School: Droichead na Ceathramhna

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1. The Potato Crop (continued)

   

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   One "slit" is put into each of these holes, and then they are closed by the children, or by some member of the family, with a mallet or graip.
   While the crop is in the ground during the summer, great care has to be taken of it from taking diseases but particularly from the blight. The local people keep away this by spraying the stalks with bluestone and washing soda mixed in water. This spraying is done by means of a spraying machine.
   In the Autumn the people have to dig the potatoes out of the ridges. When they are dug out, the children in most cases pick them up. They first go along the ridges, and pick up the big potatoes into an old bucket or can. These are then thrown in a place for themselves, called a heap. The small ones are then picked up in the same way. Some people bring in as much potatoes as they will need during the winter months. Other people only bring in a small amount as they want them.
   The part of the potatoes left over after the "slits" have been cut out of them, are

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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

   John James Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Bridgecartron or Derrycashel, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Michael Noone

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   70

   Address

   Derrynadooey, Co. Roscommon