Chapter 147
Segalot watched as Cyrus gazed intently at the ground. He even stepped forward, squatted down, and touched the plant's vibrant green roots.
"It looks like it's growing very well."
Cyrus nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad."
This looks like it's going to yield a lot of Potato.
After that, a portion of Potato will be reserved for seed potato treatment, including sprouting, cutting, and mixing...
Cyrus was preoccupied with the techniques for propagating and cultivating Potato, completely oblivious to the expressions of those around her.
After all, in the eyes of the servants, commoners, and slaves around them, and even in the eyes of Judas and others, this crop called Potato... had a really small yield.
Look at these sparse roots; it's easy to see what's underneath the soil.
But seeing the lord's eager anticipation, the others couldn't bear to discourage him.
So, for a moment, no one spoke.
After a moment, Segalot asked, "Shall we dig out the Potato?"
Potato are also called Potato.
This was written in the notebook left behind by Duke Bill.
Aside from a few brief descriptions and a drawing of what Potato looked like, the notes didn't mention a single thing about planting them.
The successful cultivation of Potato today is thanks not only to Cyrus's subtle hints and orders, but also to the planting experience of these commoners and slaves.
Now it's time to turn over the Potato.
Cyrus nodded upon hearing this.
Then, he stood up, patted his hands which were covered in dirt, and said, "Dig along the roots that are still attached. Be careful, the Potato are all under the soil."
"Yes, my lord," the head servant replied respectfully.
Immediately, the servant beckoned several commoners over, and they began to turn over the soil around the lush green roots.
Segalot then walked to Cyrus's side, gently took his hand, and took out a handkerchief to wipe it clean...
The warmth of their palms touching made Cyrus's face flush again.
Fortunately, a chorus of incredulous exclamations immediately followed from the surrounding area.
--The Potato buried deep under the roots were dug out.
These servants, commoners, and slaves were fully prepared for the extremely low Potato yield and had already figured out how to comfort their lord.
but...
The reality before us is quite the opposite!
The soil around the rhizome was completely turned over and shoveled away, revealing a muddy, yellowish-brown, blocky fruit covered in dirt...
No, not one...
The commoner's hands, holding the farm tools, trembled slightly, and a hint of excitement flickered across his face.
He hurriedly and carefully bent down, using his farm tools to turn over the chunks of fruit one by one...
"God of Creator God! Brother, look!"
Toby exclaimed in surprise, tugging at his brother Gibran's arm, "Are... are all of these Potato?!"
They're all Potato, of course.
And each one was Potato the size of an adult's palm, or even larger.
There are so many Potato under one plant's rootstock!
One after another, they were unearthed.
Not only were the commoners and slaves who were digging excited, but even Judas, Gibran, and others couldn't help but show shock and couldn't hide their joy.
This was a completely unexpected and delightful surprise for them.
--The roots and stems had all been brought out of the ground, and the Potato covered in soil were piled up all around. As far as the eye could see, there were piles and piles of them that were too many to count.
But just by looking at it, you can tell that the Potato yield is definitely not small.
"My lord, such a small amount of seed potatoes can grow into so many Potato. If we save more seeds for planting, wouldn't that mean..."
Judas could not hide his excitement.
"The Potato yield can definitely reach over 100 kilograms!" Gibran added excitedly.
Cyrus smiled but didn't say anything.
The yield of Potato can reach far more than a hundred kilograms, even a thousand kilograms.
--The normal yield of Potato is generally between 3,000 and 5,000 jin per mu.
However, if the influence of factors such as climate and soil is relatively good.
Alternatively, by further improving planting methods and selecting superior varieties, Potato can definitely achieve high yields, with a yield of 8,000 jin per mu or even more.
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Because Samuel brought back a limited number of Potato from the New Continent.
Having no prior experience in growing Potato, even with reference books to guide her, Cyrus realized that book knowledge and practical experience are two different things.
What if the Potato crop fails due to pests, soil issues, or irrigation problems...? Would Samuel then have to make another voyage to the New Continent?
So just in case.
The already limited quantity of Potato was further divided into two parts by Cyrus: one part was kept, and the other part was used as seed potatoes for cultivation.
Fortunately, the Potato were eventually successfully grown.
Segalot was momentarily taken aback by the sheer quantity of Potato piled up on Potato ground.
In an instant, it occurred to him—what if Potato could be grown in various places in the future...
The abundant grain production was more than enough to feed countless people, allowing them to fill their stomachs and no longer suffer from hunger...
More importantly, although the disease and death have receded after the Black Death, the various consequences and impacts of the Black Death still exist.
For example, some remote areas have already experienced food crises.
Places severely affected by the pandemic, such as the Saint Airo Empire, are even more lacking in food.
After all, the fields had been abandoned, and countless civilians and slaves had lost their lives...
When the Black Death struck, it was always the lower classes who were first abandoned and impacted...
Not to mention how to restore the burned fields and how long it will take for the replanted crops to grow.
Why did the Saint Airo Empire experience so many instances of banditry and territorial seizures after the pandemic ended?
The root cause is issues like food and clothing.
When people can't make ends meet, when they don't have enough to eat or wear, it inevitably leads to some problems that must be addressed.
Currently, the main way the Saint Airo Empire solves the problem of food and clothing for its people is to buy food from other places.
This "other place" specifically refers to the Desinia Territory.
After the pandemic, there has indeed been an increase in the number of merchants trading in grain.
Not to mention the Saint Airo Empire, which suffered the most severe food crisis.
Even within the Desinia Territory, food shortages and reduced production have begun to emerge.
The territory needs to continuously attract people while also ensuring basic needs are met.
Therefore, the successful cultivation and considerable yield of Potato is a timely and fortunate event for Cyrus.
But successfully growing Potato is not the end of the story.
Cyrus even set aside a portion of Potato for the castle's chefs to research ways to Potato, demanding a variety of methods.
For example, Potato can be eaten with other foods, or Potato can be used as a staple food...
Furthermore, the Potato cooking methods discovered should be recorded on paper.
The chef accepted what he considered a rather challenging task.
The harvest season for Sweet Potato, Corn, and Cotton is generally between September and October.
The best time to harvest Sweet Potato is in early October.
Tomatoes and peppers were planted in greenhouses by Cyrus's orders. The tomatoes had already produced fruit, but they were still green and not fully ripe.
As for the chili peppers, they've already turned bright red.
Moreover, the harvest season for chili peppers is very long.
In particular, the chili peppers can be dried after being picked and preserved, and can be made into dried chili peppers or pickled chili peppers, which can be stored for a long time.
Given the distinctive "flavor" of chili peppers.
Cyrus plans to harvest the peppers after they ripen and save the seeds for future planting.
The chili peppers that are not used for seed production are first made into dried spices, while some are studied for inclusion in dishes so that the people of the castle can try them first.
The end of August is approaching.
In cities such as Visas and Komoy Fort, which are close to Par Mountain, the mayors began issuing a decree.
--Each manor, village, or other collective unit must send someone to the administrative office in each city within half a month to collect a brand-new crop.
This crop was a variety brought back from the New Continent by Samuel Fern; it was called Potato, also known as Potato.
The lord has specifically ordered that all cities, in order to collect Potato in collective units such as manors and villages, must cultivate and plant them according to the instructions in the accompanying manual.
No one should neglect Potato cultivation, let alone treat it perfunctorily.
If Potato seeds are wasted, penalties will be imposed depending on the specific circumstances.
Cyrus first convened a meeting with the mayors of cities such as Komoy Fort.
The mayor then relayed the order to the public.
Not only were announcements about planting Potato posted outside the city hall, but newspapers also devoted a large, prominent section to announcing the news.
Although this batch of Potato is plentiful, it is impossible to supply the entire Desinia Territory with them.
Therefore, Cyrus stated explicitly in the newspaper that nearby cities should be the first to plant the crop, and then it should be gradually promoted to border cities and other places.
The entire region is taking action to promote Potato cultivation.
Aside from newspapers and government propaganda.
The Thorn Merchant Guild also posts messages on its daily new product listings and sells booklets detailing Potato cultivation techniques.
The booklet contains specific instructions, including precautions, how to germinate and cultivate potatoes beforehand, and how to save seed potatoes.
In addition to detailed descriptions, it also includes illustrations depicting the Potato's appearance and condition at each stage, making it easy for those involved in planting to compare and confirm details...
The booklet also mentions that Potato production is significant and will become a major food source within the Desinia Territory.
Main food source?
Are Potato really that delicious?
As for the phrase "significant output," the general public, who are unaware of the facts, do not yet have a clear understanding of it.
Moreover, compared to the yields of crops they had grown in the past, they couldn't have imagined that the yield of Potato could reach an astonishing hundreds or even thousands of kilograms.
More than a month had passed by the time the residents of Komoy Fort and several other nearby cities had all received their Potato in groups.
It was already mid-September, and soon it would be time to harvest the Corn and Sweet Potato.