POTATO PROBLEM SOLVING

Perhaps if authority had more common sense and a genuine desire to help the poor and starving, there would have been no riots [Scotland's Potato Famine, March 2020, p52].

I’ve just been re-reading William Grierson’s diaries, especially the years 1796 and 1801, which cover the lack of meal in the Dumfries Market and the civilised riots that eased the crisis.

Sadly there are no Grierson diaries for 1847, but the potato famine encouraged Archie Findlay in Auchtermuchty to begin potato plant breeding and research long before authority/government thought that necessary.

Ian L Forrester, Kirkcaldy