 



Such a device may be made of three eighths inch 

 round iron about four feet long ; bend this iron in the 

 shape of a letter J and make a loop or eye at the end of 

 the long arm. It is attached to the plow by passing a 

 half inch bolt through the eye and through the beam 

 of the plow. The short arm of the bent iron is placed 

 down, and by varying the amount of curvature, and 

 having the point more or less sharp, it will run under 

 the vines and raise them out of the way of the plow. 

 A considerable amount of adjusting is necessary to 



