June 15th, 1894 thru June 16th, 1894

I will not be transcribing each entry since most of Bert's diary is pretty clear. You can read the original more easily by clicking on the image above to view a larger version. I will be including this paragraph, or something similar in each entry so that new readers will know they can click the image to enlarge it for easier reading. Also, there will be some links to the right of the page with relevant information that may be of interest. If you follow Bert's diary regularly, you can skip this paragraph. My notes will include the basics of what Bert talks about each day, along with my own personal thoughts, research, information gleaned from past or future entries, etc. If you have information or suggestions that may help my research, please e-mail me.

Friday, June 15th, 1894 - Short entry - more dragging, marking, dropping and covering potatoes! Plus of course chores.  Since this is a short entry, this might be a good time to talk a bit more about growing potatoes.  I  talked some with Dad last night, and then did some internet research.  Basically, potatoes grow very shallow in the ground, and need to be grown in such a way as to prevent the formation of chlorophyll, which will result if the potatoes grow out of the soil.  Thus, the potatoes are hilled - a process of piling up soil over the newly planted pieces of potato, and evidently going back and re-hilling ( not sure of the proper term) as they grow.  Thus Bert's mention of "covering" the potato pieces  that will grow into plants.  A picture below of one horse drawn implement for hilling potatoes, and then a link to a video of hilling fairly young plants.

Above - an implement specifically for hilling potatoes - below - doing the same job with a horse drawn plow.

Below - link to a nice video of the process.

hilling up spuds from Chandler on Vimeo.

Saturday, June 16th, 1894 - More covering potatoes for his boss - Russell Dye, in the forenoon, and then Bert goes over to Sheldon Fishers for four hours of covering some of his potatoes, and then tilling and planting corn.  He then helped with chores, probably back at Russell Dye's place, and then went over to visit Herman Babcock, his brother, and parenthetically, my great grandfather!  Bert spends  the night at Herman's place.  Bert seems to like  to make the most of his day off on Sunday, thus the starting of his Sunday visiting on Saturday night!