School: St Patrick's, Ballyfarnon (roll number 13978)
- Location:
- Ballyfarnon, Co. Roscommon
- Teachers: Mark Hanly Thos. Feeny
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0231, Page 198
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- Every year we have about a half acre of land under potatoes. Sometimes they grow well and sometimes they are blighted. When they are blighted the seed is scarce for the next year and so the amount varies.
In Spring the ground is prepared for the potatoes. My brother puts manure out on the land and spreads it in lines. Then the land is ploughed or dug. Sometimes it is ploughed and sometimes it is dug with a spade. Iron ploughs are used.
Ridges are made, and the potatoes are sown with a tool called a 'Steevin' The ridges are about two feet wide.
After a while the stalks appear. The ridges are covered with mould from the furrows to protect the stalks from the frost.
When the stalks are tall they are sprayed with dissolved blue stone and washing soda. This protects them from the blight, a disease which withers the stalks. If any(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Annie Mc Manus
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Tullytawen, Co. Roscommon
