32 SWEET POTATO CTJLTUEE. 



these latitudes the plants should "be ready to set at any 

 time from the middle of May to the first of June, the 

 earlier the better, if the soil is in proper condition as to 

 warmth and moisture. The plants are generally set 

 eighteen inches apart, or less ; this is most conveniently 

 done with a small, light hoe in the shape of a grubbing 

 hoe ; blade six inches in length by about three in width, 

 and handle one foot long. This hoe is in shape similai 

 to a carpenter's foot-adze, and with it the holes or places 

 for the plants are made with great facility. They also 

 have a new planting machine, now coming into use, which 

 we are not prepared to describe. 



In planting, the dry tops of the ridges are removed 

 with a light scraper, drawn by a horse or man, wide 

 enough to do two rows at once, but only as fast as needed 

 by the workmen. Some attach a rolling marker, which 

 facilitates the work very much. With this the ridges 

 should be cut off or levelled to the width of 

 eight or ten inches. This also destroys the first 

 incipient crop of weeds, which is very important, 

 and leaves the moist earth in good condition for setting 

 the plants. In this way the work is well done and 

 with great rapidity. 



Instead of ridges, it is the practice of some farmers 

 further South, if the soil is sandy or light, after the 

 land is well prepared, to lay off: the rows about three or 

 three and a half feet apart each way, with a single-horse 

 turn-plow ; then throw up a furrow each side of these 

 rows each way, as in hilling for tobacco ; it is then light 

 work to form good-sized hills with the weeding-hoe. If 

 the soil is not rich or suitable, they run a furrow each 

 way, as aboye, and at the intersection of the rows a good 

 shoyelful of suitable manure is put in the places. The 

 manure used may be fine wood-earth, mixed with ashes ; 

 or, if this cannot be had, any rich soil, well-mixed with 

 fine stable manure, will answer. The manure being in 



