School: Curratavy

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1. The Potato Crop

   

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   23th March '38
   The Potato Crop

   The potato crop is sown in different ways. Here in Glan the ground is dug in February so as to kill all the weeds by February's cold frost. It is generally ground that corn is sown in the year before that potatoes is sown in the following year. After this it is levelled. Then the seeds is stuck with a sufín. Manure is put on them and they are shovelled and made into ridges. Long ago the ground would be dug in December. Gravel would be put on for manure. It was generally level ground they would cope. When the potatoes would be going to be sown the sods would be turned by women and children. More manure would be put on top of the gravel. The seeds would be dropped on this. The sods would be turned on all and moulded.

   All this would be done by lais. These instruments were made by blacksmiths. Spades came out and the lais were wiped out. These spades are bought in local shops. In summer they are sprayed twice or three times for fear of the blight. This work is performed by spraying machines. In olden times this work was perfomed by a bunch of heather tied together. This was called a "besom". In October they are dug. All the different potatoes are put by themselves in a heap. The small potatoes are called "porimis". The different kinds of potatoes are "epicures" "kerr pinks" "victories" "arran banners" "flounders" and skerries. Boxty and potato cake is made out of them

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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

   Seosainn Ní Giolla Padraig

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Thomas Fitzpatrick

   Gender

   Male