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Cottage Gardens Springfield Decm 7/54
M J. A. Kinnecot
Dear Sir acording to your request I will endevour to give you a detail of my mode of cultivating the sweet potatoe I preserve the potatoes through winter by packing them in dried sand in a box which is placed in the Celler or greenhouse where they Canot freeze they allso require ventilation about the first of March I make a bed of fresh stable manure about two feet high 5 feet wide and what lenght I deem nessery if the bead is propperly maid it soon ferments when the [sturn?] heate has subsided I cover the bed with light [Loel?] about 3 inches deep on which I lay the potatoes thickly over the surface I then cover them over with light sandy soil. The bed is then covered with straw of cold nights untill they have spouted I then prepare the ground by plowing four deep furrow togeather its then crossed in the same way which form hills that are then hoed up round, but flat on top when they potatoes have will sprounted I take them up and with a sharp knife I cut of the shoots laving a portion of the potatoe attached to each one
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I then plant 2 plants in each hill and [hoe?] them through the summer twice or three times I allso turn over the vines for if they are allowed to lay on the ground they will through out laterals which Deprive the roots of the nourishment they would Dirive from the vine
I hope you will correct this
Yours Respectfuly M Doyle
