School: Convent of Mercy, Kilmacthomas
- Location:
- Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford
- Teacher: Sr M. Aloysius
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0648, Page 133
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- We sowed about 2 1/2 acres of potatoes this year in well-manured ground. We had them sown the last week of February. At the beginning of January Father ploughed a stubble field in which he intended to sow the crop. My brothers spread the manure - farmyard and artificial manure on the field. Then Father made drills with the plough, and he settled the ends with a spade. Mother and my brother cut the potatoes - making sure to have an eye in each piece. Then they sowed them with their hands, and Father closed the drills with a plough. About a month ago they put up clay to them. I heard Father say he never saw such a good crop this time of the year, thank God for that.
About June or July especially if there is a thunder storm or a fog which brings the blight the potatoes have to be sprayed with blue stone and lime. The blight [ ] the leaves of the potatoes and stops the growth of the potatoes. The potatoes are dug with a potato digger or with a spade. Then they are picked, and brought into some outhouse, and the small potatoes and the bad ones are separated from the good ones. The good potatoes are put into pits and covered with wheaten straw and clay to keep the rain and the rats from destroying them.
- Collector
- Josephine Dunphy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Garranmillon Lower, Co. Waterford
