School: Castlecary
- Location:
- Ballyrattan, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mary S.J. Donaghy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1117, Page 63
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- XML “The Potato Crop”
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- Potatoes are grown plentifully on my father's farm. The half of the land is generally put in potatoes every year. First the land is ploughed with an iron plough drawn by two horses. Then it is harrowed and grubbed and the drills opened and the manure put into the bottom of the drills. The potatoes are put into the manure, then the drill is split by a drill plough and the manure, and potatoe seed are covered. The ground is always made ready for the potatoes by a plough, not a spade.
When the potatoes grow up through the drill in buds these buds develope to leaves like a green top. They are then hoed and grubbed and moulded in about a month they are ready for spraying. In another month the potatoes are ready for digging.
Then they are put into pits and thatched and clayed to keep them safe for winter use.
The names of some of the potatoes are Herr's Pink, Arran Banner, Ruby Queens, London Blues, and Arran Victors, and Champions, and Suttons. Potatoes are the main feeding for man and beast.
- Collector
- Arthur Peoples
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Castlecary, Co. Donegal
