Vol 1 Chapter 15 (2/2)

“The fruit of the devil, I said its actually called potato right?

Basically when one gets sick, there are a lot of situation when all will get the same illness. Since potato has to be grown, at that time, food in the village will run out.

That’s why when growing potatoes, there must be an ironclad rule to grow it in the situation where potatoes are completely wipe out and we are still fine.”

There are plenty of examples where villages and towns that has potato as a staple food perished. The famous one is in Ireland during the 19th century.

While various factors are involved, due to large scale spreading of disease for the potato, in just 4 years nearly 30% of 1.5 million Irish people who depended on potato as a staple food died from hunger, and a dire consequence of 40% of 2 million people fleeing overseas as refugees.

Although the potato is excellent, with explosive propagation saving tens of millions of people, but at the same time killing tens of millions of people.

A typical disease is the hollow stalk disease. No matter how one struggle, it is not possible to completely guard against it, at times just on one occasion might cause the annihilation of the whole potato field. If one is dependent on potato for food, the entire village will face a famine in no time.

One must not miss its disadvantage just because its convenient. Since I’m taking care of all the lives in the village, I must not fail.

“There is a pitfall in everything.”

“There are still others. Since the potato absorbs too much nutrients from the soil, successive growing on the same location would half the harvest. In addition, parasitic worms in a potato is burdensome, and the countermeasure is to not grow potato for 2 years on a plot of land that has just done it.”

Although I do not understand this world, potatoes are part of Solanaceae family and burdensome parasites called nematode occurs within them. This fellow clings to the roots of the potato and lays countless eggs.

Although there is no influence on the body, production would decrease sharply if an outbreak is permitted once, and the potatoes does not grow at all if it increases too much. In addition, even without parasitism, this fellow can survive for 10 years or longer in it’s egg state.

So once potatoes are harvested, plants of Solanaceae family is not planted for 2 years. By doing so, while the land where too much nutrients was absorbed recovers, outbreak of the parasite is prevented.

Still, since the eggs remaining on the ground lives for more than 10 years, their number increases little by little, sooner or later it becomes impossible to harvest potatoes in that field anymore.

In land that is known for sure these guys do not exist, if it’s possible to grow potatoes without parasites, measure will not be necessary. However that’s impossible in the present world.

“Even if its possible to harvest in 3 months, it’s painful to not be able to use it for 2 years.”

“Meanwhile, normally a different crop is usually grown. Parasites only live off crops of the same kind as potato.”

“Normally…, are there any other ways?”

“An opposite way of thinking. Discarding the land which potatoes has been raised once. You know, land is excessive. One just has to set up another gla.s.s house. It is possible to construct the gla.s.s house and plow the soil in a single day.”

So, there is no problem if it’s grown on uncontaminated land.

However, when those guy’s habitat enlarges along the soil, it will be the same wherever it’s planted. And because the bottom of this gla.s.s house could be made with bricks and set 3 m below ground, it could be isolated from the outside.

Moreover, without heat draining from the soil with this measures, there is the target of improving the effect of heat insulation too.

No matter to what extent these guys can propagate in this gla.s.s house, as long as it can’t get out from this gla.s.s house, potatoes can be grown in a new field in peace.

“Only Syril is able to do such a thing….. but indeed every time a gla.s.s house is put up, sooner or later land is used up and it’s wasteful.”

“Of course, I can reuse it. they are weak to water. while growing potatoes in a different location, water will be filled to exterminate them.”

And it’s also because I’ll fill it with water, that’s why I had undergone the trouble of intentionally covering the underground with bricks.

“And after they have died, water is released and dried, from then on its fine to use it as you please. Those guys, even if you say they are weak to water, they will keep living for 3 months. In addition, during summer and spring, it will be in effective if the water temperature is not high. Anything below, it will not die.”

And, this method was also finally discovered on earth in 2013.

A clear extermination method was not discovered till then.

From 1400, measures have been continuously sought, and finally in 2013 an effective measure was discovered, the fear of parasites can be understood when I think about it.

“Its a parasite that’s as frightening as it’s persistence, isn’t it. Ah, I see. the gla.s.s house is for that reason right? Because it’s warm here, it can be exterminated at any time.”

“You understood it well. That’s right. only here, these persistent guys are not very difficult.”

As far as I know of the bad things, although it isn’t in the top 3, it falls within the edge of worst 100.

“And so with the long introduction completed, let me plant the potato. Planting will be done in a done if it’s done by 2 people.”

I throw the contents out of the wooden box while saying so. Then, potatoes with sprouts are scatted around the area.

“Hey, those place in that box have not start budding yet?”

“That was done deliberately. Planting it that way is better. I expose all of them, except those that Lucie ate,  to sunlight for budding so that it can be planted anytime.”

By the way, this work was done in the workshop on the outskirts of the village.

Exposed to the outside sun in the day, it was allowed to germinate.

Incidentally, in order to increase the harvest even a little, I when through the painful effort of dividing larger potatoes into 4 quarters while not injuring the growing bud to increase seed potatoes.

Thanks to that, the total number of seed potatoes made is 402. .

The soil was prepared by earth magic yesterday and 7 lines of soil ridges that rises above was done in intervals every 70cm, and from the ridge on the right edge, a seed potato was planted every 40cm.

And with 2 person silently continuing to plant potatoes, somehow it manage to end before the day turned completely dark.

The seed potatoes ran out at the 3rd of the 7 lines. Land was wasted. Even though I would put it on all 7 lines if there were more potatoes….

However, there is not helping it when there is nothing to plant. At the next opportunity after this harvest, the necessary amount needed to fill the gla.s.shouse will be planted.

Anyway, this ends today’s work.

Wiping my sweat while smiling, my eyes matched Lucie’s.

“It’s over, Syril.”

“Thank you, it wouldn’t be finished with 1 person.”

As expected, without damaging the buds growing from a seed potato and planting a seed potato every 40cm is difficult to do with magic, and manual labor is necessary. I might go mad if I planted 400 seed potatoes alone.

“What should I do after this?”

“Pull out a weed if it grows, removing insect when it comes near and scatter fertilizers about when it has grown to certain extent. It’s fine to leave it unattended after that. Because the stem yellows before long, harvesting by pulling up the roots will be done when its so. A large quant.i.ty of potatoes are made under the soil.”

By the way, I am producing the fertilizer now,

After thinking about the balance of phosphorus silicon and pota.s.sium as it is necessary to keep the soil acidic, it is not left to an amateur. Fertilizers made unskillfully is harmful.

I will be just in time one month later, when additional fertilizer is needed.

“Just that much?”

“That’s right.”

“And furthermore, it can be harvested in 3 months?”

“When the temperature is 20 degrees, the same as spring, harvesting is in 3 months. When it’s cold, it takes longer.”

“Even infringing on danger, I’m tempted to crush the wheat field and make it a potato field. It’s too easy. This.”

Lucie who was usually tormented by wheat uttered her innermost bitterness.

I can understand her feelings. Despite the appearance, wheat takes a reasonable amount of effort. Still, it’s better than rice.

“Syril, why did you not tell everyone?

“This is the first time growing potato. When expectations are not met, they will feel disappointed. Basically, I will take care of it alone myself.”

Although a tiresome matter is tiresome, but one way or another I can do something about a potato.

“You are not alone. I’m here. We’ll surprise everyone by working hard with 2 person.”

“Sorry..”

“No, I’m glad Syril is relying on me.”

And like this, we return home while pray that 2 person’s potato will grow up safely.

If this is done, meals of the village will become considerably better too.

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