Ming Zuo

Chapter 142 New Agricultural Plan

Zuo Menggeng doesn't understand farming, but he knows how to build a greenhouse.

Because the technical content of the greenhouse is not high.

The soil is built into an earth wall around it, and the whole is rectangular.

The earth wall on the south side is slightly shorter, level with people's shoulders.The earth wall on the north side is slightly higher, about two and a half meters.

This forms a gentle slope that is high in the north and low in the south.

The entire greenhouse is in the shape of a long strip from east to west, with a width of about four meters and a length of more than [-] meters.

On the well-built soil wall, a wooden frame is set up, and then the glass is installed in it.

In this way, the sunlight of the greenhouse in winter can be fully guaranteed.

A group of four greenhouses is divided into the front two and the back two.In this way, a boiler room can be built in the middle, and the heat can be evenly transmitted to the four greenhouses through pipes.

The pipes are arranged around the four greenhouses, so that the heat provided will be sufficient and the winter cold can be well resisted.

Zuo Menggeng ordered someone to spread sand on the floor of the greenhouse, which made everyone confused.

"Vegetables in greenhouses cannot be grown on the ground. Otherwise, the cold air from the surface will freeze the vegetables. We make such a frame, fill it with soil, fertilize the soil first, and then grow vegetables. "

Everyone was amazed by his ideas.But since it is a new thing, everyone has to obey orders.

As for the fact that vegetables are not grown on the ground, it quickly spread throughout Zuozhuang.So many people came to see the novelty, even soldiers on vacation.

After finishing the large wooden plates one by one, Zuo Menggeng asked someone to fetch the best soil, and then raised earthworms in them and added fertilizer.

After more than two months of cultivation in this way, the soil fertility in these shelves is unprecedented, and good crops can be grown at a glance.

But Lao Qintou told Zuo Menggeng that such soil would burn the seeds and seedlings to death.

So the retting good loam was mixed with ordinary soil to be used as a planting tray for vegetables.

A total of [-] greenhouses have been erected on [-] mu of land, and each greenhouse can grow about [-] plates of vegetables.

According to old Qintou's estimate, if it really does happen, at least one hundred thousand catties of vegetables can be harvested.

The most important thing is that this greenhouse is not finished after harvesting.It can be planted continuously and picked multiple times.

When the greenhouse starts to grow seedlings, the potatoes and corn in the field are also in the harvest season.

This time, Zuo Menggeng made a big splash.

Not only Qu Shisi and other government officials were invited, but also all the major families in Linqing were invited.

"Farming is the most important thing in the world. Countless people have starved to death due to disasters over the years, and I believe everyone has also suffered."

The current head of the Lu family, the largest family in Linqing, is called Lu Xun, and he feels the most about this.

"Under the disaster, farmers and tenants fled in all directions. Now half of the land of my Lu family has been abandoned."

Looking at the completely different crops in the field, Zhang Zonghuan guessed that Zuo Menggeng's purpose was not simple.

"My nephew intends to use these exotic crops to increase production and income?"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone couldn't help but look over.

Everyone understands the preciousness of food nowadays.It can be said that whoever can solve the food problem will belong to the world.

Zuo Menggeng deliberately pretended not to see these meaningful gazes.

"Today is the day when these exotic crops are harvested. Whether these crops that have traveled across the ocean can take root in our land of China will soon be known."

Looking at the lush corn field, Liu Yiyuan only felt refreshed.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's do it."

The farmers had been waiting for a long time, and they were ordered to start harvesting immediately.

The heads of each family focused on observation and found that harvesting corn was very easy.Because the stick ears grow on it, the farmers can pick them off as soon as they walk by.

Zuo Menggeng acted as the best lecturer.

"Corn can be used as a staple food. Although the taste is not as good as rice noodles, it is better than millet. In addition, corn stalks can also be used as livestock feed after being crushed. Even if they are dried, they can be used as firewood."

Hearing what he said, everyone couldn't help paying attention.

Food is expensive these days, so is feed.

The consumption of cattle, sheep and horses has become increasingly urgent when the land is being developed on a large scale.

The reason why the horse administrations in various places in the late Ming Dynasty went bankrupt was that ordinary people could not afford the cost of raising horses and the government exploited them, and that they could not find enough feed was also an important reason.

While speaking, the corn on the one-acre field has been harvested.

Immediately another group stepped forward and began weighing the corn.

In order to lure these local big families, Zuo Menggeng had to come up with real results.

If it takes some time for the corn field here to bear fruit, the potato field on the other side is much more conspicuous.

When the seedlings were pulled out, the large bunches of potatoes hanging below fluttered like bells, and each one was about the size of a fist.

Old Qintou took a seedling and showed it to everyone up close.

"There are at least eight potatoes growing on this plant, which weighs about three or four catties."

Lu Xun took it over and tried it himself, and found that it was indeed the case, and his face became more dignified.

This seedling can produce about four catties of potatoes, so how much is this acre of land?

Most importantly, what is the purpose of this thing?
Zuo Menggeng asked Lao Qintou to get the potatoes off, peeled off the soil, and threw them directly into the nearby fire.

"Potatoes are a multi-purpose crop. They can be used as a staple food, as a dish, or as vermicelli."

This is the first time the big guys have heard of crops that can be used as both rice and vegetables, and they can't help but be amazed.

When the potatoes of an acre of land were weighed, everyone fell silent.

A full 570 catties!
What does this output mean?

Today's productivity, one mu of real estate rice is about two stones, and the combined weight of one stone of rice is about 184 catties.

In other words, the best fields today can only produce about 360 catties of grain.

The yield of potatoes is 210 catties more than that of rice.

If according to what Zuo Menggeng said, potatoes can be used as staple food, how many more people will be fed by the extra 210 jin?

Just when everyone was amazed, Zuo Menggeng was very dissatisfied.

"The yield of potatoes is definitely more than that. When you plant again in the future, you must sum up your experience and strive to break through the thousand catties."

He didn't know whether the potato production in this era could exceed [-] jin. Anyway, it was common in later generations, and the peak could even reach [-] jin.

Everyone was terrified by his words.

Old Qin's feet went limp, and he fell to his knees.

"Master, can this thing really produce a thousand catties per mu?"

Zuo Menggeng still has this confidence.

"As long as you take good care of it and master the correct planting method, it will be absolutely fine."

While talking, Zuo Menggeng remembered the potatoes thrown in the fire, and hurried over to pull them out.

Seeing a few dark round balls, everyone couldn't help but frown, feeling a little disappointed with the potatoes.

Zuo Menggeng squatted down happily, regardless of whether it was dirty or not, and carefully peeled the potatoes.

When the burnt skin was peeled off, a strong aroma quickly spread out.

"what……"

Zhang Zonghuan and Qu Shixu didn't care about their appearance, they rushed up, as if they wanted to see more clearly.

In front of the two of them, Zuo Menggeng put a piece of potato into his mouth.

The hot soft glutinous glutinous rice spread quickly in his mouth, and the familiar taste in his memory almost made him cry.

After swallowing the potatoes three or two times, Zuo Menggeng handed the rest to the two of them.

"Mingfu, Uncle Zhang, you guys should try it too."

Seeing that he ate everything, Qu Shixu and Zhang Zonghuan had nothing to fear.One piece for each person, just put it in the mouth, the expression immediately changed.

"Hey, it's quite fragrant. Well, the rosin is soft, full and full, and it should satisfy the hunger."

"Sure enough, the taste is stronger than that of millet, and the yield is even more unreasonable. Huh... it's hot!"

Jian Zhizhou and Zhang Zonghuan agreed, and the others couldn't help it.

"Let's try it too."

On weekdays, the heads of the various families who were high above the top and well-clothed and well-fed also squatted in the fields, peeled the potato skins by themselves, and ate the simplest baked potatoes.

This scene surprised the farmers.Also realize that the crop that is being harvested seems pretty remarkable.

There is no better way to fully appreciate the benefits of a new crop in this day and age than to have a good meal.

That night, in Zuozhuang, Zuo Menggeng personally took charge of cooking a dinner made entirely of Western crops.

Tomato scrambled eggs, pepper fried meat, hot and sour potato shreds, mashed potatoes, potato cakes, boiled corn, corn stewed ribs, assorted corn kernels...

Rao is that everyone here is from a wealthy family, but looking at such a table of weird dishes, I am still a little confused.

But after eating, there is nothing to say.

After drinking and eating, Zuo Menggeng knew that his plan could start when he saw everyone eager to try.

(End of this chapter)