Daqin Engineering Corps

"Could the engineer be talking nonsense out of desperation?"

"No one knows whether such fertilizer production can increase income."

"If we use this method to cultivate the fields, and when we find that the harvest is small after two years, who shall we talk to?"

Xu Ying glared at Zhang Ge angrily, and said:

"Zhang Ge, don't be rude!"

Zhang Ge pretended to be fair and replied:

"Sir, this matter is of great importance to the tens of thousands of mu of fertile land in the three counties."

"If this retting fertilizer is not only ineffective but will poison the crops, then there will be no crops in the three counties..."

Everyone in the audience nodded their heads one after another to express their reasoning.

Although Zhang Ge's words are aggressive, it is impossible to refute them.

The land cultivated by the farm family is not one-third of an acre of its own.

If it's just a few acres of arable land for the family, it doesn't matter if there is no harvest in the coming year.

There are many children from rich families among the peasants. For example, Xu Ying has an official position and does not need to rely on farming for a living.

The problem is that the farming method of the farmers is to be popularized in the three counties or even the whole country. If there is a problem, how many people will starve to death or even destroy the country.

Therefore, the method of cultivating land introduced by farmers must be more careful, and it will not be easily promoted unless it is personally tested and effective.

But Xu Ying was still very interested in Shen Bing's method.

"I have to be careful when I wait."

"Although the method of the engineer cannot solve the problem at hand, we can open up a few fields for experiments."

"If this fertilizer is applied, the growth will be better, and it will not be too late to promote it at that time."

Everyone nodded to say that it should be like this, and Shen Bing also said that there is no problem.

This made Zhang Ge proud. He held his head up as if he had won a battle, and said:

"Yes, this retting will not be known until next year at the latest if it is feasible."

"But Tuntian is just around the corner."

"If the manure is not available and all the fields are harvested next year, then it will be a problem..."

Shen Bing touched his nose and said:

"If retting is not enough, how about using the Daitian method?"

Xu Ying was surprised again and asked:

"What is the Daida method?"

Shen Bing looked around and saw a scroll of bamboo slips in front of Xu Ying's case, so he cupped his hands and asked:

"I wonder if I can borrow the internal history bamboo slips?"

Xu Ying hurriedly handed over the bamboo slips and said:

"of course."

Shen Bing spread out the bamboo slips, pointed to the protruding part and joint part of the bamboo slips and said:

"I'm waiting for the farmland, and there are ridges and ditches like this bamboo slip."

"When sowing, the seeds are planted in furrows or on ridges..."

As he spoke, Shen Bing paused for a while to see the reactions around him.

Seeing that there was no strange expression in the crowd, Shen Bing knew that he had guessed right.

He happened to know the ancient methods of farming in modern times.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the relatively backward ridge cultivation method was used, and the more advanced Daitian method was used during the Han Dynasty.

At this time, what Shen Bing was talking about was the ridge method he was using.

Zhang Ge couldn't wait any longer, he chuckled lightly:

"If the high fields are ditches and the low fields are ridges, why do you need the engineer to tell you?"

The so-called "takafield as a ditch" means that the water-deficient high fields are sown in the ditch, so that the seeds can absorb as much water as possible, and the seedlings will grow in the low ditch with less exposure to sunlight.

"Low fields make ridges" is the opposite. In low fields that are not short of water, seeds will naturally be sown on higher ridges, which is conducive to drainage, and plants receive more light and grow better.

It's no wonder that Zhang Ge would make a mockery.

In the Qin Dynasty, this practice had already been enacted as a law and implemented nationwide, and even a three-year-old child was familiar with it.

But of course, what Shen Bing wanted to say was not just these.

He smiled, pointed at the bamboo slips and continued:

"Neishi, now that there are waterwheels and overturned vehicles, even Takata doesn't need to worry about water shortage."

"Why don't we sow all the seeds in the ditch?"

"In this way, we can make ridges and furrows next year."

"Such a replacement, isn't it the same as alternately resting the fields?"

The method of substituting fields is actually very simple, that is, the use of plants requires a certain row spacing, and the fields between the row spacing are actually resting, and it only needs to make a wrong row when planting next year.

Xu Ying pondered for a while, then took a deep breath:

"A good ridge makes a ditch and a ditch makes a ridge."

"Why have I never thought of such a simple farming method for a hundred years?"

"In this way... all the arable land does not need to be rested with just a little longer row spacing."

"The methods are great, and the engineer is talented!"

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Everyone in the audience nodded in praise after hearing the words.

But only Zhang Ge is still stubborn:

"Sir, this land replacement method should not be taken lightly, if it affects next year's harvest..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Ying interrupted him.

"Hey, General Wang Jian has strictly ordered us to settle all the land in the three counties."

"Since that's the case, what's the harm in trying this Daitian method?"

Xu Ying is right. Since the fact is that all the fields must be collected, there is not much difference between using the ridge method or the field replacement method.

The Daitian method is just to open some rest fields at intervals, and everything else is the same.

What could go wrong?

Collect less food?

If this method is feasible, all arable land will not need to be rested in the future, and the grain production will not be increased by much.

Thinking of these Zhang Ge, there was nothing to say, and his face was very embarrassing.

Xu Ying bowed his hands to Shen Bing in admiration:

"I only know that the carpenter is superb, and I don't want to be so good at farming."

"With the talent of an engineer, wouldn't it be a waste of money not to enter my farm?"

"I don't know the engineer..."

Shen Bing frowned immediately, why did he come again? !

Chapter 92 Letters From Home

When it comes to agriculture, Hui is more nervous than Shen Bing.

When Shen Bing returned to the barracks late at night, he found that Hui hadn't slept yet. As soon as he saw Shen Bing, he asked excitedly:

"Master, is the farm going well?"

Shen Bing replied casually:

"Shang Ke, isn't Master Zuo still resting? Tomorrow we have to catch the water truck."

These waterwheels and overturned carts are urgently needed in the drought, and they must be produced in sufficient quantities before the farming season, otherwise there will be no way to raise the cultivated land without water.

So during this period of time, the gunners... In fact, not only the gunners, but other craftsmen and even many soldiers were transferred to make waterwheels and rollovers.

Hearing Shen Bing's answer, Hui thought it was not going well, so he didn't dare to ask more questions, and went to rest after answering.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Hui ran in excitedly with a roll of bamboo slips and said loudly:

"Master, happy event, great joy!"

"The name of the engineer has already been discussed on agriculture!"

Everyone exclaimed and looked at Hui one after another, even those who came to "observe" were no exception.

Cang asked doubtfully:

"Master Zuo, didn't you read it wrong?"

"Although the senior brother has made waterwheels and overturned carts, he is not a farmer's boy."

"According to the rules of the farm, you can't talk about farming."

Xi raised the bamboo slips in his hand and said:

"This is the template, can there be fake ones?"

"I asked Nei Shi, and he said that Gong Shi's contribution to the farm family is unprecedented."

"If the engineer does not go up, no one can go up before and after."

"It is therefore an exception to include engineers in the discussion of agriculture..."

Cang snatched the bamboo slip from Hui's hand, and read it with difficulty:

"Panon engineer, a native of Hanzhong and Nanzheng."

"Constructing water trucks and overturning trucks to cure the severe drought in the three counties, and setting up the law to farm the fields, have made great contributions..."

Now no one will believe it.

Hui shook his head and sighed:

"Master Gong, seeing that you were so plain last night, I thought I was afraid to make a sound because of the unsatisfactory farming."

"I don't want you to change the settlement system with the Daitian Law..."

Cang lowered his head and asked:

"Brother, what is this Daitian method...?"

Shen Bing opened his mouth and yawned. He slept too late last night and has not recovered until now.

"It's just the Daida method, it's not worth mentioning."

"In short, it's farming in alternate rows. There should be an explanation in the field of farming!"

Cang took a look, and sure enough there was.

Everyone scrambled to read the instructions, and then they were dumbfounded.

Cang still has some disbelief:

"That is to say, there is no need to rest the fields in the future?"

Shen Bing nodded.

To Shen Bing, these were really not a big deal.

On the one hand, this is because Shen Bing only advanced the Daitian Law by several decades.

On the other hand, Shen Bing has not completely transformed his thinking and concepts from modern times.