Monday, September 12, 2011

Montgomery and Richmond County Farmers Turning to Sweet Potatoes, 1949

Published in the August 1949 issue of The Southern Planter 

Sweet potatoes are becoming an important cash crop in the Sandhills. In some cases peach growers have been discouraged because so many of their trees have died from armalaria, root knot, nematode, and other causes. As a result, they are turning to sweet potatoes for commercial production.

In Richmond County, farmers in the vicinity of Hoffman have formed a sweet potato growers association under the leadership of D.M. Bryant, local vocational teacher. Bryant is growing certified seed this year for distribution to other growers in the community next year. One of the growers, Claude F. Smith of Hoffman, is building a storage house which will take care of the 2,750 bushels.

Montgomery County will add more than 100 acres of commercial sweets this year. Most of them are being grown in the vicinity of Candor. Growers include Mack Clark, who is growing 10 acres of certified seed; Pat Harmon, who has three acres of certified seed and six to eight acres for table stock; D.C. Ewing, four to five acres; Cajino Brothers, and Otis Poole. 

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