|
|
|
|
|
|
Agriculture
The
communities in the Placentia area have never been strongly
agricultural, as there is shallow top soil in most areas, and an
abundance of rocks and bogs, The soil also has a high acid content
and a deficiency of lime and minerals salts. However, when the
fisheries failed in 1680 people had to rely on farming to tide them
over bad times, at that time only herbs and vegetables were grown and
there was but one cow. By 1687, forty-seven cattle were listed in
Placentia, according to the census at the time. People grew a great
deal of red and green cabbage (still very popular) and kelp and ash
were used as fertilizer. In 1833, Placentia reported 4,085 bushels of
potatoes were grown, 258 bushels of oats and 50 tons of hay. There
were 8 horses, 41 cows, 16 hogs, and 67 sheep and goats. Fish, of
course, were a staple and some rabbits were snared for the family
table.
Homes
Homes were studded with upright beams and
then caulked with mud. The outside surface was clapboard, the nails
used were usually the boat-nail type. In each home was a large
fireplace of native stone, mortared with limestone mortar. The
fireplace had benches extending along the sides into it for warm
sitting and for light. An S-shaped iron extended over the fire from
which pots were hung. Yeast rises were passed among neighbours and
bread was put into iron pots and set into the coals. A lid was put on
top with more coals piled on the lid. Kerosene was commonly used in
this area for lamps. Homemaking The old homemakers used wool which
they grew, washed, carded, and spun into garments such as
gloves, sweaters, socks, scarves, and hats. The wool was
usually bleached off-white. Sometimes the spinning and
knitting was done in family or neighbourhood groups called
"Knitting Pollies". Quilting Bees were also held. The quilts
made at that time were usually lined and not
filled.
Berries &
Vegetables
The
marshes produced many berries as is the case today. Examples include
cranberries - called marsh berries and bakeapples - a yellow berry
shaped like a blackberry. In the "Treasury of Newfoundland dishes",
it is suggested the name was derived from the French when they asked
"What is this berry called?" (Bais qu'apelle?). Other examples
include currants, strawberries, raspberries, partridge berries, and
dogberries. Some vegetables, such as corn, cucumber, watermelon, and
tomatoes, did not ripen properly because of the usually mild damp
summer. Yet many of the ladies enjoyed using green tomatoes for
cooking and relish. The most popular vegetables were potatoes (as is
the case today), mainly the "Newfoundland Blue" potato with beautiful
blue-lavender veinings throughout. Cabbage, turnips, carrots, beets,
and parsnips were grown for table use, as in the case in many areas
today.
Flowers
The most notable flower is the pitcher
plant. Queen Victoria had it engraved on the Newfoundland penny. In
1954 the Provincial Legislature made the Pitcher Plant the "Official
Flower of Newfoundland". This plant grows throughout the marshes. It
is carnivorous; insects are lured into the leaves by sticky sweet
nectar; the nectar has a digestive enzyme which allows the walls of
the plant to absorb the nitrogenous parts of the insects. The leaves
appear in the spring and the flower later grows to the height of six
to twelve inches. Other flowers which still thrive locally include
the iris, water lilies, buttercups, saxafrage, kalmis, march
marigold, arbor vitae, pinks roses coumbines, all varieties of
lilies, lupin, poppy, sweetwilliam, sweet peas, stock, mint,
chrysanthemum, snap dragons, peonies, candy tuft, delphinium,
dahlias, bleeding heart, wild sashta - English daises, fox glove,
bell flower.
|
|
Farm animals People usually kept sheep for mutton and wool and cows for their mild, creamy butter, and sometimes for beef. Most horses were a smaller pony type, but years ago a man in the area had a 1000 pound horse named Prince. He was so big they had to use a breast strap instead of a collar. The ponies were kept for labor. Hay was grown for livestock and hens provided eggs and meat. The local method of carrying hay was to use brin or burlap bags which were sewn together to form larger bags. The hay was loaded in these, some of which carried up to 150 pounds. Early settlers kept virtually no dogs, as they were a danger to sheep. |
|
|
This Page is part of a Historical and Cultural Web Site created by students of Laval High School, Placentia, NFLD (A0B 2Y0) Updated February/2000 |
