CHERAN: a sierra TARASCAN village — BEALS 



25 



wheeled oxcarts is possible, although they are 

 rarely used. Burros usually have to be rented 

 or borrowed ; in the latter case, a gift of maize 

 or money equal to the rent is usually made. 

 Fifty centavos a day is the usual pay for burros, 

 which adds considerably to the expense of 

 bringing in the harvest from distant fields. 

 Often pay is in maize and is subject to some 

 bargaining. 



The time of the harvest varies in different 

 places. If the "plain" west of town is planted, 

 the main harvest is in November, but if the 

 "plain" southeast of town is planted, the har- 

 vest is in December. In either case, the town 

 council, in consultation with the principal land- 

 owners, sets the dates for harvests. Where 

 lands adjoin those of neighboring towns, usu- 

 ally both towns begin the same day. Eight 

 days after the date set, anyone may turn 

 animals into the fields. Persons who have not 

 completed harvesting or carrying in their har- 

 vest may have difficulty protecting it from 

 animals. 



As the harvest is a time of joint work, even 

 though not communal in character, it also is a 

 rather festive and social occasion. Moreover, 

 many workmen have more money than at any 

 other time. To protect them from tempta- 

 tions, keep them sober while working, and avoid 

 distractions, the sale of fruit or liquor is pro- 

 hibited outside the edge of town. Actually, 

 the "edge of town" becomes somewhat elastic, 

 and vendors may set up stands as much as half 

 a kilometer from town. 



In 1940 the following schedule of harvests 

 was posted: 



December 5. Huanaschucun (sloping lands at the 

 foot of the Cerro de la Virgen, northwest of town). 



December 9. Eastern part of the "plain" of Sharicho 

 and Rincon de Paso. 



December 16. Western part of Sharicho. 



December 19. Plain of Arantepacua. 



No rules were posted for smaller isolated 

 areas and fields which were fenced. The parts 

 of Sharicho and other areas close to the 

 Nahuatzen boundary were harvested beginning 

 November 26 in order to prevent conflicts over 

 animals crossing the boundary. 



White maize and yellow maize are stored un- 

 shelled in the lofts of "trojes." Little eff'ort is 

 taken to protect maize from rats and squirrels 



and none at all to stop attacks of weevils or bee- 

 tles. There "are no mechanical corn shellers in 

 Cheran, and bulk sales of unshelled maize are 

 often made. Small amounts may be shelled 

 for sale to storekeepers if there is need of a 

 few cents in cash. One common method of 

 shelling corn is to bind corncobs tightly with 

 wire or cord to make a bundle about 12 inches 

 in diameter. Maize ears are laid on the floor 

 and rolled with this crude implement. 



Black maize usually is not completely 

 husked. Instead, pairs of ears are tied to- 

 gether and hung over poles in the house. The 

 best ears are often hung on a pole on the 

 veranda. Good field ears may also be hung in 

 the house. Most black corn is consumed as 

 roasting ears. Otherwise it is usually saved 

 to make tamales in Easter week. 



Discussion of land values, maize yields, and 

 labor costs is deferred to the section on 

 economics. 



WHEAT 



Wheat lands may be fertilized by hiring 

 sheep to bed at night on wheat fields. Lands 

 are plowed once before planting, and the seed 

 is then sown broadca.st. The land is then 

 plowed lightly a second time, the furrows being 

 at right angles to the first. Thorny brush, 

 such as wild crab apple, is weighted and 

 dragged across the furrows to break up large 

 clods and to complete covering of the seed. 



Some persons say only one kind of wheat is 

 grown at Cheran, a type planted between 

 September and November and maturing during 

 the dry season. However, both bearded and 

 beardless varieties were observed. Moreover, 

 a few families have a so-called winter wheat 

 ("winter" in Cheran is the rainy season, tech- 

 nically our summer) which is planted before 

 the rainy season and matures in August or 

 September. The more commonly grown wheat, 

 it is said, would not survive so much water. 

 Some other Tarascan towns near Tangancicu- 

 aro are reported to grow a reddish-colored 

 wheat. 



The dry-season wheat is short-stalked and 

 often grows very sparsely. Moreover, most 

 wheat is grown on inferior sloping lands or 

 lands on which corn does not do well. Rains 

 often appear to be inadequate to produce a 



