School: Athlone (Mixed) (roll number 16092)
- Location:
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: T. Hunter
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0748, Page 101
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- XML School: Athlone (Mixed)
- XML Page 101
- XML “The Potato Crop”
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- Potatoes are grown on nearly every farm in Athlone as there is good land for growing them.
There is almost one acre tilled and the same amount each year.
The farmer or farm hands generally prepares the ground for sowing. The land is manured after it has been ploughed. The potatoes are usually sown in drills. the drills were made with the plough. Manure is put in the furrows. The potatoes are put in the drills about a foot apart then the plough is used to cover them again.
The wooden plough is used only in light land. There is one around here in Mackens of Golden Island. The spades are brought in hardware shops.
The people help each other then, one man goes to help another and he is helped in return.
During the summer months the potatoes are moulded, weeded and sprayed. In Autumn the small farmers dig their potatoes with a spade, others use the plough. The plough(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mr F. Dobbs
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Paddy Burns
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Bunnavally, Co. Westmeath
