194 



GARDENING FOK THE SOUTH. 



alleys of the same width hetween them ; slope the beds a 

 little towards the" sun, dig them well and add plenty of 

 well-decomposed manure, if not already rich. Do this the 

 last of February or early in March. Choose large, smooth, 

 and healthy-looking potatoes, and lay them regularly over 

 the bed an inch or two apart, and cover them about three 

 or four inches Avith soil from the alleys ; rake the beds 

 smooth and it is done. In large operations, ten bushels 

 of potatoes should be bedded for every acre of ground. 



AVhile the slips are sprouting, prepare your ground to 

 receive them. It should be rich, or made so with well- 

 rotted manure, and thoroughly and deeply broken up with 

 the plough or spade. Lay it off just before the slips are 

 ready, which will begin to be about the 15th of April, in 

 low horizontal ridges or beds, the crowns of which are 

 three and a half feet asunder, and about six inches high, 

 on which plant out the slips with a dibble, eighteen inches 

 apart, one plant in a place. Choose for this operation 

 such a day as you would for cabbage plants, or da it in 

 the evening. The sweet potato is readily transplanted, 

 and if holes are dug in the mellow bed, deep enough to 

 admit the plant, and the slips set upright therein, have the 

 earth washed in about their roots by pouring water upon 

 them from the open spout of a waterpot, finishing the 

 operation by covering over with a coat of dry mellow 

 earth, brought up and pressed pretty closely about the 

 slips to keep the moistened earth from baking. Very few 

 will die even if they are set out at mid-day ; but as the 

 plants would be checked, a cloudy day, or just at night 

 should be selected for the operation. This is an excellent 

 mode of transplanting all plants, and is of great use both 

 in the vegetable and flower garden. If the slips are not 

 washed in as above when taken up in dry weather, it is of 

 great advantage to grout them, as well as all other plants 



