Fundamentals of Agriculture and Sericulture, Volume 3

...ng is better This completes the thought from the previous page: "One can never hoe too many times.".

Prepare a garden bed twelve feet long and four feet wide original: "one zhang two chi long, four chi wide," approximately 3.7 meters by 1.2 meters. Use one carrying-pole load of fine, well-rotted manure and spread it evenly within the bed. Hoe 劚 (zhu): A heavy hoe or mattock used for breaking up soil the area once more, then raise the soil to cover the manure. Next, use a harrow 耬 (lou): A multi-toothed tool used to level soil or sow seeds to flatten the surface.

Irrigate the bed until it is full of water. Wait until the water has soaked in completely, then scatter the seeds on top. Use a wooden shovel to evenly scatter a layer of soil over them. Once the seedlings have grown two leaves, irrigate them if the weather is dry. Every sheng a volume measurement roughly equal to one liter of seed is sufficient to plant twenty beds.

Water Radishes original: shui luobo, a smaller, juicier variety of radish should be planted in the first or second lunar months. After sixty days, both the roots and the leaves are edible. They may also be planted in the fourth month of summer.

Large Radishes should be planted during the First Dog Days original: "chufu," the start of the hottest period of summer, usually in July. Water radishes can also be planted during the Last Dog Days original: "mofu," the final ten-day period of peak summer heat, usually in August.

For all varieties, wait until the First Frost original: "Shuangjiang," the solar term beginning around October 23rd to harvest. They may then be pickled in brine or stored in a cellar for use. If you wish to produce seeds for the following year, bury and store the radishes inside a deep cellar. Place a bundle of breathable straw in the center of the pit to allow air to circulate. When spring arrives and the sprouts have emerged, they may be taken out for planting.