Crops
Potatoes, Cabbage, some oats, a little turnips and scarcely any mangolds.
Moisture and lack of Lime in the soil, severity of Spring and late harvests account much for lack of crops.
Potatoes are sown entirely in Ridges. These are nearly now all made with the plough
The manure is first spread and a “scrape” turned in at each side. In the centre of the furrow a little portion is left standing, this is called the salóg. The seed is put under the scrape and the salóg is then put in with the spade and the ridge closed. The furrow is then dug up on top of the ridge. The land tilled for the first time in this way is called Bán Riabhach, if it is the second time it is called “second sod”. The spade used is very long and is called a Bán Riabhach spade the “step’ being called a “tilly”.
The custom of “digging bán” with a spade is dying out. It used be done by contract as there were some men who excelled in it. The contract price was £1 per quarter acre (Irish)
They generally worked in pairs and it was