Chapter 639: Spring ploughing on Manhattan Island

After testing, Marin found that the cement ball shells produced by pouring cement directly into the bowls on both sides did not seem compact enough. So, Marin and the craftsmen worked hard to improve the manufacturing method of cement ball shells.

Specifically, first let people use the method of kneading dough to knead a cement ball that is larger than the prescribed cannonball with cement and desperately compact it. Then, put it in the wooden halves of the two halves, and press hard again to press out the excess cement. In this way, after being pressed twice, the structure of the cement ball shell is very tight. Remove the bowl after a while (because it is compacted, there is no need to remove the bowl after an hour, but it can be removed quickly), the cement ball is dried or blown dry, and the obtained cement ball cannonball , And the difference between stone ball shells is not too big.

This method of pouring cement **** to make shells is not too simple. After testing, Marin found that as long as a wooden bowl for the seat mold is provided, a construction worker can produce hundreds of rounds of cement ball cannons a day. The cost is low and the process is simple ... Unlike cast iron ball cannons, an iron factory is required. And a lot of craftsmen. Moreover, because molten iron can burn people, cast iron ball shells are still very dangerous. Accidentally, molten iron splashed on people ...

To produce cement ball shells, just a construction worker, open the cement bag, mix the cement, take out the mold wooden bowl, and then start mass production of cement ball shells. The cost is low, and the production is convenient and fast ... don't need a special venue. Find a place in the wild, mix a pile of cement, and produce shells with energy ... Oh, mother, sounds terrible ...

In order to make the shells stronger, Marin also let people add the thatch with good toughness to the cement ball as the "reinforcement" of cement concrete. Although not as strong as reinforced concrete, it is much better than not needed ...

Uh ...

While Marin and a group of craftsmen were developing cement ball shells, the Governor of Alberta, the governor of the two islands in North America, was directing immigrants to start a vigorous spring plough in the North American colony.

Because of the experience of the last arrow almost dying, the young Albert suddenly matured a lot. After he was injured, Albert became personal, and the whole person became more calm and more careful ...

Once, Albert saw his brother Marin wearing plate armor every time he went out, and mocked Marin timid. However, after almost dying last time, Albert finally understood Marin's approach. If he wore a chest plate armor last time, then the poor indigenous bow and arrow of that native would not cause him any harm.

I do n’t know, Marin was killed by a brick in his previous life. People who have died once are naturally more desperate and more careful. Therefore, every time he went out, Marin would wear a chest plate armor and a helmet. In addition, there is a group of strong men around him, blocking his guns and arrows at any time ...

Although he did n’t know Marin ’s real thoughts, after the last thing, Albert also began to sacrifice his life ...

Before, Albert, who liked the civilian style more, always wore silk robes and looked more like a civilian. But after the last incident, Albert began to pay attention to his own safety issues. After all, if you have suffered a loss, you will not change it.

Today, when Albert went out to inspect the spring farming, he still wore a silk robe outside, but inside he wore a steel plate vest. In addition, although the hat on the head is also a civilian style, but the hat is also padded with steel sheets, high carbon steel steel sheets ...

It is worth mentioning that this year's spring cultivation of the two islands in North America has shifted its focus-to Manhattan Island bought from the Delaware ...

Although the total area of ​​Amerigo and Columbus is larger than that of Manhattan, the freshwater resources on the two small islands are far inferior to Manhattan.

Why? Because Manhattan Island is a long island in the middle of the Hudson River. Although it is also surrounded by water, the islands of Amerigo and Columbus are surrounded by sea water. The agriculture on the island relies on small rivers with freshwater resources on the island.

And Manhattan Island is also surrounded by water on all sides, but it is surrounded by fresh water on all sides, which is very convenient for planting.

Therefore, Albert directly moved the Governor's Mansion to Manhattan Island and cultivated it on a large scale on Manhattan Island, intending to make 59 square kilometers of Manhattan Island into an agricultural island.

In this era, the irrigated land along the river is a treasure in Europe. Because, installing a big waterwheel by the river, no manpower is needed for irrigation, which is very convenient. In Europe, the irrigated land by the river is generally used to grow high-value wheat. Rye is grown only if it does not depend on the land by the big river. After all, the difference between wheat and rye is several times.

Manhattan Island is an elongated island at the mouth of the Hudson River. The whole island is flat and easy to get water, which is very suitable for irrigation. Therefore, Albert simply built a dozen large waterwheels on the island's riverside, using natural hydraulic power to irrigate.

For safety, Albert also built a small castle in the center of Manhattan Island to serve as the Governor ’s Mansion. In addition, around Manhattan Island, five bunkers were built to guard against attacks by the Indians.

Under the protection of 5 bunkers, the farmers on the island began to work hard ...

The farmers on the island were all brought by Albert from Cape Breton Island. Before, Marin transported tens of thousands of English refugees to Cape Breton Island. Albert felt too wasteful, so he asked Garland to ask for thousands of people to come. As it happened, not much labor was needed on Cape Breton Island, and Garland sent thousands of immigrants to Albert.

Thousands of people developed an island of only 59 square kilometers, that is absolutely enough. It happened that Marin delivered a lot of cattle imported from Crimea to Albert. With sufficient manpower and cattle, Albert started to develop Manhattan Island directly. In this regard, Marin also agreed. After all, with the development of Manhattan Island, the Grand Duchy of the North Sea can truly count as a foothold on the North American continent. Earlier Cape Breton Island, North American Twin Islands and Newfoundland were all suspended overseas. Only when they established a firm foothold on Manhattan Island could they reach into the North American continent.

Because of sufficient labor force and cattle breeding, and the elongated Manhattan Island freshwater resources are very rich. Therefore, Albert directly decided to grow wheat on a large scale on Manhattan Island.

Wheat is a high-value agricultural product. A pound of wheat can be sold in Germany for 5 fennies. Love. After all, white bread made of fluffy wheat noodles is a symbol of nobility. And the most excellent queen bread with honey, cream and spices is only affordable by the big aristocracy ...

Albert is very economically conscious. He knows that if all wheat is grown on Manhattan Island, when the wheat harvest is harvested, the wheat is shipped back to Europe, which is much more expensive than selling rye.

Of course, limited by age and knowledge, Albert does not know how to be low-key and hidden. Unlike Marin, it is more cautious, even if there are a lot of rye, they dare not sell it open. Otherwise, Tieding will be beaten by groups, and then forced to hand over high-yield agricultural secrets.

Fortunately, Manhattan Island is not large, and it will look like 10,000 acres of cultivated land (it can not be all cultivated land, as well as construction area and ditch area, and road). That is, 60,000 mu, even if all the wheat is grown and the yield is high, it will be like 30 million pounds of wheat. This amount of scale, even if it is invested in the European market, will not make too much of a splash, and it is not easy to attract attention. Unlike Marin's rye, which is often worth billions of pounds, if it is put on the market on a large scale, it is estimated that the price of rye can be suppressed by half. But if this is the case, Marin estimates that it is not far from being beaten by all European groups ...

But anyway, the value that 60,000 mu of wheat land can create is indeed quite high. According to 5 fenny per pound, 30 million pounds of wheat can be exchanged for 150 million fenny, which is 2.5 million gold coins, which is very scary. Because this is higher than the annual fiscal revenue of the Republic of Venice, and double the annual fiscal revenue of France ...