Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 711: One after another

Originally, it was also possible to plant leguminous crops such as buckwheat and mung beans. When these crops were half a meter tall, the fields could be plowed directly with oxen, and the seedlings could be turned directly into the ground to cultivate the soil.

The harvest of such fields will increase significantly in the second year. However, buckwheat is not resistant to high temperature and drought, so it is not suitable for planting in Xichang. Mung beans cannot grow in high temperature for a long time.

Therefore, the two are not suitable for planting in Xichang. Even if you don't want to harvest, the growth rate of these two is slower than that of sedge, and they are disposable.

However, sedge grass is different. It is not only resistant to high temperature, drought and barrenness, but can also be harvested six or seven times a year. When the flower buds are harvested, the grass can be made into fertilizer once, over and over again, making compost continuously.

Even if there is no manure, you can directly use silt to pack the grass, use high temperature to make the grass rot, and it can also be composted. Its cost-effectiveness is much higher than buckwheat and mung beans.

The most important thing is that the grass is easy to plant. The buds only need to soak the seeds in warm water for a few hours and then be scattered on the wasteland at will.

Then, we just have to wait for the sedge to grow out. By then, we will have endless piles of fertilizer, and the output of the fields will hopefully increase. Huabud is looking forward to it.

Moreover, Hualei also did some calculations in her mind. It seemed more cost-effective to make compost of sedge grass than to raise cattle, horses, and donkeys, which are livestock that need food. Putting aside the other uses of cattle, horses, and donkeys, it would be more cost-effective to exchange them for manure.

After the planting of sedge, the harvested rice has been threshed, dried and stored. Hualei was particularly concerned about the yield of hybrid rice.

The effect was not satisfactory, only about 15% higher than ordinary rice, less than 20%, and the flower buds were a bit disappointing.

Moreover, this 20% is not necessarily due to hybridization, but rather due to timely irrigation and sufficient fertilizers.

However, Feng Shuangxi was extremely happy. Compared with the rice in other government fields, this hybrid rice was only 10% more, but if more fields were planted, the quantity would be greater.

He carefully wrote down his planting experience and gave it to Hualei, and suggested that they should plant in the same way in the future.

After considering it, Hualei agreed. However, he also asked Feng Shuangxi to preserve the original rice seeds and try planting them year by year.

After all, in the past, hybrid rice with an output of more than 1,000 kilograms per mu was produced by many dedicated experts who spent a long time and tried to grow it step by step.

After the rice was stored, the corn also matured. Similarly, the maturity period was much earlier than that of Shangjing City and Mobei. So, the corn harvesting began without stopping.

Because the tools for threshing had already been made in the early stage, we started threshing after the corn cobs were dried.

In order to save manpower in the government office, Hua Lei requisitioned a part of the Anbang soldiers. Free labor would be wasted, and Hua Lei remembered this.

Of course, another part continued to dig ponds and wells in other state capitals under Xichang according to actual needs.

The hangers-on were also busy and started collecting taxes for this season. Of course, she had issued notices and official documents to prohibit the practice of kicking the bucket. If anyone committed the crime in defiance of the law, they would be imprisoned.

We also made follow-up arrangements for any problems that might arise, such as arranging some personnel to blend in with the people and provide supervision.

A wooden box was also installed in front of each government office for the people to report. Considering that the people were illiterate, additional staff were arranged to help write letters of complaint.

Hua Lei also knows that the timid people may not really come to report, but as long as she sets up the reporting box, it will definitely have a deterrent effect.

Things at the government office were being handled one by one, and the Kangjina, which was loading lychees in Changliang Prefecture, was almost done.

Ten days ago, Hua Lei had arranged for more than twenty guards to ride on horses and send a batch of Kangjina back to Shangjing City as quickly as possible, handing them over to Lord Pei, who asked him to deliver them to the imperial study.

As for how to send it, let Old Marquis Pei decide for himself. In addition, he also sent some lychees back to his parents and Xiaoyuan.

In the imperial examination held last spring this year, Xiaoyuan won the top prize as expected. In May, Xiaoyuan got married. When Hualei received the good news from his parents, he was busy promoting corn planting in Xichang.

So, apart from writing a letter back, I didn't send any other gifts. Xiaoyuan has never eaten lychees since he was a child. This time, I will send some lychees back for Xiaoyuan to taste.

After the guards set off, Tian Xiaofu also brought three boats to Hualei. In addition to delivering supplies to Hualei, the purpose was to load lychees back.

In order to save time, Hua Lei did not delay. In addition to emphasizing the matters that needed attention with Tian Xiaofu, the thing he talked about the most was the selling price.

Hualei had no experience on whether Kangjina could keep litchi fresh and how long it could keep it fresh, so Hualei talked to Tian Xiaofu.

When we arrived at Shangjing City, we would first open a batch of Kangina to check the freshness of the lychees, and then set the price for sale. Because there were no fresh lychees in Shangjing City, the price could be set higher, and the main customer group was those wealthy families.

In order to prevent anyone from forcing the sale, Hua Lei asked Tian Xiaofu to ask Old Marquis Pei to back him up. The specific price could also be determined by Old Marquis Pei.

Tian Xiaofu agreed to all the requests, and then filled two boats with the remaining kangina. He said goodbye to Hualei and traveled day and night to Shangjing City.

The remaining boat will temporarily remain in Changliang Prefecture for Hualei to dispatch.

Because there are many lychees in Changliang Prefecture, in addition to the fresh lychees sent to Shangjing City, there are still a lot of lychees left. Hualei is going to let the local people make dried lychees. Then they will be sent to several prefectures in Jiangnan by boat for sale.

After washing the fresh lychees with water, add water to a pot and boil over high heat until the water is about to boil but not yet completely boiled. Then put the lychees in and cook for a few moments before taking them out and letting the surface moisture dry.

In the past, lychees were dried using ovens or dryers, but there are no ovens or dryers here.

Therefore, the flower buds can only be dried naturally in the sun. Fortunately, the sun in Xichang is strong and the effect is very good. Just be careful to prevent dust and insect bites during the drying process.

Wait until the lychee skin becomes crisp and the lychee flesh turns brown. Spread it out and let it air dry for about a day. When the moisture on the surface of the lychee shell is completely dried, it is easier to store it in a jar.

In order to ensure the quality, Hualei asked Changliang Prefecture and the local wealthy gentry to do this together. After more than half a month of hard work, all the lychees were turned into dried lychees.