1829. 



SOIL CORN — POTATOES. 



287 



The large ends are then forced down, the ground turned up, 

 and the lumas pushed forward again, while the woman uses 

 her stick to turn the clods over, to the right and left, alter- 

 nately. These clods are afterwards broken up by a wooden 

 tool, in the shape of a pick-axe, called ' hualate,' made of the 

 wood named meh. Rude as this process is, the operation is 

 rapidly performed, and I have seen a field, ploughed in this 

 way, that would not do much discredit to an expert plough- 

 man with a European plough. 



The soil is a rich, sandy loam, of a dark red colour ; and 

 although rarely, if ever manured, produces fair average crops. 

 According to the usual allowance of 1751bs for a fanega of 

 wheat,* the weight of a bushel would not be more than 51^1bs., 

 which shews that the grain is but poor. Wheat is sown in the 

 month of April, and cut in the same month of the following 

 year ; but from the humidity of the climate, and constant rain, 

 particularly at that season (the commencement of winter), it is 

 frequently reaped before it is ripe, and almost always gathered 

 in wet. Every subsequent sunny day is taken advantage of, to 

 dry the grain, but a part must be spoiled by mildew. The 

 evaporation, however, is so great, that merely moving it about, 

 and keeping it thinly strewed in granaries, will elFect much. 

 It is trodden out by oxen, and to clean it, the grain is thrown 

 up in the wind by means of broad wooden shovels, and effec- 

 tually separated from the chaff. This rude winnowing takes 

 place frequently in the principal streets of San Carlos, and 

 even at the mole, where one would suppose that a great deal 

 must be lost ; but from the adroitness of the operation, it is 

 not only well cleaned, but suffers no diminution. 



Potatoes are planted in September, October, and November, 

 and are fit to dig up in May. 



Of the proceeds of harvest, one-tenth is paid as a tribute, or 



* The fanega weighs 175 lbs. and contains twelve almudes, which 

 being cubic measures of eight inches and a half, contain each 614-125 

 cubic inches ; therefore a fanega contains 7369-5 cr.bic inches, and as an 

 English bushel contains 2150-4 cubic inches = 51 lbs. the 



weight of a bushel. 



