Divide the work. Before and after the twelfth lunar month, take the mulberry stalks that have been buried method of burying stalks. Select those with buds, and coil them into lengths of seven or eight inches or one foot. Dig a trench, add water, and lay the stalks flat to plant. Cover them with earth about three or four fingers thick; if it is too deep, they will be difficult to sprout. Press the earth down evenly with your hands. To the southeast, north, and west of the trench, plant five or seven garlic cloves. After the fifth month, when the buds and leaves have risen slightly, add manure and soil. Once the stalks are tall, they become field mulberry. Alternatively, one may select single Lu mulberry shoots and bury their tips deep in the ground during the autumn, which produces results even faster.

Essentials for the Farmer: The Merit of Field Mulberry

The effectiveness of this method lies in tending to it properly so it does not become too dry. For families without mulberry trees, relying solely on field mulberry saves double the labor. For families with trees but no field mulberry, the tree leaves—