Edible Products. 



It 



[January, 1909. 



potato-growing area the crop will occupy 

 the land the entire growing seasons, 

 and a three or four year rotation should 

 be practised. Where the climate will 

 permit, a crop of early snap beans, peas, 

 or cabbage may precede the sweet pota- 

 toes, but in many case the land should 

 not be planted to sweet potatoes oftener 

 than once every three years. A good 

 rotation is to devote the laud to com 

 one year, sowing crimson clover in the 

 alleys between the rows at the time 

 the corn is given the last cultivation. 

 During the following spring the crimson 

 clover should be turned under and 

 sweet potatoes plauted ; then in the 

 autumn, after the potatoes are harvested, 

 the land may be plowed, fitted, and 

 sown to rye or winter oats with plenty 

 of grass seed. In this way, crop of grain 

 may be obtained during the time that 

 the grass is becoming established. Allow 

 the land to remain in grass one or two 

 years and then repeat the rotation. 

 Where corn is followed by sweet potatoes 

 in the rotation, stable manure should 

 be applied while fitting the land for 

 the corn, and commercial fertlizers 

 should be applied with thp sweet potato 

 .?rop. 



As previously mentioned, the depth 

 of plowing has considerable influence 

 upon the character of the product. 

 The usual depth of plowing in preparing 

 land for corn will prove satisfactory for 

 sweet potatoes. The tact that sweet 

 potatoes are not planted in the field until 

 quite late in the spring makes it possible 

 for the grower to select a time when con- 

 ditions are favourable for the prepara- 

 tion of the land. Plowing may be defer- 

 red until the soil has become sufficiently 

 dry to break up fine and mellow. It is 

 important that the land should be har- 

 rowed within a few hours after plowing ; 

 further fitting may be deferred until 

 later, and if the soil is inclined to be 

 lumpy the work of pulverizing may best 

 be done shortly after a shower and while 

 the lumps are mellow. When the pri- 

 mary work of preparation is finished, 

 the soil should be mellow to a depth of 



6 or 7 inches and the surface smooth and 

 even. Subsequent handling of the soil 

 preparatory to planting will depend 

 upon whether ridge or level culture is to 

 be followed. 



Application op Fertilizers. 



7 For the general good of the land com- 

 mercial fertilizers should be applied 

 broadcast, but the majority of farmers 

 feel that they cannot afford to do this 

 and that the quantity that they are 

 able to apply »will give greater returns 

 when placed in the row. This is a matter 

 for the decision of each grower and will 



depend greatly upon the capacity of the 

 soil under consideration for retaining 

 fertilizers from year to year. 



Preparation for Planting. 



After plowing and fitting the land it 

 is generally allowed to lie several days 

 before being put up in shape forplanting. 

 If level culture is to be practised, 

 the only thing necessary will be to 

 run the harrow over the soil once 

 and then mark in both directions at 

 the desired distances for planting. 

 The marking is generally done with 

 either a one-horse plow, a flat-soled 

 marker, or a disk marker. The disk 

 marker is well adapted to this work, 

 as it throws up a slight ridge which fur- 

 nishes fresh earth in which to plant. 

 Some growers who practise level culture 

 mark the ground with a small one-horse 

 plow and throw up a slight ridge upon 

 which to plant ; behind the plow a roller 

 is used to compress this ridge to a low, 

 flat elevation. 



Where the more universal ridge method 

 of planting is employed the soil is thrown 

 up by means of a turning plow or a disk 

 machine. The ridges should be made at 

 least one week or before planting, in 

 order that the soil may become settled 

 and compact. The majority of sweet- 

 potato growers make the ridges when- 

 ever the land is in good condition to 

 work and then either roll or drag the 

 tops just ahead of the planters. By 

 using a roller the ridges at one operation 

 can be rolled and marked the proper 

 distances for planting. A drag suitable 

 for smoothing the tops of the ridges can 

 be easily constructed by cleating together 

 three pieces of 2 by 1 inch scantling. 



Setting the Plants. 



The success of the crop depends largely 

 upon the way in which the plants start 

 after being removed from the bed and 

 set in the field or garden. Practical 

 growers always plan to set the plants 

 during a "season" or period when the 

 conditions are suitable to a quick start 

 into growth, either just before a rain or 

 as soon afterward as the soil can be 

 worked. The method of setting will de- 

 pend entirely upon local conditions and 

 the acreage to be grown, the essential 

 features, however, being to get the roots 

 in contact with moist earth and the soil 

 firmly pressed about the plants. 



The use of water around the roots of 

 the plants is desirable under most cir- 

 cumstances, as it not only moistens the 

 soil but assists in settling it about the 

 roots. A large quantity of water is not 

 necessary, one-half pint to each plant 

 being generally considered sufficient. 



