CRUZ DAS almas: a BRAZILIAN VILLAGE — PIERSON 



67 



a month later, the new plants are weeded three to 

 four times at intervals of about 3 to 4 weeks. The 

 harvest is in April or May. When dry, the stalks 

 are cut with a sickle and dropped on a large cloth 

 so as to conserve the grains which shatter. The 

 cloth is then tied up and carried on the harvester's 

 back, or, if too heavy, in a carroga, to the house. 

 The stalks are then bound into small bundles and 

 beaten over a boai'd, after which the grain is win- 

 nowed with the peneira. If sold, the rice is mar- 

 keted unhulled ; if used at home, it may be hulled 

 in a piMo or taken for this purpose to Boa Vista. 



Onions are increasingly grown as a money crop. 

 In April or May, 3 days before the new moon, the 

 seeds are planted thickly in beds. Transplanting 

 ordinarily is done in June, July, or August, de- 

 pending on the weather, since rain and the conse- 

 quent wet ground is to be taken advantage of and 

 this is the "dry" season. Holes about 3 inches 

 deep and a span apart are made with the side of 

 the hoe and a plant set out in each hole. Eows 

 are II/2 spans apart. The dirt dug from the sub- 

 sequent hole is used to cover the preceding plant. 

 There are three weedings during the growing sea- 

 son, the first about 2 weeks after transplanting, 

 the second around a month later, and the third 

 about a month after that. Harvesting is in Oc- 

 tober, November, or December. The plants are 

 pulled up by hand and carried either on the farm- 

 er's back or on a mule or burro to the rancho, or 

 the house, depending on the conveniences of the 

 farm. The new onions may have to be piled in 

 one of the rooms of the house. They are then 

 braided into long resteas for more convenient 

 transport. This is done by taking three equal 

 stems of the cattail plant, and braiding them, in- 

 serting the top of an onion each time a stem is 

 crossed over another. When finished, double rows 

 of onions are fastened loosely but firmly together 

 (pi. 11, A). 



So far as the quantity of total production is con- 

 cerned, the foregoing crops are the principal ones 

 grown i n the community. Farmers, however, often 

 have a small patch of sugarcane and, occasionally, 

 of sweetpotatoes, peanuts, tobacco, or manioc. 



Cane is planted "anywhere." "Land that will 

 not do for any other crop is good for cane," re- 

 marked a farmer. The kinds grown in the com- 

 munity are known locally as Java, taquara, rosa, 

 caninha, and cristal. The Java is preferred for 



making pinga. A field is cleared with the ax or 

 foice, and the refuse burnt. Some farmers then 

 go over the field with the grade, or crude harrow. 

 Trenches liA spans deep, 2 spans wide and 3 spans 

 long are dug with the enxaddo every 3 feet, into 

 which a cane muda, or cutting, is dropped, and a 

 little dirt pulled over it with the hoe, enough to 

 cover the cutting but not enough to fill up the 

 trench. Planting is done at either of two periods 

 in the year, in September or October and in Jan- 

 uary or February, in each case when the moon is 

 waning. "Tliree days before the new moon," said 

 a farmer, "is just right." The plants are weeded 

 three times during the growing season, the first 

 time about 6 weeks after planting; the second, a 

 month later and the third, a month after that. 

 The harvest is ordinarily 2 years after planting, 

 although some farmers make the first cutting 

 within a year and a half. Still other farmers wait 

 3 years. With a facdo or poddozinho, stalks are 

 lopped off even with the gi'ound, trimmed of leaves 

 and dropped into piles, after which they are car- 

 ried, or hauled in carroqas, or, if the yield is large 

 enough, in trucks. 



As has been indicated, most farmers have at 

 least a small hand press for crushing cane to make 

 garapa or rapadura for their own use. An oc- 

 casional farmer has a press which can be turned 

 by animal power. There is onlj' one large mill 

 turned by water power in the communitj-, and it 

 is used to make pinga}'^^ 



Sweetpotatoes also are planted "any place." The 

 land is burnt over and long furrows li/o spans 

 apart are made with a riscador or, more commonly, 

 with a hoe. Planting is done in September, 

 October, or November, in each case when the moon 

 is waning. A piece of vine, about a span long, 

 taken from a previous planting, is dropped in every 

 114 spans. Tlie plants are weeded twice, once 

 shortly after planting and the second time a month 

 later, when dirt is also pulled up around the hills. 

 The new sweetpotatoes may be dug about 3 months 

 after planting, although they are sometimes left 

 in the ground an additional 3 months. Digging 

 is with the enxaddo, following which the sweet- 

 potatoes are piled and carried away on the back of 

 a burro or mule. 



To plant peanuts, local farmers select their most 

 fertile land. Planting is done in September, 



>« See Distillation of Pinga, p. 89. 



