22 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



MAIZE 

 Except in the garden plots and a few other 

 highly favored places, corn is never planted on 

 the same ground on two successive years. Gar- 

 den plots are more carefully cultivated and are 

 fertilized to some extent by depositing organic 

 refuse of all kinds and, if available, manure. 

 Good farmers will even carry surplus manure 

 to the fields, but some are lazy and simply 

 throw it in one of the arroyos. It is then car- 

 ried down to the "plain" west of town. As a 



result, a part of the "plain" where the water 

 sinks into the ground can be farmed every year. 

 The basin, of which the "plain" forms a part, 

 has no outlet. So porous is the volcanic soil 

 that streams run only briefly after heavy rain- 

 fall. The drainage of the entire basin collects 

 on the Cheran-Aranza boundary, where it sinks 

 into the soil within a few hours after a storm. 

 The entire sink area is cultivated and is highly 

 fertile. No rotation of crops is ordinarily 

 practiced on the plain; but in the mountains, 



Figure 3. — The Cheran plow, a. Plow in use with oxen (see also pi. 4, upper left), b, Main frame, made from 

 a single piece of wood, c, Peg over which the tongue fits, d, Steel plowshare fastened on the point of the 

 main frame, e, Tongue which goes over peg (c), while the end fits in a socket on the main frame. /, yoke; 

 the tongue (e) passes through the opening in the yoke and is held by a tapered peg (not shown), g, Bow 

 used on the plow in planting to spread the dirt into the already planted furrows; the bow is inserted into 

 the indicated hole. 



