"
[14] Vol. I., p. 166.
[15] "The famine of 1741 was not regarded with any active interest in
England or in any foreign country, and the subject is scarcely alluded
to in the literature of the day. No measures were adopted, either by the
Executive or the Legislature, for the purpose of relieving the distress
caused by this famine."--_Irish Crisis_, by Sir C.E. Trevelyan, Bart.,
p. 13.
[16] Probably the origin of the potato pit, as we now have it, in
Ireland was the following advice given in _Pue's Occurrences_ of Nov.
29th, 1740:--
"Method of securing potatoes from the severest frost.
"Dig up your potatoes in the beginning of December, or sooner, and, in
proportion to your quantity of potatoes, dig a large hole about ten foot
deep in such place as your garden or near your house where the ground is
sandy or dry, and not subject to water; then put your potatoes into the
hole, with all their dirt about them, to within three feet of the
surface of the ground. If you have sand near you, throw some of it among
the potatoes and on top of them. When you have thus lodged your
potatoes, then fill up the rest of the hole with the earth first thrown
out, and, with some stuff, raise upon the hole a large heap of earth in
the form of a large haycock, which you may cover with some litter or
heath.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103