234 FARM CROPS 



ought to be avoided. They run together and lessen 

 the yield. Well-rotted barnyard manure is help- 

 ful to any soil and will be splendidly accounted 

 for if added to the sweet potato patch. The best 

 time to apply is during the fall and winter 

 months. 



For fertilizing a complete manure is best, es- 

 pecially if the land is old and possessed of little 

 humus. A mixture consisting of 200 pounds of 

 nitrate of soda, 650 pounds of acid phosphate and 

 150 pounds of sulphate of potash makes a very 

 satisfactory fertilizer. Anywhere from 200 to 1,000 

 pounds of this mixture can be used to the acre. In 

 case the soil is already supplied with organic mat- 

 ter, nitrogen in the fertilizers applied may be 

 omitted. Potash is of most importance, and 

 especially desirable; phosphoric acid also, although 

 in a less degree. 



The Farmer's Little Patch. — The plants need not 

 be very large, but should be well rooted. As the 

 plants are pulled they should be put in bundles of 

 from 25 to 50 each, and in this shape they can be 

 placed in a vessel of water and kept several days 

 without injury. In preparing the soil for setting 

 the plants, the ideal way would be to use ground 

 that was plowed in the fall before and simply work 

 it up fine before planting. But in case this has not 

 been done the ground should be well pulverized, 

 then rolled or packed, and then laid off in ridges 

 3 feet apart from center to center. Ridges are best 

 made by running a small plow once on each side, 

 which gives a flatter ridge than if a larger plow 

 were used making one of loose dirt compact at the 

 bottom. 



The plants should be placed about 15 inches 



