School: Inch, Borris

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1. The Potato Crop (continued)

   

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   district long ago.

   There are no spades made locally but they are bought in a shop. Long ago wooden spades were made locally. Sometimes people manure the land before they saw the potatoes. When the land is ploughed and harrowed the men put manure on land.

   Before the potatoes are sown the women cut them in halves and great care is taken that there is an eye in each potatoe. When they are cut they are brought out to the field where they are to be sown. When the potatoes are spread in the drills the men closed the drills and then they are sown.

   When the potatoes are coming up the men raise the bones on them. About the month of June the potatoes are clayed. In the Autumn the potatoes are dug. Long ago the potaotes were dug with a spade. Nowadays they are dug with digger.

   Most people store them in pits for about two months, then they are brought in and stored on lofts. The way they make the pits are, first they dig a hole in the ground about a foot in depth and about two feet wide. When the potatoes into it they are covered with ferns and clay.

   There are various names given to the potatoes. The names are Precidents, Shamrocks, Kerr's Pinks, Irish Queens, Arron Banners, Champions, Up to Dates and Epicures. Kerr's Pinks grow the best in

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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

   Brigid Foley

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Gowlin, Co. Carlow

   Informant

   Owen Foley

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Gowlin, Co. Carlow