Chapter 3431: Extra Chapter 10
Lu Xiaofo had two pots of fruit saplings brought up, each as tall as her knees. She said, "Our fruit trees are growing well here, and people often ask me for saplings, so I'm used to it. The fruit tree in this pot is already grown. If you want to transplant it, just take it out with the soil. It's just that the climate in other places may not be suitable for it."
"I know." She would include the soil in the encyclopedia, and would also report the climate here.
However, these two pots of mandarin oranges were not to be included in the encyclopedia. What she wanted to include was...
Zhou Man's eyes fell on the fruit trees in the orchard, and he chuckled and said, "I know how to prune fruit branches. Today, I saw that some fruit trees have too many branches and leaves, which is not conducive to bearing fruit. Let me prune them for them."
Lu Xiaofo: "...Mr. Zhou, this fruit tree is very important to us in Liuzhou. Most of the tangerines that are sent as tribute every year come from here."
"Don't worry, I won't cut it badly."
Zhou Man has been studying flowers and plants for so many years. She is not only good at digging them up for inclusion in Keke's collection, but she has also naturally learned many skills.
Pruning and cuttings are the most basic of these.
Lu Xiaofu pondered for a moment and then handed her the scissors.
Zhou Man walked in the orchard with a pair of scissors. When she said pruning, she meant pruning the overly lush branches.
It's not a lie.
Zhou Man selected the fruit branches and began to trim them carefully. While trimming, he also communicated with the anxious fruit farmers nearby.
The fruit farmer, who had been sweating profusely, slowly stopped. Hey, this noble man from outside the area really knows how to grow fruit trees...
Zhou Man walked around the orchard and cut off many fruit branches. Bai Shan followed behind him and collected all the branches, no matter how long or short, thick or thin. He handed the branches that he could not hold anymore to the servants.
After walking through the orchard, they had collected half a truckload of fruit branches.
Lu Xiaofo was stunned. He didn't understand why Bai Shan collected these branches, but he subconsciously felt that these things were useful.
Zhou Man didn't hide it. He put down his scissors, picked up a fruit branch from the car and said to the fruit farmer, "This can be used for cuttings."
Fruit farmer: “We know.”
Zhou Man then asked, "Have you ever tried grafting on other fruit trees?"
She said, "I looked at the pruning marks on the fruit trees, and judging by the fruits still hanging, the yield isn't very high."
Fruit farmers are used to it, saying, "This is a good thing, so naturally it's rare."
Zhou Man didn't refute this statement, but simply suggested: "But maybe we can cultivate mandarin oranges with other flavors, and maybe they will have a higher yield?"
She said, "Isn't that the case with new rice varieties nowadays? Every three or two years, the imperial court will release a new batch of seeds, some more suitable for dry land, some more resistant to pests, and some more resistant to floods. They are the result of research by successive generations."
The fruit farmer didn't understand and insisted on not grafting. Lu Xiaofo, who was standing by, took it to heart and planned to find someone else to give it a try.
Zhou Man wanted to take away all the fruit branches, but the fruit farmers were not worried.
The taste of these tangerines is somewhat different when grown outside of Liuzhou. Although they taste similar to most people, to the picky guests who are used to eating their tangerines, this slight difference is a world of difference.
So not only can people from outside not take away their business, but people from other places in Liuzhou can't take it away either.
Because the soil here is the best. The crops grown in other places are either too acidic or lack moisture...
Their production is limited. Apart from paying tribute, they only sell it at high prices to some regular customers, who then transport it to other places for sale.
So they are not afraid that others will grow tangerines and steal their business.
The geographical environment determines that their natural customer base is different.
Lu Xiaofo naturally knew this, so he didn't stop Zhou Man from taking the fruit branches. He even gave away the fruit trees he had raised, so what else could he do without?
And this time Zhou Man's proposal made him figure out something.
Mandarin oranges can be grown in other places. Even if the taste is not as good as the ones here, they are still delicious and can bring in a lot of profit if sold. Why did he think of growing them on this piece of land before?
If only I could graft other fruit trees...
Lu Xiaofo came back to his senses and saw that Bai Shan and Zhou Man had already walked a long way. He hurriedly chased after them, "Master Zhou, what do you think of the soil quality on our mountain?"
Zhou Man nodded and said, "Very good. I'll dig a pot and take it back later." He gave it to Keke and asked the encyclopedia to study it. Maybe they can cultivate tangerines with better performance?
Lu Xiaofo asked, "Do you think it's suitable for growing medicinal herbs?"
Zhou Man asked, "Do you want to grow medicinal herbs here?"
She frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "If you interplant medicinal herbs under fruit trees, then those that prefer the sun will be eliminated. Besides, can you maintain the fertility of the soil?"
Bai Shan chuckled and nodded to Lu Xiaofo, indicating that he would be the one to point it out. Then he took Zhou Man's hand and walked towards Yin Huo. "Guanyin means that you think Liuzhou's geology is suitable for growing the medicinal herbs for your Imperial Medical Bureau."
"Ah?" Zhou Man stopped, turned around and walked back. "That's what I mean. It's suitable. Honeysuckle, mint, polygonatum, platycodon, poria, cinnamon, belamcanda, white peony root, even the Panax notoginseng that is in short supply now, can all be grown here."
After all, it was something Yang Heshu had reminded her to pay attention to, and it was also an important matter for the Imperial Medical Bureau. Zhou Man, the former director of the bureau, was still very concerned about it. During this period, she combined the quality of the medicinal herbs she dug in the mountains with the encyclopedia's analysis of the included plants, and she quickly figured out the quantity and quality of the medicinal herbs suitable for cultivation here.
"Especially honeysuckle, mint and platycodon. These three are consumed in large quantities every year in medical offices all over the country. Not to mention Panax notoginseng. It is very valuable. My fourth brother said that one ounce of good Panax notoginseng powder outside the Great Wall is worth one ounce of gold." The prescription for the wound medicine made from Panax notoginseng was only available in Jishiditang and the Imperial Medical Bureau. However, as the medical books compiled by Zhou Man spread throughout the world, doctors all over the world also knew that it was a miracle medicine for wounds. It could both stop bleeding and invigorate blood circulation, and could be used raw or cooked.
There are many prescriptions derived from Panax notoginseng, most of which were recorded by her in medical books, and a small part were summarized by doctors from all over the country after repeated deduction and use. Therefore, the demand for Panax notoginseng is also increasing.
It's okay in the Central Plains, but in the north and the farther western regions, Panax notoginseng is difficult to buy, or there is no demand for it at all.
Especially in the Western Regions, there were even cases where people exchanged a gem for one or two hundred and thirty-seven coins.
Lu Xiaofo had naturally heard these rumors as well, and he became excited when he heard them. "Can they even grow it in Liuzhou?"
"Sure," Zhou Man asked directly, "but do you have land?"
"We can open up new land," Lu Xiaofo said. "I know that many medicinal herbs can be planted directly on the mountain. Because it takes a long time, your Imperial Medical Bureau sometimes recommends sowing the seeds and letting them grow for a sufficient number of years before harvesting them."
"That's right," Zhou Man said, "For example, white peony root usually needs to be planted for four years or more before it can be harvested, while Panax notoginseng takes three years."
She paused and said, "Planting notoginseng is not easy, and it's very prone to pests and diseases over time. But if you're determined to plant it, the Imperial Medical Bureau will definitely send someone down to give you guidance."
Nowadays, the Imperial Medical Bureau trains students in many directions, and naturally has many employment options as well. However, they all have to work for the Imperial Medical Bureau for ten years, and their salary will not be small.
But if they leave, they will have to pay a large amount of liquidated damages, because their study and life in the agency are free.
Because of this, many children from poor families have come to the Imperial Medical Bureau to study in recent years, and women in the world have more opportunities.
See you tomorrow
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