School: Oldcastle (C.) (roll number 12489)
- Location:
- Oldcastle, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Máire D. Ní Nualláin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0716, Page 121
Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD.
See copyright details.
DownloadOpen data
Available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
- XML School: Oldcastle (C.)
- XML Page 121
- XML “The Potato Crop”
Note: We will soon deprecate our XML Application Programming Interface and a new, comprehensive JSON API will be made available. Keep an eye on our website for further details.
On this page
- (continued from previous page)When the potatoes have grown an inch or two above the ground, they get a first moulding - that is - fresh soil is lifted from the furrows and the tiny plants are completely covered to prevent their being burned by the frosts of May.
Later on when the potato stalks are about five or six inches high they get a second moulding. This is done to support the stalks as they grow.
When the stalks begin to show blossoms they are sprayed to prevent the "blight". The most usual spraying mixture used here is one made of Washing Soda and Bluestone dissolved in Water.
If a small portion is to be sprayed it is done by a sprayer carried by a man on his back. This little machine is called a "Budget". To do a large amount a Horse spraying machine is got. This work must be carried out on a dry day - so that the mixture gets a chance of drying - on the stalks. It is the under part of the leaves that need the spraying most as it is on that side of the leaf the little parasite thrives.(continues on next page)
