School: Balleighan (roll number 5363)
- Location:
- Balleeghan, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: M. Philips
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1104, Page 305
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- XML School: Balleighan
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- XML “The Potato Crop”
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- The Potato CropPotatoes are extensively grown in the Lagan district. Most farmers plant about from two to eight acres. The peasants plant about half an acre.
The potatoes are sown in drills and not in ridges.
At first in spring the ground is ploughed and harrowed. Then the farmer opens the drills and scatters manure in them. He then plants the potato. Some farmers nowadays scatter the manure on the land first and plough it then. This is usually done late in winter when he has not much other work on hands. This also speeds him in spring again.
The bigger potatoes are cut in two. Each half must have an "eye" in it.
When the potato begins to grow weeds also come. Then they are hoed to keep down the weeds. Later in summer they are sprayed with "Blue Stone" and ammonia. This makes the potato grow longer and hence it will be bigger and better.
In autumn the potatoes are dug by a potato digger which is drawn by two horses. Sometimes they are dug with a plough or with spades. Men who have no digger have got to do this which(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Betty Phillips
- Gender
- Female
