School: Derrynananta

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1. The Potato Crop (continued)

   

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   to help them do their work.

   The potatoes get great care from the stalks begin to appear over the soil. If weeds appear on the ridge they are pulled. Then the furrows are picked and the mould made very fine. Then it is shovelled up on the ridge around the stalks. After some time they are sprayed to prevent blight. This spray consists of "blue-stone and lime, and water. The blue-stone and lime are dissolved in a barrel of water, and applied to the stalks. Some people use spraying machines, others sprinkle it on with a heather "besom". This is repeated at least three times at intervals of about two weeks, and in this way the stalks are kept growing until September or October, when they are dug. The man that digs them picks them. He picks the small ones and heaps them for themselves. He puts a sufficient amount of large ones in on a loft for consumption, during the Winter. He stores the remainder in heaps. They are heaped on a dry bank. Then they are thatched with rushes and a very heavy covering of mould put over the rushes so as to protect them from frost and rain.

   There are various kinds of potatoes such as "Aran Victors", "Aran Banner", "Kerr Pinks", "Queens", "Champions" "Dates", Skerries", Blue eyes" and "Epicures".

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. potatoes (~2,701)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Peggy Mc Govern

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Moneensauran, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Patrick Mc Govern

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   40

   Address

   Moneensauran, Co. Cavan