tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987697048218684478.post538633276040233547..comments2023-09-05T02:29:27.235-06:00Comments on Britishspeak: The Great HungerRelax Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987697048218684478.post-72041624557062997002010-08-27T12:07:13.441-06:002010-08-27T12:07:13.441-06:00It's worth clarifying that "indian corn&q...It's worth clarifying that "indian corn", or maize, was not a food grown in Ireland, or even known in Ireland.<br />Whilst farms did grow wheat and barley and oats, these were crops planted by the landowners for export purposes, and the Irish peasants seemed to have no interest in planting grain for their subsistence when potatoes were easy to grow, cheap, and nourishing, and generally grew well in irish soil. However, on several previous occasions, the crop had failed and the irish suffered as a result of their monoculture. Up to the great potato famine, however, crop failures had been regional, and supplies could be brought in from other areas. <br />The potato blight, like the indian corn, came from north america. <br />When maize was distributed in ireland, it was almost useless, as a country used to growing potatoes had few mills that could grind the hard grains, and when boiled up, the maize meal was less nutricious than potatoes.<br /><br />Any research of the causes of the potato famine would be wise to include reading of the works of Charles "Turnip" Townsend, Thomas Coke of Holkham, Jethro Tull, and<br />Robert Bakewell, Perhaps if Ireland had taken notice of these men, who between them created the agrarian revolution, there would have been no potato famine.<br /><br />Whilst the aftermath of the potato blight was badly handled, its cause was simple. Monoculture. Reliance on one crop, grown year after year in the same soil. Little if any variation in the potato cultivars, planting of diseased potatoes as the seed crop for the following year. <br /><br />And no back-up plan whatsoever.<br />In short, ignorance.<br /><br />Easy, with hindsight to say that, but the warnings were there and were not acted upon.soubriquethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01151288534629885195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5987697048218684478.post-25132834215774546292010-08-27T01:55:36.859-06:002010-08-27T01:55:36.859-06:00I must see if I can get hold of a copy of the book...I must see if I can get hold of a copy of the book you mention. I can remember my father reading "The Great Hunger" by Cecil Woodham-Smith but I no longer have it. I'd like to read that too.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04709794851766685322noreply@blogger.com