Chapter 146 Agricultural Research Institute
August 19, 1868.
In Berlin, the Hechingen Foundation reached an agreement with a number of German research or academic institutions.
The Hechingen Foundation will provide funds and experimental land to build a research facility in East Africa dedicated to research. The East African Agricultural Research Institute is a research institute for local agricultural crops and tropical plants in East Africa.
“It’s a pleasure to work with you, Professor Anton Peruzzi!” Ernst raised his glass and said to Anton Peruzzi.
Anton Peruzzi drank all the food in his hand and said: "It's all for Germany!"
As a tropical agriculture expert in the German region, Anton Peruzzi accepted the invitation from the Hechingen Consortium. , it can be said that my life was extremely unsatisfactory.
While colleagues from other countries are traveling around the world and have their own experimental sites and sufficient funds, Anton Peruzzi can only conduct his own science in a small laboratory in Germany. Research.
Germany relies on imports of all tropical crops, and the local nobles are only interested in increasing the food production capacity of their own fields.
Germany has a temperate climate, so naturally all research funds and talents are tilted towards studying crops suitable for local growth.
No German noble was interested in researching tropical crops, let alone investing in a project that was destined to be unprofitable.
Germany’s research on tropical crops is basically zero compared to other local disciplines, which is the worst for Anton Peruzzi.
The emergence of the East African colonies changed this situation. Now the Germans also have a large colony in the tropics.
Furthermore, the agricultural conditions in this colony are quite good. In order not to waste the talents of this land, we must pay attention to the research of local agriculture.
The purpose of establishing the East African Agricultural Research Institute is to develop the agricultural talents of East Africa as much as possible.
Although the climate conditions in East Africa are not unique, the Brazilian Plateau at the same latitude is similar to East Africa.
But after all, every place has its own characteristics, which need to be discovered slowly.
In the past, colonial agriculture in East Africa was a borrowing system, directly citing mature planting and plans from around the world, or directly hiring experts in related fields.
The work of the East African Agricultural Research Institute is mainly about breeding, crop disease control, and increasing grain yield per unit area...
In order to support the work of Anton Peruzzi and others, Hechingen The consortium provided eight experimental sites covering an area of more than 300 acres.
Experimental sites have been set up from coastal plains to inland plateaus, from the arid desert edges in the north to the humid zones in the south, and along the coasts of East Africa's three great lakes.
"Professor Anton Peruzzi, as for you, please rest assured to carry out research work in East Africa. We will try our best to provide all the support your team needs. Your family, our company will always take care of them. life," Ernst told Anton Peruzzi.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your contribution to German agriculture." Anton Peruzzi did not dare to be too generous in front of the donor, and he was also a top noble donor.
“You’re welcome, this is what I should do. Due to the impact of division, our Germany has lost many interests around the world, allowing other countries to become bigger and stronger overseas. Now Germany is getting closer and closer to reunification. In the near future, we will definitely expand our own interests overseas.
So, what you and I are doing is just to pave the way and prepare for the future overseas expansion of the German nation. When the time comes, Anton Perouse will do so. , your research results will definitely become famous." Ernst said with great enthusiasm.
But Anton Peruzzi took it seriously. In recent years, German nationalism has awakened. With the rapid rise of Prussia, the industry in the German region has developed rapidly.
The German people's self-confidence is getting stronger and stronger. Now there is only one opportunity for Germany to soar into the sky, and this opportunity is naturally the Franco-Prussian War.
Anton Peruzzi, like many Germans, firmly believes that Germany is one of the greatest nations, so he has no doubts about what Ernst said that Germany will develop its own interests overseas in the future.
"Your Highness, the Germans will never forget the great achievements of the pioneers. I am just a small agricultural expert, and it is nothing compared to what you have done." Anton ·Peruzzi said flatteringly.
“There is no distinction between noble and humble career. In my eyes, what you do contributes to the whole world. Let’s fight together and fight together!” Ernst praised without hesitation, He said a toast to Anton Peruzzi. There was a lot of drinking and drinking at the cocktail party, and everyone was satisfied.
A few days later, the port of Hamburg.
"Hello, Mr. Anton Peruzzi!"
"Who are you?"
"I am the East African staff who is handling you, you can call me For Daniel Zhang, I will help you have a good journey on the sea this time. If you need anything, you can tell me.”
"Hello, Zhang, thank you for your company's support for our business." Anton Peruzzi said politely.
“This is what we should do, sir, please come with me, we have reserved a room for you on the ship.” As he spoke, Daniel Zhang picked up Anton Peruzzi’s luggage and went Start leading the way.
Soon, the group arrived on the "Merry", a large ocean-going ship built by the Hamburg Hechingen Shipyard.
"Daniel Zhang, I see there are many Germans on this ship. Are they also going to the East African colonies?"
"Yes, sir, these are all going to East Africa for development. "East Africa is now an important choice for many Germans, and there are nearly two million Germans in East Africa," Daniel Zhang said.
"I see! But there are two million Germans. There can't be so many colonies in East Africa!" Anton Peruzzi questioned.
You must know that even in Germany itself, there are few countries with a German population of more than one million. Anton Peruzzi naturally does not believe that a little-known colony has as many as one million Germans. .
"Mr. Anton Peruzzi, it's like this. The existence of other ethnic groups is not recognized in East Africa. All residents living in East Africa must learn German culture. Everyone who converts to German culture from the heart People are automatically classified as Germans," said Daniel Zhang.
"So that's it! What about you?"
"Yes, I am a German. I studied and graduated from the Hechingen Military Academy."
Anton Peruzzi had no idea which school the Military Academy Hechingen was, but he knew Hechingen.
Looking at the yellow-skinned German in front of him, Anton Peruzzi felt strange, but Anton Peruzzi didn't say anything.
Isn’t this just assimilation! Cultural elements like Anton Peruzzi and other upper-class German figures were the main force in advocating German nationalism.
For Anton Perutz, everything in Germany is the best. Although the policies of the East African colonies are somewhat nondescript, Anton Perutz, an authentic German cultural man, feels a little bit. It may not be adaptable, but if one’s own national culture is used as the core of assimilation, it is not unacceptable.
For example, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, national integration is not impossible. The problem is that both Austria and Hungary want to use their own culture as the core to integrate other nationalities, which naturally cannot be done.
East Africa has always been German-centric, and education and other aspects are all in German, and those who are assimilated are more willing to assimilate, so naturally they will not have the troubles of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
One of the important reasons is that there are few intellectuals like Anton Perouse among the East African immigrants.
If you invite a group of slightly educated people from the Far East to come over, they will not say anything, but will definitely secretly connect with each other secretly. This is the case with family forces with cultural heritage in Southeast Asia.
So the East African colonies introduced a large number of illiterates in order to reduce the cost of assimilation. The ideas of those who received non-German education have long been stereotyped, and they may not be able to change them even if they are modified.
(End of this chapter)