School: Baile na Martra (B.) (roll number 13647)
- Location:
- Baile na Martra, Co. Chorcaí
- Teacher: Seán de Barra
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0396, Page 098
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- XML School: Baile na Martra (B.)
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- XML “The Potato Crop”
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Potatoes are grown in large quantities in this district. Each farmer grows about one acre. Sometimes the ground is manured before being ploughed, but it is sometimes put out on the drills. Small farmers sow the potatoes in ridges and the larger ones in drills. It is the plough that is now usually used but a few use the spade. The potatoes are cut up in parts called sgiolláns. Old women are often hired to set them. During the summer months the potatoes are hoed and risen to twice. They are also sprayed to prevent blight. They are dug out with a plough or digger. Men, women and children pick the potatoes. The potatoes are stored in pits. These pits are are trenches dug in the earth, the potatoes are put in them and covered with straw. Then the straw is covered with earth. In olden times the people used not buy any starch. They used scoup out all the inside of the potato raw and pour boiling water on them. That was how the starch was made. The following are the names of the potatoes grown here. Kerr's Pink, British Queens, Aran Banners, Aran Chiefs, Epicures Great & Champions; Arran Banners yield the heaviest crop. Kerrs pink also grow well.
