Farming manual

This book is obtained during My Arm's Big Adventure, and can be found in the bookcase of a player owned house.

Contents
Contents

1. Basics

2. Disease

3. Soil Preparation

Basics

''The aim of farming is to sow seeds, help them grow into healthy plants, then harvest the crops. Although the trade can seem complicated, everything a farmer does is part of this simple process. ''

''Most seeds can be planted directly into a suitable patch of soil with the aid of a seed dibber. The soil may first need raking if it has become overgrown with weeds. When the seeds have been sown, they will grow slowly until they are fully grown. At that point the crop may be harvested with a spade. All tools commonly used by farmers are sold in Farming shops across the land.''

Disease

''The greatest threat to crops is disease. Where crops become diseased, they usually die unless promptly treated in an appropriate way.

''For small crops, a vial of plant cure should restore the health of the entire patch. Larger plants such as bushes and trees may be treated by cutting off the diseased leaves with secateurs.''

''Prevention, of course, is far better than cure. Farmers are advised to take all necessary steps to ward off disease from their crops. There are a variety of techniques for this:''

Compost

''If the soil is treated with compost before seeds are sown in it, the chance of the crops becoming diseased will be considerably lower. Supercompost has an even greater effect on the possibility of disease.''

Complementary Crops

''Certain flowers attract the pests that cause disease in vegetables and fruits. You may therefore be able to protect your crops in allotments by growing appropriate flowers in the nearby flower patches. Marigolds protect potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Rosemary protects cabbages. Nasturtiums protect watermelons.''

Scarecrows

''A scarecrow may be placed in an empty flower patch. This will repel birds, thus protecting any growing sweetcorn in nearby allotments from disease. ''

Protection

''The simplest method of preventing disease is to hire a gardener to watch after your crops for you. Throughout the lands, you will usually have little trouble finding someone willing to help in exchange for a few sacks or baskets of food.''

Soil preparation

''It is critically important for your crops to be planted in the best possible soil if they are to grow successfully. In general, amateur farmers are advised to do their farming within the farming patches available to the public across the lands.''

''Where one is required to grow crops in some other place, the ground must be treated very thoroughly before any seeds are planted. The appropriate treatment shall depend on the nature of the existing soil and the climate.''

Woodland

Mix 2 buckets of dung and 8 buckets of supercompost into the soil.

Desert

''Mix 6 buckets of dung and 4 buckets of supercompost into the soil. Finally, stir in plenty of water with a trowel.''

Mountain

Mix 3 buckets of dung and 7 buckets of supercompost into the soil.

Jungle

''Mix 10 buckets of supercompost into the soil. Pour a vial of plant cure over the soil and provide some means of drainage.''

''It is widely believed that camel dung surpasses all creatures' dung in fertility and stench. Keen farmers preparing soil for important crops should therefore aim to use camel dung wherever possible. It may be freely obtained in the desert lands south of Misthalin.''