CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTHWEST GUATEMALA—McBRYDE 23 
above the upper edge of the double-harvest region, 
about 1,300 m. elevation, maize is planted in March 
and harvested in September (one harvest). 
The degree to which these practices are attuned to 
the seasonal rhythm of rainfall is seen in the fact 
that the first planting in the piedmont is done follow- 
ing the initial heavy rains (sembradores or “planter” 
rains) of late March and April, while the harvest 
comes during the relatively dry interval, the canicula 
or veranillo of July and August. The second plant- 
ing, often in the same field, follows the rainiest month 
(September), with the ground well soaked and an- 
other month of good rain ahead, yet with the dangers 
of excessive flooding and washing mainly past. For 
the ripening there are several dry months (January 
and February have minimum rainfall). 
In the outer Coastal Plain, where there is much less 
rain than in the piedmont, and the rainy season is 
shorter (May—October) the first two crops are 
planted and harvested during the rainy period (maps 
6 and 9). At the port of San José the dates are as 
follows: Fuego (best yield, biggest ears), plant May, 
harvest end of July (canicula, minor dry period) ; 
segundo (minor yield, yetcommonly practiced ), plant 
August, harvest late October (end of rains). A third 
planting, chahuite, or de humedad, may be made in 
November, but only in low spots where the soil is 
wet; harvest is in February, and yield is generally 
good; cuarentejio is planted little if at all, as it is said 
to be unsuited to the climatic conditions here. The 
growing season for all corn is very short anyway. 
Methods of cultivation.—For the most part, cul- 
tivation along the Coastal Plain and piedmont is prac- 
ticed with implements of the type depicted by Bukasov 
(1930, p. 157, fig. 83, from Kaerger) for Michoacan, 
Mexico. Instead of the spearlike coa for piercing the 
ground, a long, pointed, fire-hardened pole (macana), 
held vertically in both hands, is employed. The machete 
de escarda or weed-hook of Mexico, is also used along 
the Guatemala Pacific Lowlands, where it is generally 
called garavito. It isa simple L-shaped stick, held in 
the left hand, pointing outward. Following each 
stroke of the machete, wielded with the right hand, 
the stick is rhythmically swung in its wake, flinging 
aside the severed weeds (pl. 3,d). The hoe plays an 
insignificant role in this region if, indeed, it appears 
at all. Thus, we might call this Lowland cultivation 
“dibble” or “planting-stick” culture. 
The various steps in Lowland cultivation were out- 
lined by an informant at Santo Tomas la Unién 
(850 m. or 2,789 ft.) as follows: 
The clearing and burning (roza) take place 
during the first 2 weeks of March, before the rains 
have begun. The planting is then done, beginning 
on the dia de San José (March 19)? and continuing 
through April, the final day being the dia de la Cruz 
(May 10), though most planting is completed before 
the end of April. In the latter part of May, when 
the maize is about 2 feet (60 cm.) high, the first 
weeding (tamegud) is performed, the fast-growing 
Lowland weeds being removed from active com- 
petition with the aid of machetes. During July there 
is a second clearing (peinado), and then comes the 
harvest in August. For the segundo or second 
(October) planting,?# the ground is cleared off in 
September. As in the first case, weeding is practiced 
twice, during November and December; the harvest 
isin February. In addition to having two harvests of 
maize, this municipio is well supplied with other basic 
starches. Cassavas, sweetpotatoes, bananas, and 
plantains are produced in abundance. Coffee is the 
chief money crop. 
In at least one piedmont locality (San Pablo 
Jocopilas, 625 m. or 2,050 ft.) there was no first 
planting, but only the segundo. A good explanation 
for this is that a notorious insect pest, a large white 
grub (gorgojo) called “gallina ciega” (Lechnosterna 
sp.),2° attacks the roots. The secretario of the 
municipio said he knew of no other place where this 
grub was so numerous as to discourage an entire 
planting. The grubs do not survive the heavy rains 
of summer, however, so that the “second” planting 
can proceed with impunity. 
My impression is that there is less harvest labor 
performed by women in the Lowlands. 
Highland—Lowland maize exchange.—With 
Highland and Lowland harvests coming at different 
times of the year, price fluctuations result in inter- 
regional movements of maize. Between the first and 
second harvests of the Lowlands, especially in 
November and December, when thousands of High- 
land Indians are down for the coffee harvest, High- 
land grain is taken to the Lowlands in quantity. 
At Chicacao it was said that Highland vendors, 
especially Atitecos, bring maize down in November, 
and sell mostly to finqueros. Highland maize also 
goes to the Lowlands from May to July, when 
23 This same date was given independently at San Pedro Cutzan as the 
day when the first planting begins. 
* The second planting was said at San Pedro Cutzan to be divided 
into two parts: early variety, September 15-30; late, ‘‘60-day”’ variety, 
October 1-18 (dia de San Lucas). 
* Anuario del Servicio Tecnico, 1932, p. 90. 
gorgojos in 16th-century Vera Paz, see p. 24. 
For reference to 
