Basic Introduction to Ningling White Wax Rod
The Ningling White Wax Rod is entirely white like jade, firm but not hard, flexible and unbreakable, capable of bending to 180 degrees without splitting. It has strong flexibility, a dense fiber density, and considerable natural tensile strength. It does not split in dry places or deform in humid ones. Its elasticity and toughness are unparalleled by other woods, making it an ideal natural raw material for processing martial arts equipment and various tools. It is highly favored by martial arts enthusiasts both domestically and internationally.
Manufacturing Method
(1) Seed Sowing and Seedling Cultivation
Spring sowing should be done early, typically from late February to early March. Trench row sowing is used, with a seed requirement of 3-4 kg per 667 square meters, at a depth of 4 cm. The depth should be uniform, and the process involves simultaneous trench opening, sowing, and covering of the soil, with a cover thickness of 2-3 cm. To ensure good soil-seed contact, the soil is pressed down after covering.
(2) Cuttings Propagation
This is carried out from late March to early April. Carefully prepare the land and apply sufficient base fertilizer to ensure loose soil and adequate moisture. One-year-old sprouting branches, generally thicker than 1 cm and 15-20 cm long, are selected from healthy young mother trees that grow rapidly and have no pests or diseases. The upper end is cut flat, and the lower end is made into a mule ear shape. Two to three cuttings are placed in each hole, spaced apart, with a row spacing of 40 cm and a plant spacing of 20 cm. In spring, deeper planting is recommended, with the cuttings firmly pressed into the soil and only slightly exposed above ground. Approximately 4,000 cuttings are planted per 667 square meters.
Nursery Management
In the growth process of seedlings, strengthening the management of seedlings is key to growing robust seedlings.
(1) Irrigation and Drainage
According to the different periods of seedling growth, determine irrigation time and quantity reasonably. During the germination period, the bed surface should be kept moist, and irrigation should be frequent but in small amounts. Once the seedlings are fully emerged and cotyledons are completely unfolded, entering the vigorous growth stage, the amount of irrigation should increase while the frequency decreases, with watering every 2-3 days, ensuring thorough watering. Irrigation is best carried out in the morning or evening. In autumn, when there is abundant rain, timely drainage is necessary.
(2) Hoeing and Weed Control
Weeding should be carried out following the principle of “early, small, and complete removal.” Timely removal of weeds is essential. Weeding is best done after rain or irrigation. When the seedlings enter their vigorous growth phase, hoeing should be carried out; initially shallow and later deeper, taking care not to damage the roots. During the hardening phase of the seedlings, to promote lignification, hoeing and weeding should cease.
(3) Fertilization
Fertilization for seedlings should primarily rely on base fertilizers, but these may not meet all the nutritional needs of the seedlings. To ensure rapid and robust growth, nitrogen fertilizers should be applied during the seedling stage, and more nitrogen and potassium fertilizers (or a combination of several fertilizers) during the fast-growing period. In the later stages of growth, nitrogen fertilization should stop, and potassium fertilizers should be applied. Quick-release fertilizers (such as urea, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, superphosphate) should be used for top-dressing, in small quantities and multiple times.
(4) Thinning
To adjust seedling density, thinning and replanting are required. For nurseries using white wax seeds, thinning is usually done twice: the first time when the seedlings have emerged and developed two pairs of true leaves, and the second time when the leaves start overlapping. Thinning should retain the superior and remove the inferior, including poorly developed, diseased, damaged, or overly dense seedlings. Thinning is best done after rain when the soil is moist.
(5) Pest and Disease Control
In the work of preventing and controlling diseases and pests in white wax seedlings, measures such as winter plowing, soil disinfection, selection of high-quality seeds, seed disinfection, proper fertilization, timely early sowing, and good management should be implemented to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests. The main disease affecting white wax is sooty blotch, and the primary pests are leaf rollers and longhorn beetles. The former harms young leaves, while the latter bores into branches. If any diseases or pests are detected, they should be eradicated promptly.
Creating a Large Spear: In the north, the shafts of large spears are generally made from white wax rods. A good spear shaft requires specialized cultivation from sapling stage, with attention paid to sunlight and water. Side shoots must be gently knocked off with a small wooden hammer to ensure a straight and smooth shaft. It usually takes 2-3 years for a shaft to mature, with a success rate of about 5-10%. Consideration must also be given to the user's height and strength. Thus, cultivating a suitable large spear shaft is quite labor-intensive. In the south, rattan sticks are generally used, and finding ones over 2 meters in length that are straight and smooth is very rare. I am less familiar with this aspect. As for the spearhead decoration, it is important to use “Xiniu tail” – not rhino, but “Tibetan yak tail,” commonly abbreviated as “Xiniu tail.”