This is the link to the previous draft of the old book document.
Title: What and Why?
By: Shamus Murphy
[ The potato is dying and no one knows when this terrible famine will end. Since September of three year ago (September of 1845) a strange disease has gripped the potato crop of the entirety of Ireland. Almost all of the potatoes have gone black and rotten and their leaves have withered. Scientists have figured out what the disease is and have come up with a name for it Phytophthora infestans. The people just call it Blight. As you may be aware, the potato is the staple crop of Ireland. The potato allows for the support of large families, accounts for most of the jobs, and is a major export. Many farmers have lost all their money, their homes, and their jobs. People all over the country are starving to death. Since the outbreak of Blight, crime rates have shot up. With out the potato Ireland itself could die.
Why is Ireland still in this mess? For starters, the farmers originally believed that the Blight, like most other potato diseases, would be a one-off and the suffering would be over. That was not the case. John Lindley and Lyon Playfair have been put in charge of figuring out how to solve the problem. Most farmers have discovered so far that one of the main causes for Blight is damp areas. So far the scientists have determined that the diseases has something to do with wet roots. Scientists are getting closer to the solution, but for now the near future is still not very promising.
People have very different ways of dealing with this crisis. Most people, if they could afford it, have fled Ireland to countries like America, Canada, and England. However, the trip is long and dangerous. For those who can't afford to leave, the situation is dire. Some have resorted to stealing, others to killing. For those who are truly desperate, Protestants have set up soup kitchen where if the Irish revoke their Catholic Faith they can eat...]
No comments:
Post a Comment