When Xu Guangqi heard this, he followed Zhong Jinwei's gesture and found that Zhong Jinwei was pointing to the statue of Jesus on the wall. He chuckled and said, "Does Marquis Zhongxing believe it too?"
Zhong Jinwei shook his head, he didn't believe this.
Xu Guangqi's current mind is on the Agricultural Research Institute, and he would like to hear Zhong Jinwei's advice.
Xu Guangqi's casual question just now was just polite. When he saw Marquis Zhongxing shaking his head, he said to him: "I dare not ask Marquis Zhongxing what he thinks of this agricultural research institute?"
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, he retracted his thoughts and said, "I think both soft and hard aspects can be improved."
Xu Guangqi was stunned for a moment. There were two parts, soft and hard. What does this mean?
He looked at Zhong Jinwei beside him with a surprised expression, ready to listen to his advice.
"First, I took a quick look at the fields in the evening, and it seemed that the fields were all very monotonous."
When Zhong Jinwei said this, seeing Xu Guangqi's intention to open his mouth, he added: "Master Xu, when I say single, I don't just mean that there are few crops in the field."
Xu Guangqi blinked and thought, what are you referring to?
Without him having to ask, Zhong Jinwei had already explained: "I see that those lands are all dry land. There is no distinction between dry land, wetland, and paddy fields. In addition, I don't see any greenhouses or anything like that."
Xu Guangqi nodded. He had considered most of what Zhong Jinwei said, but he had not yet implemented it.
So he explained this meaning to Zhong Jinwei, and also said: "The emperor has issued an edict that all the two capitals and thirteen provinces in the country must provide some local dominant crops or strange crops for the agricultural research institute to plant. It is estimated that
Some provinces will soon be sent to the capital, and when the variety is enriched, all the things mentioned by Zhongxing Hou will be made one by one."
"Okay, that's good, but the most important thing is a concept issue. I don't think it has changed yet." Zhong Jinwei immediately said another thing.
When Xu Guangqi heard this, he quickly asked: "What is this concept?"
"Mr. Xu, may I ask who does the research in this institute? Is it the officials or the old farmers?" Zhong Jinwei asked Xu Guangqi a question.
"Of course the officials are the main ones. He will be in charge of the agricultural research institute, and then the lower officials will inspect it." Xu Guangqi replied matter-of-factly.
"Wrong." Zhong Jinwei immediately came to a conclusion and denied Xu Guangqi's approach.
"Wrong?" Xu Guangqi was surprised. Could it be possible to let those old farmers be the directors of the Agricultural Research Institute?
What he didn't expect was that what Zhong Jinwei said next was exactly what he thought was impossible: "Mr. Xu, I think that in the Agricultural Research Institute, veteran farmers should be the mainstay, and officials should be the supplementary ones, or to put it directly,
Officials serve the farmers. Officials must satisfy the farmers how they want to plant and what they need, and do their logistical work well."
After Zhong Jinwei said this, when he saw Xu Guangqi's incredible expression, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The concept cannot be changed in a moment.
Even so, Xu Guangqi was considered to have relatively advanced ideas in the late Ming Dynasty, and there was still a concept of scholars first.
Zhong Jinwei further explained to Xu Guangqi, trying to correct the idea of the first open-minded person in the Ming Dynasty: "Mr. Xu, what do you think this agricultural research institute is for? Of course, it should focus on agricultural research, focusing on understanding various crops.
According to the growth law, how to increase yield is the main purpose, isn’t it?”
Xu Guangqi looked at Zhong Jinwei and nodded slowly. This was the original intention of the establishment of the Agricultural Research Institute, so he naturally had no objection.
When Zhong Jinwei saw Xu Guangqi nodding in agreement with his words, he continued: "So, can the officials or the old farmers be qualified for this task? In other words, who is more expert?"
There is no doubt about this. Xu Guangqi replied: "Of course it is those old farmers, otherwise why would we invite them?"
"Okay, there is a saying in my hometown that if an outsider directs an expert, things will get worse. To give an example, take the sweet potato. The old farmer said that it needs to be pruned now, but the officials have a different view. Pruning will hurt the potato.
I don't agree with this, but will the old farmer still cut it? Will he do it based on his own experience?" Zhong Jinwei leaned slightly towards Xu Guangqi and asked him.
Xu Guangqi thought for a while, shook his head and said, "No."
He could foresee that if there was a conflict of opinion between the officials and those old farmers, the opinions of the officials would definitely prevail.
Zhong Jinwei clapped his hands lightly and said with a smile: "That's it. So, let's not talk about other places for now. In this research institute, you must listen to the experts. In other words, the officials must listen to the old farmers.
"
"This..." Xu Guangqi was speechless. It doesn't seem to be in line with common sense for a scholar, a peasant, an industrialist, and a merchant to obey the peasant.
Zhong Jinwei saw that Xu Guangqi seemed unable to accept it for a while, so he said earnestly: "The ideal research institute is actually one where experts command experts, with experienced farmers as the top leaders of the research institute, and experienced administrative staff as the second leaders to assist the top leaders.
Another thing is, as long as you are a researcher at the institute, no matter who you are, it is best to be literate. In this way, you can communicate with each other, check relevant books, or compile your own research results into volumes, and you will get twice the result with half the effort in researching crops.
effect."
When Zhong Jinwei saw Xu Guangqi finally showing a thoughtful expression, he struck while the iron was hot: "Master Xu, think about it, this crop experiment requires recording various data, nutrients, soil, moisture, branches and leaves, etc. Growth conditions. If the amount is small
, I believe that even illiterate old farmers can remember it, but they can’t handle it. How can they still remember it? Even if someone else does it for them, they are still not literate themselves. Isn’t it convenient to record and organize it by yourself? Therefore,
It is best to have literate people in this agricultural research institute, including experienced farmers."
Xu Guangqi shook his head with a wry smile and said to Zhong Jinwei: "Marquis Zhongxing, aren't you embarrassing me? Where can you find such an experienced and literate farmer?"
Zhong Jinwei sat up straight after hearing this and said to Xu Guangqi with great interest: "At the start-up stage, it doesn't matter if you can't find old farmers. You can allocate some literate people to serve as apprentices for them. When they grow up, won't they be experienced and capable people?"
Are you a literate old farmer again? Yes, he is a young old farmer, haha!"
When Zhong Jinwei said it, he laughed at the words he described.
Xu Guangqi also laughed. He understood that the word "old" in what Zhongxing Hou said about young old farmers at the end meant that he was experienced.
After he smiled, he shook his head and replied to Zhong Jinwei: "Marquis Zhongxing, let the literate people become the apprentices of the old farmers and become old farmers in the future. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find such people."
Not to mention the seventeenth century, even in the era of Zhong Jinwei, the later generations still had this concept. The purpose of studying is to go out. Who would be willing to be a farmer anymore.
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, he reminded Xu Guangqi seriously: "Did Mr. Xu forget the universal education I mentioned before?"
Of course Xu Guangqi remembered that he wanted to add mathematics to the teaching content! He nodded and shook his head and said: "Of course I remember, but it can't be done overnight. It is very difficult to implement it at present. What's more,
We have already gone to school, who will become a farmer?"
Zhong Jinwei nodded, knowing the reason, and he concluded: "You look down on the profession of an old farmer, don't you?"