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Planting Techniques

Glossary of Terms

The Iroquois agricultural system was based on the hill-planting method . Iroquois women, who were responsible for farming, placed several kernels of corn in a hole. As the small seedlings began to grow, the farmers returned periodically to mound the soil around the young plants, ultimately creating a hill one foot high and two feet wide. The hills were arranged in rows about one step apart.

downloaded from The Iroquois of the Northeast on July 12, 2002

Modern day agriculturists recognize the genius of the Indians, who interplanted pole beans and squash with corn, using the strength of the sturdy corn stalk s to support the twining beans and the shade of the spreading squash vines to trap moisture for the growing crop.

downloaded from First Americans: Dine, Muscogee, Tlingit, Lakota, Iroquois on July 12, 2002

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

arranged-

put

genius-

very smart ideas

hill planting method-

a way to plant crops by making a hill of dirt around the plant as it grows

interplanted-

crops planted between the plant of another kind in a pattern, like this: beans, corn, beans, corn, etc...

kernals-

grains or seeds of corn, wheat, etc...

modern day agriculturalists-

today's farmers

moisture-

a small amount of water

mound-

to make a small hill

periodically-

once in awhile

stalk-

the main stem of a plant

twining-

twisting

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