294 



SWEET POTATOES 



Preparation of the Hot-bed. The hot-bed should be prepared 

 from four to six weeks before the sets are wanted. The commonest 

 method is to prepare a shallow excavation of the proper size. In the 

 bottom of this six to eight inches of fresh barnyard manure is well 

 tamped in. This is covered then with about three or four inches 



of loose, sandy soil. It is best 

 not to plant until the hot-bed 

 has had time to reach its 

 maximum heat and cool 

 down again to a temperature 

 of 90. This will usually 

 take about four days. The 

 seed potatoes are then 

 placed in the hot-bed, either 

 by laying them on their 

 sides, as closely as they can 

 be placed, or else by pushing 

 them into the soil in an up- 

 right position. The bed 

 should then be covered with 

 sandy soil, so that the po- 

 tatoes are about two inches 

 below the surface. The hot- 

 bed should be kept well 

 watered, but not saturated, 

 as there is some danger of 

 the seed rotting; however, 

 it is very important that the 

 bed never be permitted to 

 get dry, as it will greatly re- 



Fia.llS.-Sweet potato plant ready to set in field. duce the Dumber of plants 



(Fig. 118). 



Number of Plants. In estimating the size of the hot-bed, from 

 forty to fifty square feet should be allowed for each barrel of seed. 

 A barrel of seed should produce 5000 plants on the first pulling, and 

 a total of 8000 or 9000 when the second and third pulling are com- 

 pleted. As it takes about 10,000 plants for an acre, the grower 



