QUIROGA: a MEXICAN MUNICIPIO — BRAND 



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usually will be left open. Where formal gates 

 exist they are usually of two styles. The simplest 

 gate is the puerta de trancas which consists of two 

 side posts with as many rectangular perforations 

 as the number of cross pieces or trancas. When the 

 gate is closed all two to six poles are inserted in 

 their proper slots. The normal number of poles 

 or trancas is four, and when the gate is opened 

 usually only the upper three poles are pulled out 

 of the slots on one side and man and beast enter 

 by stepping over the bottom tranca. A more 

 elaborate gate is the jmerta de golpe (push gate) 

 which occurs in many forms. The principal 

 elements consist of the two lateral gate posts, a 

 turning stone or butt hinge upon which the lower 

 end of the gate frame turns, and a frame or gate 

 proper. The gate frame is based upon a carefully 

 selected piece of wood (usually oak) whose upright 

 portion becomes the inner turning post, and which 

 has a limb that curves out upward and to the right. 

 Other pieces of wood are attached through inser- 

 tion in slots and by binding with withes. Usually 

 no metal is involved in the construction of these 

 gates. The gate frame is attached to the left-hand 

 (as viewed from the outside) gatepost by two or 

 three bands which usually are of withes, sometimes 

 are of leather, and rarely are of wire. When a 

 small roof is erected over such a puerta de golpe 

 or any other type of gate it is known as a porton 

 or zagudn. These roofs are made of a wooden 

 framework covered by shakes or tiles on two sheds 

 or slopes. Sometimes a space is left open under 

 the roof, and this space serves as a temporary 

 storage place or granary. Portones are more 

 common in the settlements than in the fields, and 

 are far more common in Guerrero and Michoacan 

 than in any other part of Me.xico. 



The size of the individual cultivated field or 

 parcel varies greatly. We were unable to deter- 

 mine the mean and modal sizes of the cultivated 

 parcels scattered over the Quiroga area. Perhaps 

 the bulk of the cultivated land is m parcels of be- 

 tween 2.25 and 6.5 hectares, but this is little more 

 than an informed guess. There are quite a few 

 parcels of less than 1 hectare, and there are several 

 with more than 20 hectares. Most of the cultiva- 

 tion units are worked by two or three individuals 

 (commonly members of one family), with an addi- 

 tional one or two temporary workers being hired 

 if necessary during the periods of plowing, 

 planting, and harvesting. The jornaleros del 



campo average $2 a day (for all types of farm 

 labor), although there seemed to be a range from 

 $1.50 to $2.50. Farm equipment is simple, al- 

 though there is considerable range from farmer to 

 farmer. The man who owns his farm commonly 

 possesses one wooden plow and accouterments, 

 one machete or brushhook, one ax, one pitchfork, 

 one flat shovel or spade, and an assortment of raw- 

 hide thongs, cordage of ixtle (agave fiber), harvest- 

 ing bags, sacks and cloths (ayates). Usually there 

 is no wheeled vehicle, not even a two-wheeled cart. 

 The average proprietor also owns a yoke of oxen, 

 and possibly a burro or horse. 



The renters or sharecroppers (medieros) usually 

 possess all items mentioned above excepting the 

 pitchfork and spade (which will be borrowed or 

 rented) and the animals (which are rented). 

 There seem to be two types of share-cropping con- 

 tracts: on good lands the medieros pay for the 

 seed, rent the work animals, undertake all neces- 

 sary work, and return one-half of the crop to the 

 owner of the land; on poor lands the owner sup- 

 plies the seed and the work animals. The wooden 

 or Egyptian one-handled plow of this region has 

 been described and illustrated in detail in an 

 earlier report of this series (Foster, 1948, p. 60), 

 so it will suffice to say that it consists of seven 

 pieces of wood and a steel plowpoint or share 

 (reja). The main piece or cabeza (combined 

 handle, foot, or body that slides over the ground, 

 and point or share) is adjusted to the plow shaft 

 and an orejera or clod spreader by a system of 

 wedges which regulate the depth of plowing be- 

 tween skimming the surface and a depth of about 

 a hand span. The plows and yokes are usually 

 made of oak; it takes 3 days to make them, and 

 they commonly last about 3 years. The reja, 

 which is a pointed steel shield which is fitted over 

 the plow point, is about 9 inches long, costs 7 to 8 

 pesos, and is purchased in Quiroga or in one of the 

 larger cities (Patzcuaro and Morelia). Both 

 plows and rejas are made in Quiroga. The wooden 

 yoke is lashed to the plow shaft and to the horns 

 of the two oxen with leather thongs and ropes. 

 An inevitable accompaniment of plowing is the 

 goad or prod {garrocha) of cane (otate) with metal 

 point (gorguz) at one end for prodding the oxen, 

 and a leather button at the other end. Some 

 garrochas have a metal blade for cleaning the reja 

 and inserting in the ground as a marker instead of 

 the button. 



