CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MODERN TARASCAN AREA—WEST 45 
December. Being more tolerant of poor soils 
and frost than either maize or wheat, it is custo- 
marily grown on the upper slopes. As it is believed 
that barley improves the soil, it is frequently 
rotated with maize. Much barley is sown on 
the high slopes around Cumachuén and Pichataro, 
where yellow-brown soils and a_ short-growing 
season prevail. Oats are rarely cultivated; small 
fields were reported only in Pichdtaro and 
Cumachuén. 
Other European field crops.—Broadbeans, len- 
tils, and chickpeas are cultivated chiefly around 
Lake P&tzcuaro and in the northern plateau 
pueblos, where they are often grown with maize. 
Although small quantities are raised in the Sierra, 
these crops have little place in the native diet. 
HORTICULTURE 
The house-lot gardens (ekudsueca).—These 
have been frequently mentioned above (pl. 7). In 
contrast to field agriculture, cultivation in the 
ekudau is intensive; a large variety of plants 
(maize, beans, squash, vegetables, and fruits) are 
raised in each small lot; the soil is replenished by 
application of refuse from the dwelling and 
manure from the stable. The ekudazu is cultivated 
mainly by the women and children of the house- 
hold; the fields, in contrast, are worked by the 
men. In the gardens the women, always con- 
servative, have retained the plants that are 
old in indigenous culture. Moreover, although 
some of the larger lots are plowed with oxen, most 
are cultivated with two of the present forms 
of the tarakua: the wooden pala and the metal- 
bladed asada. 
The principal garden crop is the elote maize, 
discussed above in connection with corn types. 
The cultivation of the old beans, such as koké¢, 
small patches of amaranth, and various squashes in 
the ekudazu, has also been mentioned. The women 
- plant in the garden other indigenous vegetables, 
such as chayote (aptipu; Sechium edule) ;* tomate 
(t6ma; Physalis angulata), which bears the 
small green husk-enclosed tomatoes; and, if 
water is available for irrigation, chiles of various 
types. The most significant vegetable grown in 
the Tarascan house gardens, however, is the 
% The chayote bears annually small squashlike fruits, which are boiled and 
served with chile. In its third year the plant develops a large tuberous 
root, which is dug up and boiled (uaz4sa) and is often ground on the metate 
to a flour, which is served as a gruel (sag). The plant is reproduced by 
seed, or rather by planting the entire chayote fruit. 
European cabbage (col, repollo), which the Indians 
have thoroughly taken into their diet. Both 
the leaf and head varieties are cultivated. Almost 
every ekudau in all Tarascan villages contains 
a small patch of cabbages, which are used for 
the famous ¢uaipu, or meat and vegetable stew ™ 
(pl. 5). A more common stew (repollo-Sakua) is 
made of cabbage alone, flavored with red chile, 
onion, and silantro. The leaf cabbage is the 
usual variety found in the Sierra. It is rarely 
planted by seed, but by replanting sprouts that 
occur at the base of the stalk. The plant is 
persistent, surviving the frosty Sierra winter; 
leaves are stripped off until the stock often 
reaches a meter in height. Other vegetables such 
as lettuce, radishes, carrots, peas, and turnips, 
although known in many parts of Tarasca since 
early colonial times, are today little cultivated or 
used in native cookery. 
In addition to the food annuals, the ekudsu 
contains various medicinal and ornamental plants, 
mainly those of the Solanaceae, Fabaceae, and 
Compositae. In a great number of the house 
Jots women plant a stalk or two of tobacco (Nico- 
tiana rustica, andimukua), used not for smoking, 
but as medicine.” The trompeta or floripondio 
(Datura arborea); colorin or ptoaén¢a (Erythrina 
americana) ; two euphorbias, chupiri (E. calyculata) 
and flor de pascua (EF. pulcherrima); and the Old 
World higuerilla or castor bean (Ricinus com- 
munis) are not uncommon in the house gardens 
of the low country marginal to the Sierra. Euro- 
pean Compositae, geraniums etc., make up most 
of the ornamental plants cultivated around the 
house. 
Fruit culture in the ekudsu.—Practically every 
house lot in most Tarascan villages contains a 
few fruit trees, both Old World and native. A 
definite climatic distribution of fruit types exists. 
In the Sierra are found only the cold-tolerant 
‘deciduous fruits such as the European peach, 
apple, pear, quince, and the native crab apple 
(tejocote or kaa4s) and cherry (capulin or Séngua). 
In the lowlands around the Sierra, however, both 
subtropical and cold-tolerant fruits are cultivated. 
The former include the Old World citrus (limes, 
oranges, lemons), figs, pomegranate (granada de 
ou Cuxfpu is eaten principally during the maize harvest period and on 
religious holidays. 
% For example, in Pichataro tobacco is taken for fever and is chewed to 
cure toothache, 
