School: Tobar Pádraig (roll number 4764)

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1. The Potato Crop (continued)

   

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   The potatoes are raised in Autumn. In this parish a plough is used in raising them. All the neighbours gather in and help the man who is them. One man follows the plough, and all the others come after him with their baskets and pick them. Then a pit is made and all the potatoes are put into it. Then some clay is put around them, and then some hay is put over the clay. That is how potatoes are raised and stored in this parish.

   When people have a lot of potatoes they weigh them, take them to the market, and sell them. The people always keep enough of potatoes as seed to sow next year. The harvest of 1938 was very wet and it was impossible to dig out the potatoes in time. Heavy frost set in November and many farmers lost their potatoes. I know one case where a man lost three acres of mangolds and two acres of potatoes. When potatoes are pitted in this parish, an opening in left in the side of the pit. Straw is put into this opening to let in air and keep the potatoes dry.

   The common long garden spade is used. Some work men in this locality are left handed and left legged. They have a special spade made with the treadle on the left side. It is a very ugly instrument but they can work nearly as fast as other men.

   

   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

   Stephen Murray

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Patrickswell, Co. Limerick