Chapter 53 Heavy Rain, Manchineel Tree
Looking around, the long-lost green beauty in the misty water is like Monet's oil paintings, which is fascinating.
A single drop of water hyacinth can weigh dozens of kilograms, and the yacht encounters resistance, slowing down its flow.
Zhang Qingfang looked at the gourds on the water and said regretfully, "Ah, the rain keeps coming. If the weather were a little better, we could dry them and preserve them as feed."
Jiang Chengwu laughed and said, "There are so many ready-made ones, why are you always thinking about making feed? Our chicks haven't even hatched yet."
Zhang Qingfang glared at him and said, "Unexpected events may occur in the future. We should stock up a little more so that we can have more confidence."
"Besides, our chicks are about to hatch, and there will be more chicks in the future. Maybe we can even raise some ducks, cows, sheep, and pigs. They eat a lot, so they all need feed."
"Forget about the chickens and ducks, but where are the cows, sheep, and pigs? You're just dreaming. You haven't even learned how to swim!"
Grandma was a little annoyed. "You're talking about me. You don't even know how to steer as well as I do!"
The old couple started arguing, and Jiang Linhai and Shen Baoying hurried to break them up. "Mom, Dad just wants you to learn how to swim quickly, that's not his intention. Look, there's water all around you, and it's really dangerous if you can't swim."
Grandma glanced at Grandpa, who looked guilty, and said proudly, "I've almost figured it out."
The luxurious bathtub on the yacht can accommodate several people. Grandma had no way to practice at home before, but with the good environment of the bathtub and professional guidance from Jiang Si, she quickly mastered the essence.
Not only did he do breaststroke well, he also learned freestyle well.
Niuniu raised her hand and said, "Niuniu, as your witness, grandma swims really well!"
The atmosphere became lively, and the grandfather, realizing his mistake, quickly followed suit and said, "Well, Grandpa also wants to learn from Grandma and strive to learn how to dive as soon as possible!"
Grandma wasn't really angry. She smiled and said, "I'm sure I'll learn it before you." Then she continued, "I hope the sun comes out soon so we can make feed."
Grandma's worries are not unreasonable. Space is a tool to help them survive, but they cannot be overly dependent on it.
She was very worried after she had two attacks. If she had an accident, her family would lose their complete support.
This is also the reason why she has been working hard to popularize various wilderness survival skills to everyone.
Before they found a suitable place to settle down, this yacht was their home, and the resources around the yacht were the source of their survival.
We must make use of it when it is necessary.
Jiang Si downloaded a lot of agricultural-related knowledge content on her tablet in batches. She returned to her room and searched for two hours before finally finding a way to make feed from water hyacinth without drying it.
You just need to clean the roots of water hyacinth, drain the water, chop it up and add fermentation agent to ferment it. Water hyacinth can become silage and reduce the risk of poultry being infected with parasite eggs.
Jiang Si told everyone, and everyone immediately got busy, hanging ropes on the cabin corridor to drain the moisture from the surface of the water hyacinths.
The silage made in this way fermented quickly and soon filled the few plastic barrels on the boat.
At the same time, the red blood vessels on the surface of the egg gradually turned into black shadows, and the chick was about to break out of the shell.
Everyone was very excited.
This means that they will be able to be self-sufficient in poultry, meat and eggs in the future.
After watching for a whole day, the chick still hadn't hatched. Niuniu was anxious and worried, and couldn't help asking, "Sister, can't I help peel the chick's shell?"
Jiang Si explained to her like a teacher: "Chickens must rely on their own strength to peck through the eggshell so that their bodies can slowly fill up with blood and become plump, increasing their chances of survival. If we interfere with their shell-breaking, the chicks won't have sufficient blood flow after hatching, and they won't live long."
Niuniu understood and said with a sweet smile: "I want to be a chick too and learn from it."
Lu Zhifeng felt both relieved and sad. If it weren't for the end of the world, Niu Niu would still be a carefree child who had just started elementary school.
In order to survive the doomsday, Lu Zhifeng asked her to practice self-defense with Jiang Si. The little child never complained about the hardship or pain.
After waiting patiently, the chicks finally hatched.
One, two, three...fifteen eggs successfully hatched into ten wet chicks.
Newly hatched chicks need to replenish water in time to help them discharge the tissue fluid in their intestines. In order to strengthen the chicks' physique, Jiang Si also added some brown sugar to the water to help them recover their strength quickly and enhance their resistance.
Niuniu looked at the chicks whose feathers were gradually becoming fluffy, her eyes full of joy, "Sister, don't you need to give them something to eat?"
Jiang Si explained: "Chickens cannot eat right after they are born because they cannot digest food. They just need to be given some water. After two days, they can be fed some softened rice and feed."
Niuniu suddenly understood and volunteered: "Niuniu can feed them!"
Everyone smiled and said, "Thank you, Niuniu."
While the chicks were growing healthily, everyone tried applying duck eggs to the ducklings.
The incubation time for ducklings is about ten days longer than that for chicks. While everyone was waiting patiently, a lush green forest appeared in front of the yacht.
Affected by the extremely hot environment, most of the trees have withered, and only a few plants with strong vitality can still burst into life after experiencing heavy rain.
Water hyacinth is one kind, cactus is another, and the tree in front of you with walnut-sized fruits hanging on it is another kind.
The yacht gradually sailed into the woods. Jiang Si had never seen this kind of fruit tree before, and there was no water hyacinth under the tree. He felt that the dead woods were a bit eerie and scary.
Niuniu asked excitedly, "Dad, is this edible fruit?"
Lu Zhifeng smiled and said, "They look like green dates, so they should be edible. Dad will pick two and see."
If it is an edible fruit, why don't we see any birds pecking at it?
Jiang Si was about to speak out to stop it when raindrops from the leaves dripped into her raincoat, and her neck suddenly felt a corrosive pain.
Especially for Lu Zhifeng, who was picking fruits without a rain hat, the burning pain was more obvious.
Qin Shen spoke before Jiang Si did: "The tree is poisonous! The poison is soluble in water. Get on the boat quickly!"
Everyone was shocked and retreated to the cabin, quickly taking off their raincoats, but it was too late.
Everyone's skin, eroded by rain, developed leprosy-like symptoms, and it was as painful as if sulfuric acid had been poured on it.
Because they were afraid that Big Black and Little Black would get wet in the rain and need a bath when they come back, their paw pads didn't step on the deck and they escaped the disaster.
Lu Zhifeng was the most seriously ill. Everyone else had erythema, and his face was covered with red tumor-like bumps. Niuniu nestled in his arms with tears in her eyes. She was extremely scared and timidly called out, "Dad... Dad..."
Lu Zhifeng responded to her despite the severe pain, and his tears were filled with his plea for help as he looked at everyone.
The most urgent task is to find out what this tree is so that we can provide appropriate treatment.
Jiang Si went back to his room and checked on his tablet, and quickly got the information.
They actually encountered a poisonous tree called the manchineel tree.
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