THE SEEDS OF VICTORY INSURE THE FRUITS OF PEACE 13 
SWEET POTATOES 
Sweet potatoes are grown mostly in the 
Southern States or where there is warm, 
sandy soil, and are not especially recom- 
mended for the home garden. If space 
permits a few plants may be grown. 
If you wish to grow your own plants 
start a hotbed about six weeks before apple- 
blossom time. Place 5 or 6 inches of sand 
over the manure in the hotbed and lay 
down small, healthy sweet pota- 
toes, close together but not touch- 
ing. Cover them with one or two 
inches of sand; water occasionally 
to keep slightly moist. Sprouts 
will soon begin to grow and 
immediately send out roots into 
the sand. When these sprouts 
are four or more inches long they 
may be pulled from the potatoes 
and are rooted and ready to be 
planted. They need not be pulled, 
however, until time to plant them 
in the garden, when all danger of 
frost is past. They should be set 
14 inches apart in rows 36 to 60 
inches apart. If only a few plants 
are wanted they should be pur- 
chased from a seedsman, as the 
trouble involved in growing them 
in small quantities is too great to 
make it worth while. 
On land which is not thorougly 
drained the plants should be set 
on ridges and these should be 
made broad, as narrow ridges 
will dry out too rapidly. The 
ridges should be maintained during 
the entire growing season. 
Sweet potatoes should be dug 
when the soil is dry and the 
weather bright, before there is 
danger of hard frosts. A spading 
fork may be used in digging them. 
Guard against bruising or injuring 
them in digging and handling. 
Let the roots lie out to dry for two 
or three hours after digging. 
Asparagus 
Use strong plants two years old, 
which may be purchased from seedsmen. Set 
them 18 inches apart, in rows 3 feet apart. 
The rows should be 8 to 10 inches deep, with 
width of 6 to 8 inches at bottom. After 
spreading out roots cover crowns with 2 
inches of soil. With the growth of the 
shoots gradually fill in with earth until 
level with surface. ' Careful cultivation is 
required during the season. A small bed 
heavily manured will furnish plants for 
2 or 3 persons. 
Beans 
Beans form a staple crop which may be 
raised in almost every climate. They need a 
rich soil which holds moisture, but is well 
drained. Frequent shallow cultivation must 
be given and they must be kept growing with- 
out a check until harvested. Never cultivate 
while moisture is on vines. 
Beans are susceptible to cold and for sure 
results they should not be planted until 
danger of frost is past. So little trouble is in- 
volved in bean planting, however, that it is a 
good plan to take a chance on making the first 
planting as soon as the ground is reasonably 
warm. If the first planting should be killed 
by frost there is a good chance that the second 
will come up and that it will 
mature early. In this way a crop 
will be assured early enough 
to make it worth while to take the 
small risk involved in the possible 
loss of the early planting. 
Dry shell beans are planted and 
treated the same as string beans 
are planted and treated. The 
beans are allowed to mature in the 
pods. They should be thoroughly 
dried, shelled and stored as directed 
for storage of seed on page 32. 
String and lima beans are grown 
alike. There are two sorts of each 
— low bush vines and bean vines 
that climb poles. Pole beans are 
best for small gardens. 
Plant beans and bush limas 1 
inch deep, 4 to 6 inches apart in 
rows. 
Make successive plantings every 
ten days until hot weather. In 
late summer make successive 
plantings of string beans until 
eight weeks before the usual time 
of first frost. 
Plant pole beans and pole 
limas in hills 1 inch deep, 4 seeds 
to hill, hills 3 feet apart. Thin to 
2 plants to the hill. Before plant- 
ing fix firmly in each hill a pole 5 
to 6 feet long. If desired have 
two rows of hills and slant the 
poles so that each set of 4 may 
be tied together at the top like an 
Indian teepee. This prevents the 
poles from falling, but reduces the 
yield of the vines. 
Help the vines to start twining 
around the poles from right to left. 
Note: Plant lima beans with the “eyes” 
of the seed downward. 
Beets 
Sow seed rather thickly in row, using 1 oz. 
to 50 feet, but thin the young plants by 
pulling until the survivors are 4 inches apart. 
The pulled plants make fine greens for cook- 
ing or canning. 
Brussels Sprouts 
Grown like cabbage. 
Cabbage 
Set plants from indoor seed boxes or 
pots 15 inches apart in rows, the rows be- 
ing 30 inches apart. Between these rows 
Fig. 16 — Lima bean vine 
on pole. 
