File:Outhouse, Errigle - geograph.org.uk - 1055054.jpg

English: Outhouse, Errigle. The smooth plastered part of the wall reminds me where the water tank used to be, on a light-hearted note, as a child I would make little boats out of any material I could find and sail them along the surface. The water was pumped from the lower meadow and stored here. More seriously though, I recollect this is where my late uncle Dennis would bring the sprayer, which was like a timber barrel, with a large crank handle, fixed to the three point linkage on the back of the wee fergie and he would make up a mixture of bluestone and washing soda. He got me to drive the tractor which I loved doing and we went to the fields of potatoes to spray them before the blight destroyed them. Dennis had to keep pumping by hand to force the spray to come out, and there were six sets of double nozzles, three in line top and bottom and they frequently clogged up. For smaller jobs there was a small knap-sack sprayer 1058869, which you also had to pump by hand. Above the smooth plastered area, there is the outline of a blocked window, which was part of the former dwelling. Note: A fungicide for blight was not discovered until 1882, when it was found that spraying potatoes with a solution of "bluestone" (copper sulphate) prevented the disease from taking hold. I have often wondered why washing soda was added to the bluestone, it was thought that it helped to make the bluestone stick to the plants but real the reason was that bluestone on it's own would burn the potatoes and had to be neutralised, a test needed to be done with blue litmus paper and if it even turned a little red, more of the latter was added. There was a second test recommended after the washing soda was added and that was to get it to turn blue. I don't think this test was done but little book of litmus paper could have been obtained from the chemist for 2d (two old pence) It should be stressed that there is no cure for blight if has already taken hold, and the application of the spray is done when the crops are about 6" high and then about 3 - 4 weeks later.