Settling into his nightly cultivation Jason keeps his sense on the surrounding area. Soon enough the Adolescent rabbits gather and he is once again treated to the sight of them ranking up all around him. This goes on for a time before Jason remembers he was also going to check the plants. As usual, he had placed them around himself evenly to provide the purest atmosphere to cultivate in. Though this time with the differing number of buds he also alternated them between the plants with many and those with a few.
In front of Jason was the Energy herb with 37 buds. He didn’t even have to try that hard to sense what was happening. The natural energy in the air was being pulled in at a crazy rate. Comparing it to before and Jason got the feel it was somewhere around 20 times more energy being drawn in. Even natural energy in the earth below the plant was being drawn in. Satisfied with his observations Jason switches to sensing the plant behind him. This one was the Energy herb that was trimmed of buds. Despite this though it was still drawing in extra natural energy. However, it was only doing so at about one and a half times the usual speed. A drastic reduction from the 37 bud plant. In fact, while Jason isn’t able to quantify it even in this short amount the speed reduced further.
Jason almost nods to himself at this observation before remembering the surrounding rabbits. Still, he mentally pats himself on the back before moving onto the 20 bud plant. This one is important to him as it was the pair to the no bud plant before trimming. Observing it returns an interesting result. Instead of a linear match to the 37 bud plant this herb was drawing in 13 or 14 times the natural energy. With time the rate drops more towards 13 times. A quick check on the 5 and 10 bud plants shows similar results with rates of eight and ten. Though once again the rate is dropping and the 5 bud plant feels like the absorption is falling faster.
Finally, Jason checks on the plant with a single bud. This one unexpectedly was at five times the rate and dropping fast. Having already studied the other plants Jason takes his time on this one. After a few minutes the absorption rate had dropped to four times but the rate it was falling had slowed down. This pattern continued on for almost a full hour before it stabilized at around the rate of one and a half. With this Jason goes over the rest of the plants one more time. They had all stabilized their rate of absorption. The herb with no buds was down to the usual rate while the 37 bud plant was stable the absorption speed of every other plant was down by one or two.
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Satisfied with his observation Jason turns his attention back to the Adolescent rabbits around him. While they seemed to also be evenly spread out around him after a while Jason noticed some differences. The rabbits ranked up into all the energy types but there was a pattern to it. The ones nearest the plants with low bud counts ranked up the slowest. Not exactly at half the speed but enough to be noticeable. Counter to that though the few in front of the 37 budded plant where ranking up at least twice the speed of all the others, even those near the 20 bud plant. Almost ready to be done with the night and focus on his cultivation Jason notices one final thing. The rabbits near the lower count plants had fewer rank ups into the Spiky rabbit variety. Though at this point despite his mediation Jason was tired and had to stop his observations. Then the night passes on without his notice. Next morning comes and once again the rabbits leave. All around Jason the herbs show different levels of development as he comes to. Putting them away one by one he checks their growth.
“The plant with no buds looks greener, maybe? Not that I was expecting to see the difference right away. I don’t even know if they can continue to produce fruit after the first. Anyway, the plant with a single bud over here has fully bloomed. However, I don’t see the fruit starting to grow. Now the plants with five and ten seem to have matched its growth. Though the ten count plant might be further along. Next I have the plant with 20 which from my quick glance around seems to be the furthest along. The flowers seem to be wilting and the parts that will grow into the berries are swelling. Finally, is Mr. 37 who is the odd one out. While most of the buds have bloomed none of them seem to be fully there. Along with that six of the buds haven’t bloomed. In fact, three of them seem to even be wilting slightly. Combining these observations with last nights and I have an idea of how this works. With more buds the plant will absorb more natural energy. However, while it scales up, it isn’t linear and each new bud has diminishing returns. Now I can’t assume everything from just this. First my farming skill probably improves how well the plants do. Next not all plants will be the same. Having 37 buds is out of reach but with breeding things might change. However this gives me a starting point. I won't change the plants at the moment but next time I should try to get a plant with 30 buds and see how it does. Though likely the best count for growing the berries is around 20, maybe a few less? Anyway I can try that later. These plants haven’t even started to glow.”