School: Dúndroma (roll number 13818)

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1. Our Potato Crop (continued)

   

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   manure is put along the furrows, and then spread evenly along. The seed is then laid. The potato is cut into the size which is wanted, with an eye or two in each. The small potatoes are generally used for seed. Kerr's Pinks suit over ground best.
   Already we are gathering the seed potatoes out of the pits.
   We place the seed potatoes about ten inches or one foot apart, and then the drills are closed with the plough.
   Then they are left until they are over ground; when they all over ground they are "earthed" with the plough. If any weeds appear we use the hoe.
   In the summer my father gets a man with a sprayer. We get bluestone and washing soda which is first melted in boiling, water, and then mixed and put into the spraying machine with so many gallons of water. The horse goes through the drills and the spray comes out through the pipes. We spray two or three times if necessary.
   The stalks wither in early September and we either dig them out with a spade or the potato digger. If the digger is used two horses are needed and nine men to pick them. But this gets the work done very quickly. The potatoes are put into pits in the field. In a week or two later we open the pits, and pick out the small ones and big ones. The good ones are drawn home and put in a big pit in the haggard. The small ones are given to the pigs.

   

   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

   Susie Johnston

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Tooreen, Co. Tipperary

   Informant

   John Johnston

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Tooreen, Co. Tipperary