THE SWEET POTATO IN HAWAII. 
cut vines which are planted in beds without irrigation make quicker 
growth than do partly shriveled cuttings which are several days old. 
Slips that are not to be planted immediately should be covered with 
burlap bags saturated with water. 
PREPARATION OF THE LAND. 
The sweet-potato crop, like most other vegetable crops, gives best 
results when it is planted on well-prepared land, especially on land 
that has been planted with some leguminous crop the year preceding. 
The area should first be thoroughly cleared of all coarse material and 
then plowed fairly deep, the sod and debris being turned under. 
The depth of plowing is an important factor in the preparation of 
land and exerts considerable influence upon the character of the roots. 
The depth used for corn will do for sweet potatoes. The fertilizer, 
if any is to be applied, should then be spread broadcast, and the field 
harrowed three or four times to make the soil sufficiently mellow. 
Later a plank drag may be used to smooth the surface. 
A spading fork is recommended for use in small areas. This im- 
plement is very efficient for soils that are not compact and hard, as 
the prongs strike well into the ground. Small areas which are 
covered with low-growing weeds and other vegetation may be turned 
under with it. Fertilizers should then be applied and a rake used to 
level the area and to mix the fertilizer with the soil. Planting, either 
by the level or ridge method, may begin a week later, when the 
soil has had ample time to settle. 
PLANTING. 
Three methods of planting are practiced in Hawaii, namely, (1) 
ridge planting, (2) flat planting, and (3) individual mound or hill 
planting. 
Ridge planting. — This method is commonly practiced by the 
sweet-potato growers of the islands, and is of advantage in that it 
provides drainage, insures aeration, and puts the soil in good physi- 
cal condition for the best development of the roots. The ridges are 
constructed of loose earth and vegetable matter and stand from 12 
to 16 inches high. They are spaced about 3 or 4 feet apart and are 
planted with 1 or 2 cuttings set 1J and 2 feet apart in the row. (PL 
II, %. 2.) 
Soils which are located near the seashore should not be ridged, be- 
cause ridging tends to increase the surface area and to hasten evapora- 
tion of soil moisture. 
Flat planting. — This method of planting is also extensively prac- 
ticed, but more especially on very sandy loam or sandy soil. In 
flat planting the surface of the soil is made flat or level before planting 
is done. 
Mound or Mil planting. — The method of setting plants in hills or 
elevations of earth (PI. Ill, fig. 1) has been handed down from 
primitive times and has an advantage over the other two methods, 
so far as the native Hawaiians are concerned, in that it permits 
of the mound's being broken down and the roots exposed at once with- 
out great effort. The natives make it a rule to harvest only enough 
roots to cover the needs of the day. The mounds are from 9 to 12 
inches high and are spaced about 24 inches apart each way. 
