School: Davidstown (roll number 9682)

On this page

1. The Potato Crop

   

   Share Share Post

   Sown in small gardens in ridges, in large in drills. Not as frequently cut in "seed" now - small potatoes picked to save labour &c. Potatoes "greened" by exposure to sun supposed to make good seed.
   A frosty potato is neither good for man or beast.
   It isn't right to throw potatoes at anyone.
   The sowing, moulding, spraying, taking out with "digger" are all done in the orthodox way. Spades are bought in the shops. Sometimes a neighbouring farmer sends a couple of hands to help at the picking. Some potatoes are stored in houses and more in pits. The eating potatoes are generally stores in the house because they will be near hand and because they may be "sorted" on wet days. Pits are made out in the fields. They are ^ shaped, so that the rain may slide off. Straw is first put over the potatoes, then dry clay built over it. It is most important that dry covering should be used as "frost follows the wet". Frank Hamilton, Davidstown (60).
   Potatoes are called "Beauties", Kerrs Pinks, White Pebbles, Shamrocks, Flounders.
   For earlies:- British Queens, Epicures. For 2nd crop:- Kerrs Pink.
   Main Crop: Shamrocks, Arran Banners, Arran Victory.
   Old people say there was no potato like the "Champion". It had a thick skin, creamy flesh, and grew best in light sandy or chalky soil.
   Frans [?] eat holes in potatoes, frost kills them, they blacken. Many varieties never become "floury" but are wet and soapy.
   "The best of the potato is next the skin."

   

   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

   Informant

   Frank Hamilton

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   66

   Address

   Davidstown, Co. Wexford