Chapter 146 Agricultural Research Institute
August 19, 1868.
In Berlin, the Hechingen Foundation has reached agreements with a number of German research or academic institutions.
The Hechingen Consortium will provide funds and experimental land to build a research institution in East Africa dedicated to studying local agricultural crops and plants in tropical areas - the East African Agricultural Research Institute.
"Professor Anton Peruzzi, happy to work with you!" Ernst raised his glass and said to Anton Peruzzi.
Anton Peruzzi drank all the wine in his hand and said: "It's all for Germany!"
As a tropical agriculture expert in the German region, Anton Peruzzi had a very unsatisfactory life before accepting the invitation from the Hechingen Consortium.
While colleagues from other countries traveled around the world and had their own experimental sites and sufficient funds, Anton Peruzzi could only conduct his own scientific research in a small laboratory in Germany.
Germany, on the other hand, 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 all research funds and talents are naturally directed towards the study of 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.
German research on tropical crops is basically zero compared to other local disciplines, and this is the worst thing for Anton Peruzzi.
The emergence of the East African colonies changed this situation. Now the Germans also have a large colony in the tropics.
Moreover, 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 based on borrowing, directly quoting 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 prevention and control, and increasing grain yield per unit area...
In order to support the work of Anton Peruzzi and others, the Hechingen 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 feel free 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 their lives." Ernst Said to 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 to reunification, and it will definitely move forward in the future. Expand our own interests overseas.
Therefore, 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, your research results will definitely become famous. "Ernst painted the pie to his heart's content.
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 Ernst's words 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. Compared with the achievements you have done, I am not worth mentioning." Anton Peruzzi patted Flattery.
"There is no such thing as a noble or humble career. In my eyes, what you do contributes to the whole world. Let's fight together and fight together!" Ernst praised without hesitation and paid tribute to Anton. ·A glass of Perouse.
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 will assist you. You can call me Daniel Zhang. I will help you have a good journey on the sea during this trip to East Africa. 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." With that, Daniel Zhang picked up Anton Peruzzi's luggage and began to lead the way.
Soon, the group came to 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 immigrants who want to go to East Africa to develop. Now East Africa is an important choice for many Germans. There are nearly two million Germans in East Africa." Daniel Zhang introduced.
"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 will be automatically classified. Be German,” said Daniel Chang.
"So that's it! What about you?"
"Yes, I am a German. I studied and graduated from the Military Academy in Hechingen."
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 Perouse, everything in Germany is the best. Although the policies of the East African colonies are somewhat nondescript, which makes Anton Perouse, an out-and-out German cultural man, feel a little uncomfortable, but if it is Taking the national culture as the core of assimilation 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 immigrant community.
If you invite a group of people from the Far East with a little bit of culture, they won't say anything, but they will definitely connect secretly secretly. This is the case with family forces with cultural heritage in Southeast Asia.
Therefore, the large-scale introduction of illiteracy in the East African colonies was also to reduce the cost of assimilation. The thinking of those who received non-German education has long been stereotyped, and it may not be possible to change it even if it is changed.
