School: Bellanagare (roll number 2968)
- Location:
- Bellanagare, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Seán Mac Dochair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0244, Page 126
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- The potato is the principal food and crop of the people in my district and it therfore takes the largest part of the crop every year. One and a half acres is generally reserved for the planting of the potatoes. The land is first ploughed with a plough to prepare it for the potatoes. But some of the smaller farmers turn it with a [?] or spade which were long ago being made in the district. Ridges were then made and the soil is ready for the potatoes. The potatoes are split before being planted, and covered with lime. The splits are planted by making a hole in a ridge with a spade and dropping the potato into it. The holes are closed with a mallet and manure is scattered on the ridges to enable the potatoes to grow. Mould is then put up on the ridges from the furrows and each side to cover the manure. After a few weeks mould is put up a second time. After a couple of months the little stalks appear above ground and they are two feet high they are sprayed to prevent a disease called blight. Spray is a mixture of blue-stone washing soda and water. In the month of August they are dug with a spade and in the evening they are picked with the children.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mary Geraghty
- Gender
- Female
- Informant
- Michael Geraghty
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 65
- Address
- Bellanagare, Co. Roscommon
