Setting Potatoes

transcribed at

Setting Potatoes  [duchas:4600155]

at each sideof  the rows of manure leaving fifteen inches between every two "seed." Then the "heart seed" are dropped. "Heart seed" is a row of seed dropped in the middle of the row of manure. When all the"seed" are droped the copeing begins. A sod about a foot long and six inches wide is dug in the furrow. The sod is split into two haves and one half put on one side of the furrow and the other side of the furrow the other half of the sod is put. Then the rows of "seed" which are on the side next to the furrow are covered by copeing each furrow. When he is finished copeing he digs clay out of furrow and puts it on top of the "heart seed." He continues this until he has all the heart "seed" covered. Then the "seed" are set. About three weeks after when the stalks are coming up the are moulded. Clay which is dug out of the furrow when the seed are been set is broken with a spade into mould. A shovel is got and the mould is put on the stalks with it. The evening is the best time for moulding because the leaves of stalk are standing up.

Setting Potatoes  [duchas:4600156]

and gathered together. The stalks are [?] stregthen and to protect them. Then the stalks grow up and when they are a foot above the ground they are srayed with a solution of melted washing soda and blue stone. This is done to protect the blight from appearing in the crop. 

Thatching
Thatching is a very common work in this district. Every farmer "has the trade." There are but few slated or "iron" roofed (zinced roofed) houses in this district so the majority of the farmers must thatch. They thatch once every year usually in Autumn. They prefer this time to any other time as they are never very busy in Autumn and if they thatch then they will have their house nice, cosy, and dry during the cold wet weather of the Winter. They choose good long rushes for their important job. Sometimes, but seldom, do they thatch straw as it is much