3G6 



ROOT CROPS. 



Indies. They are raised on the bare surface of the rock in some 

 parts of the Hawaiian islands, and a sourish liquor is procured 

 from them. It ^Yas early cultivated on the Western Coast of 

 Africa, for the Portuguese Pilot (who set out on his voyages to 

 the colony at St. Thomas, in the Grulf of Gruinea) speaks of this 

 plant, and states that it is called "batata" by the aboriginals of 

 St. Domingo. They are abundant at Mocha and Muscat. Sweet 

 potatoes form a principal and important crop in the Bermudas. 



A valuable addition has lately been made to the votaries of the 

 sweet potato in Alabama, supposed to be from Peru. A letter 

 describing it says : — " It is altogether different and equally 

 superior to any variety of this root hitherto known. It is pro- 

 ductive, and attains a prodigious size, even upon the poorest sandy 

 land, and the roots remain witliout change from the time of taking 

 them out of the ground until the following May. The plant is 

 singularly easy of cultivation, gro^ving equally well from the slip 

 or vine, the top or vine of the full-grown plant being remarkably 

 small ; the inside is as white as snow. It is dry and mealy, and 

 the saccharine principle contained resembles in delicacy of flavor 

 fine virgin honey." 



There is in general a great error in cultivating this root, as most 

 people still plant in the old way, two or three sets in the hole, 

 which is a great deal too close. 



When a piece of land is to be planted in sweet potatoes, it 

 should be top-dressed v^dth some manure, to be dug or ploughed 

 under a week or two before it is to be planted. Drills should be 

 made two feet apart, and the potatoes placed in the drill about one 

 foot asunder. Prom eight to twelve to the pound are the best 

 size for planting. The " white upright " kind, when intended for 

 sets, should be taken up early in March, and kept about a month, 

 so as to be quite dry before planting. Abundant crops can rarely 

 be raised from the steiA of the " uprights ; " the old potato, hew- 

 ever, grows to a large size. I have planted a potato weighing 

 about an ounce, and dug it up in August, weighing over two 

 pounds. The drills can be made with a small plough to great ad- 

 vantage, when a person understands it. 



The best manure for the sweet potato is anything green, such 

 as fresh sea -weed, green oats, bushes, or anything of the kind, 

 put in in abundance. 



Care should be taken to get early and good strong slips. A 

 slip with about six joints is quite long enough ; three or four 

 joints to be put under ground, and the rest above. For slips, the 

 land must be prepared as already described for the potatoes ; this 

 should be done before the slips are ready to cut. 



The best way to plant slips is to drill, the same way as for 

 the potatoes, only a little closer ; then put the end of the slip in, 

 leaving about two joints out of ground, placing them one foot 

 apart. The drills can be made in dry weather, so as not to have 

 any delay Avhen it rains ; by this means a great many can be 

 planted in a day. 



