The Ming Dynasty started with saving the eldest grandson

Chapter 431: Good Breed
The group soon arrived at the dock, and one can imagine how excited the crew were when they learned that the prince had arrived.

Zhu Xiongying was not in a hurry to see the good varieties, but instead comforted everyone first.

Here he spoke much more conservatively and did not say anything about erecting a monument or writing a biography.

I just want to say that the court has noticed your achievements, and you will be rewarded soon, so your hard work will not be in vain.

Even so, it moved a group of people to tears.

Only then did they go into the cabin and check the various supplies they had brought back.

The first thing to look at is naturally the good varieties.

It has to be said that in the past, netizens jokingly called the Chinese a nation of vegetable growers, which has certain roots.

For example, Chen Yonghe and his team brought back the most seeds of various plants and some branches that could be used for grafting when they went out for adventure.

This time they brought back a total of more than a dozen vegetable and grain seeds, as well as more than a dozen other edible plants.

The most important ones are naturally sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, pumpkins, etc.

These were the first ones to be taken out.

There are seven sweet potatoes, generally the size of a porcelain bowl used for home meals.

It can be seen that this must be the largest one specially selected and brought back.

There were thirty-three potatoes, and what surprised Chen Jingke a little was that the largest one was only about the size of an egg.

It is several sizes smaller than the ones commonly seen in previous lives.

But he could also imagine that potatoes must have been cultivated to achieve high yields.

On the contrary, the sweet potatoes are not much different from the varieties I have seen in my previous life, which is what is strange.

In fact, what he didn't know was that most potatoes are naturally high-yielding, and sweet potatoes are no exception.

This thing has been known for its high productivity since its debut.

In the past, humans focused more on breeding crops to resist insects and diseases, and the increase in yield was not actually that great.

Potatoes are different. The initial yield is not high.

It did not become the staple food immediately after it was introduced to Europe, but it took hundreds of years of breeding to produce high-yield varieties.

Then it became a staple on the table.

The potatoes he saw now were still of the primitive type and could not be considered a good variety.

There is no significant difference between other seeds such as corn, pumpkin, etc. and those in the previous life.

This is not surprising. These things have also been cultivated by the Indians for thousands of years, and their seeds have long been mature.

Unless humans enter the technological age and use technology to unlock high-productivity attributes.

It is difficult to achieve a significant increase in production relying solely on artificial breeding.

In this respect, it is actually similar to rice.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the theoretical yield of rice per mu could reach 400 kilograms, which was the peak that breeding could achieve before the emergence of hybrid rice.

Chen Yonghe knew what they were most concerned about, and pointed at the sweet potatoes and said:

"It is this kind of potato that can produce up to 1,000 kilograms per mu. We have seen it with our own eyes."

Zhu Xiongying reached out and picked up a piece, and it felt heavy in his hand.

Although he still had doubts in his heart, he was very happy to touch the real thing in person.

"Good, good, good. With this, the people of the Ming Dynasty will no longer be afraid of starvation."

"But...why are there only seven?"

Chen Yonghe quickly explained: "When we came back, we brought more than 200 of them and loaded them onto three ships."

"But this stuff doesn't last long in storage. Most of them have rotted. These seven are the only ones left."

Chen Jingke interrupted, "Potatoes can generally be propagated using tubers, and vines can be propagated by cuttings. I think this is also the case."

"Don't underestimate the fact that there are only seven of them. If they are cultivated well, they can be used to grow a lot of crops."

Chen Yonghe quickly said, "Yes, yes, that's right."

"There's a small spot on the potato tuber, right here. Cut it off and bury it in the soil and it will sprout."

"Rattan can be propagated by cuttings and is very easy to survive."

Zhu Xiongying showed a look of relief, carefully looked at the potato in his hand, and said:

"I see. I wonder when this plant was planted? What are its growth habits?"

Chen Yonghe explained: "The locals said that this plant can be planted in April and August, but the yield is lower if planted in August."

Zhu Xiongying's eyes lit up and he said happily, "That's perfect. It's just the beginning of August, so it's a good time to plant a crop."

"It doesn't matter if the yield is lower. One more potato means one more seed for next year."

"Have you learned how to grow this?"

Chen Yonghe hesitated for a moment before saying, "I've learned about it, but I haven't planted it myself..."

Zhu Xiongying waved his hand and said, "It's okay. I will find the most experienced farmer to assist you and make sure to get this species out."

Chen Yonghe naturally did not dare to refuse: "Yes, I obey your command."

Chen Jingke watched silently from the side without saying anything. He knew exactly how to grow this thing.

Not to mention this, he also knows about corn, pumpkin and so on.

After all, I planted a lot in my previous life.

But this was the first time he met her in this life, so naturally he couldn't act very familiar and could only pretend not to know.

But it’s not a big problem, sweet potatoes are really easy to grow.

As long as the season is right, you can see some yield at both high and low levels.

And don’t underestimate the agricultural experts of this era. If they know one thing, they can know everything.

Once they understand the basic habits of a crop, they can figure out how to grow it.

Afterwards, Chen Yonghe introduced some shortcomings of sweet potatoes.

It cannot be used as a staple food. Eating too much will cause heartburn, stomach acid, and easy to produce foul gas (lots of farts).

Therefore, it can only be used as a supplementary food.

Zhu Xiongying was not disappointed. What else does one need for a bicycle if he can produce 1,000 kilograms per mu?
Besides, for ordinary people who have no food to eat, these shortcomings are nothing.

Afterwards, they visited other seeds.

Of the remaining things, Zhu Xiongying was most interested in corn.

With such large particles, the yield is bound to be not too low.

After careful inquiry, I found that this was not the case.

The yield of corn is only about 100 to 200 kilograms. It has no advantage over wheat and the like, and is even less comparable to rice.

Chen Jingke thought to himself, that’s because you don’t know where the corn track is.

This thing has two advantages.

First, the straw is tall, and whether used as animal feed or for other purposes, it is taller than other grain crops.

Secondly, it is particularly suitable for planting in mountainous areas, hilly areas and other lands.

Even on fragmented and infertile land, production will not be significantly reduced.

It is a very important supplement for China, which has a vast territory and complex terrain.

Corn made a great contribution to the increase in grain production in the Qing Dynasty.

But doing so also brings a serious consequence: increased soil erosion.

Wherever there was a bit of soil in the corners, it had been cultivated.

The thin layer of soil that took tens of thousands of years to form in some local areas was almost completely lost in just a hundred years.

Therefore, in old photos of the Qing Dynasty, the backgrounds are bare and there is not much green.

Of course, it is not accurate to attribute all soil erosion to land reclamation and planting.

Another factor is fuel.

Behind the four words "cut wood and make fire" is the current situation where green mountains have been completely cut down.

There is also climate change and the arrival of the Little Ice Age.

In short, a combination of various factors have led to large-scale soil and water loss.

Closer to home.

Despite being disappointed with the yield, Zhu Xiongying did not lose interest in corn.

Anyway, it's always good to have one more food crop. Maybe it has some advantages.

Zhu Xiongying also likes pumpkin, for no other reason than that it is not picky about the soil and has a high yield.

It can be eaten as a vegetable, made into soup, or used as a staple food to fill your stomach when you are extremely hungry.

To put it bluntly, he likes any high-yield crop.

Chen Jingke already knew these things, and apart from the initial surprise, everything else became normal.

Good varieties are important, but they are not a necessity for the current Ming Dynasty.

There is enough food in the Ming Dynasty now, and since the development of Southeast Asia, there is even a surplus.

The arrival of good varieties is just the icing on the cake.

What concerned him more than food was something else.

Cinchona tree.

Chen Yonghe said with some emotion: "...The most dangerous time, more than 20 of us were infected with malaria."

“The medicines we brought with us have all been used up, so we can only ask the local people for help.”

"They were very enthusiastic. After checking the condition, they took out the bark of this tree."

"I boiled the water and drank it, and the disease was cured."

"When I came back, I specifically asked for some seeds."

When Zhu Xiongying heard that it was for treating malaria, he no longer cared.

After Chen Jingke's correction, it was confirmed that Artemisia annua was the legendary Artemisia annua, and the Ming Dynasty already had a way to treat malaria.

Coupled with Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, the hot and humid climate in the south is no longer as deadly as before.

Now, having one more drug to treat malaria won’t have much impact.

To put it bluntly, it is still icing on the cake, not timely help.

Chen Jingke was different. As a doctor, he was well aware of the shortcomings of Artemisia annua decoction.

The biggest disadvantage is that it is not easy to preserve.

Another disadvantage is that the drug content of a single plant is relatively low, and a large dose is required to achieve the best effect.

These shortcomings have little impact in China. After all, Artemisia annua is everywhere, and you can just pick some when needed.

However, it is inconvenient for people who go out to sea or for people whose local area does not produce Artemisia annua.

For artemisinin to truly be effective, it has to wait until technology improves and it can be extracted separately.

Cinchona is different. Its therapeutic effect is not as good as artemisinin, but the amount of medicine it contains per unit volume exceeds that of artemisinin.

The key is that the bark of this thing is very easy to preserve.

If you are really sick, throw the bark in a pot and boil it, and it will be effective.

Although the bark of the cinchona tree contains substances that are harmful to the human body, drinking too much of it can have serious side effects.

But it is fine to take small doses to treat malaria.

So, when Chen Jingke learned that he had brought back cinchona tree seeds, he asked him for them.

No one thought much about it.

After all, he is a miracle doctor, so it is normal for him to be curious about medicine.

After looking at the seeds of the plants, I looked at some other things.

For example, animal fur.

There are indeed some unique animals over there.

They also tried to bring some back, but they all died on the way.

This is normal. After all, it is an expedition team. It is good enough if people can come back alive.

Other animals, even if they don’t starve to death, will become food.

Of course, the most numerous are various utensils, among which obsidian utensils are the most numerous.

These are the ones most commonly used by Indians.

Chen Jingke looked at it carefully and couldn't help but admire it, saying it was indeed unique.

The Indians have developed obsidian technology quite well within their capabilities.

For example, obsidian knives are extremely sharp.

Except for the lack of toughness, it is no worse than metal weapons in other aspects.

There are also obsidian arrows, spears, and short spears...

In a small-scale conflict, it is hard to say who will win.

Of course, they would not be able to fight in large groups.

There are also various exquisite accessories...

If Buddhists saw this thing, they would definitely worship it as a Buddhist artifact.

I can only say that it's a pity for the Indians.

It is their innate conditions that limit their development, it is not really a problem of intelligence.

After watching, Zhu Xiongying ordered the Jinyiwei to pack up all the seeds and take them away, and select some of the distinctive objects to take away.

The rest is left to these people.

But these things are not given for free, although there is no way to reward them for the time being.

Zhu Xiongying still rewarded them as the crown prince.

Before leaving, Chen Jingke looked at the two shabby ships and said with an idea:
"I bought these two ships and some of the items on them at ten times the market price."

Chen Yonghe was very surprised: "Ah... How can this be done?"

He thought Chen Jingke was rewarding them in various ways, and he was very touched.

Chen Jingke said bluntly: "I plan to build a museum... a memorial hall."

“It’s about building a place to preserve these two ships and all the items you used for everyone to see.”

"This is to commemorate your great feat."

It would have been better if he didn't explain. The more he explained, the more moved Chen Yonghe and others were.

I don't dare to think about erecting a monument or writing a biography for them, but I really want to build a place to preserve and exhibit the things they used.

That is also an honor.

Chen Yonghe and others knelt down and kowtowed excitedly again.

After comforting them with a few words, they left.

As for Chen Yonghe and others, officials will naturally come to receive them later.

They are all heroes of China and cannot be treated unfairly.

On the way back, Zhu Xiongying said thoughtfully:
"Are you really going to write a biography for them and build a memorial hall?"

Chen Jingke asked in return: "Aren't they worthy?"

Zhu Xiongying thought about it and said, "It's worth it, but I'm afraid it's difficult."

Chen Jingke sighed, "I know it's really hard to build a monument for them in the name of discovering the New World."

“But don’t forget the good breed.”

"If potatoes can really produce 1,000 kilograms per mu, it will surely shock the world."

"Not to mention building monuments and biographies for them, no one dared to say a word against conferring titles of nobility."

Zhu Xiongying suddenly realized and said, "Yes, in the name of good breed, everything is simple."

"But if you really believe in that potato... that name is really hard to pronounce, give it a proper name."

Chen Jingke smiled and said, "Why don't you pick one? This will also be a good story."

Zhu Xiongying was somewhat tempted, but in the end he shook his head and said:
"My grandfather, grandmother and my father are all here, so it's not my turn to name someone. I should ask them first."

"By the way, do you really believe that thing can produce a thousand kilograms per mu?"

Chen Jingke thought for a moment and said, "Potatoes have always been high-yielding, and I believe this crop is no exception."

"And if we cultivate it carefully, I think the yield will be far more than a thousand kilograms."

Zhu Xiongying said excitedly: "Since you said so, it seems to be almost certain."

"Let's go back to the palace and report the good news to Grandpa Emperor and my father."

(End of this chapter)