• Assess the quality of soil to determine crop planting plans and dig trenches accordingly • Seed crops by hand or by using dedicated machineries by ensuring that they are planted in designated areas • Irrigate farm soil by
using irrigation channels and ensure that pipes and pumps are properly maintained • Assign work activities to farm hands and direct and monitor them to ensure that they work according to specifications
By contrast, the «tuntian»
irrigation systems — introduced by the Han Dynasty at the Xinjiang communities of Milan and Loulan —
used longer, wider and deeper straight - line
channels to irrigate much larger areas, with one irrigating more than 12,000 acres.