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Sharpe's Express, an old favourite at
Limerick market some years ago with a very dry white floury flesh, was deemed best by tasters.
An old variety bred in 1900 by Charles Sharpe of Sleaford in England, in 1940s it was a great favourite in cottage gardens.
It scored 141 points as against Red Duke of York, with 118 in second place.
Ballydoon, (1931) and Frank says that it's great to have this variety back in cultivation again.
One of my own favourites May Queen, was fourth with 100 points while another that used to be in popular demand up to about 30 years ago, famous Land Leaguer, was surprisingly down in seventh place with just 86 points.
Others that featured on tasters table were Epicure, Ulster Sceptre and Irish Peace.
Commenting on this year's crop, Frank said: "This season we had a dry spring followed by a wet summer.
This suited potatoes nicely although we had some scab due to our well-draining soil. Most of main crop succumbed to blight before we cut haulms and harvested spuds."
Still, he confides, that they got a good harvest of quality potatoes and they were holding well in store.
An interesting importee in Capparoe gardens is Tibet, a round tuber with a rough, crinkly pink skin.
The flesh is yellow, floury and of excellent flavour. This is a reasonable cropper if left in ground until frosts stop it.
It is a vigorous grower and needs plenty of space.
Frank, told me that it was brought home from Nepal, about 10 years ago by a traveller.
"We have plenty of Tibet, this year for all those who missed out last year due to insufficient stocks. Again it proved to be completely resistant to blight and is, he says, an all round good spud''.
The Lumper, famous for its failure during famine years of 1800s, is also on Capparoe list.
A waxy type, it is described now as quite vigorous and produces a heavy crop of oval, knobbly white tubers with deep eyes.
The taste is not great but has improved somewhat from famine years.
