The Rise of the European Emperor

At the private meeting, Marin gave a detailed introduction to the situation in Brazil to Schwartz, Kahn, Wagner and Steindorf and other important nobles, and explained his plan to take their fief to Brazil in the future . However, Marin said that they would limit their recruitment from the local population to develop Brazil. Because he didn't have enough North American population.

Wagner questioned:

"Then, Grand Duke, how can we develop such a large land with no population?"

This is a very contradictory decision. Since Marin gave them better land (agriculturally) than Europe, but restricted them from recruiting immigrants from the mainland, it was difficult. After all, no matter how good the land is, someone needs to develop it!

Marlin responded:

"It's not to prevent you from recruiting people, but to restrict your recruitment from the local population, especially the Germans. My plan is to allow you to send hundreds of local guards to control the colony. As for the labor force, you can arrest the locals. Really. No, you can also buy niggers. Or you can recruit French and Poles."

After a pause, Marin emphasized again:

"However, I would like to remind you that within 30 years, it is best not to recruit foreigners who have connections with the mainland. For example, if you want to recruit French people, it is best to recruit people with clean backgrounds and no connections with France."

"Why?" Steindorf was puzzled.

Marin explained:

"America is too big. Brazil alone is much bigger than mainland France. But now the whole of Europe has been deceived by me, and everyone mistakenly thinks that America is a terrible wild land. That's why no one competes with us for America now."

"And if you mistakenly recruit French people who have connections with the French mainland, if the information is sent back to the French mainland, do you think the French will go to snatch Brazil? France has a population of 15 million. If they are determined to fight with us Grab it, no one can grab it!"

Everyone nodded to express their understanding. Indeed, compared with France, the native population of Beihai is too small. With a population of over 2 million, not even a fraction of that of France. It's no wonder that Marin refuses to give too many people to them. After all, North America also needs a lot of people to develop.

"Then we buy Ross slaves?" Schwartz asked.

Marin nodded:

"Yes, it's good to buy slaves. Slaves are not free, and they won't have much to do with the local area. But if you buy Slavs, you must pay attention to religious issues. The Russians are all Orthodox Christians.

If the proportion of the population is too large, there will definitely be problems in religion. Therefore, if you buy Ross slaves, you must ensure that the proportion of the population is not high, and you must convert to Catholicism! "

Several people nodded repeatedly, they didn't care about these, anyway, as long as the colony can be developed.

As for how to develop Brazilian agriculture in the future, Marin gave suggestions based on his memory—focus on the development of coffee planting, and in addition, yerba mate tea planting can also be developed.

Mate tea is a very special tea drink in Paraguay, South America, and its origin is the jungle area of ​​Paraguay. In later generations, Argentines were very popular drinking yerba mate, just like Chinese people drinking tea. In addition, the southern states of Brazil (that is, the states assigned to military nobles by Marin) and Uruguay are also very popular in drinking yerba mate.

Yerba mate is very important in South America. In the 1860s, the brutal "Paraguay War" even broke out. At that time, the reason why Brazil assembled an army of 100,000 and invaded Paraguay, which had only hundreds of thousands of people, was mainly to compete for the Mato Grosso region (that is, the later Mato Grosso South State), which was rich in yerba mate. ).

Why is Brazil so determined to seize the Mato Grosso region instead of planting it itself? This involves an interesting fact - it is said that the seeds of yerba mate are very difficult to germinate. Because the seed coat is very thick, it is difficult for the shoots inside to break through the thick seed coat.

If you plant it directly from the seed, it will not germinate at all. Then, at that time, people thought that the Paraguay region was suitable for the growth of yerba mate. It was not until later that people discovered that the seeds of yerba mate had to be swallowed by a special kind of bird with bright feathers in Paraguay, and then digested, not digested, but excreted with feces. But at this time, the appearance of the yerba mate tea seeds has been digested a lot, and the yerba mate seeds are mixed in the bird droppings, and the nutrients are sufficient before they can germinate.

And because this planting method is too peculiar, and the birds that devour mate tea seeds are only found in Paraguay and the nearby border areas of Brazil and Argentina. Therefore, the planting of yerba mate is only in Paraguay and the border areas of Brazil and Argentina bordering Paraguay, especially the Mato Grosso area, which was snatched by Brazil, is the largest...

Marin intends to let the Brazilian colony close to the later generations of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to produce coffee mainly. The jungle area near Paraguay focuses on the cultivation of yerba mate.

Now that he knows that the yerba mate seeds need to be swallowed and digested by a special local bird before they can germinate, Marin can completely ask his staff to raise this kind of bird and help digest the yerba mate seeds professionally...

In addition, the Paraguay region in later generations seems to be an important production area of ​​tung oil. Moreover, Marin felt that the southern states of Brazil at the same latitude as Paraguay should also be suitable for the cultivation of tung tree. Even, it may be more suitable than Paraguay.

After all, although the climate of Paraguay is similar to that of southern China, the terrain is a bit low. In the southern states of Brazil, there are many mountains and hills, which are suitable for the growth of tung tree. Even if the coast is not suitable, the hills in the interior near Paraguay will certainly do.

Then, lacquer trees and the like can be planted here, and they can also be regarded as important industries. Not to mention fruit trees, the local environment is very suitable for planting apples, pears, oranges, grapes and other fruits. Among them, grapes can also make wine. Of course, these are cash crops.

As for food cultivation, Marin recommends rice cultivation. After all, the staple food of later generations of Brazil is also rice, which shows that the local area is very suitable for growing rice. Moreover, the descendants of Brazil's upland rice are quite famous.

Meanwhile, Brazil also appears to be a major producer of soybeans. Although soybean is not a staple food, it is also very important because it can provide vegetable oil for humans and can be used as concentrated feed for livestock.

As for livestock breeding, Marin remembers that in later generations Brazil mainly raised zebu, that is, Indian cattle. Because Zebu is not afraid of heat and is very suitable for tropical and subtropical climates.

In this way, if you want to develop Brazil, maybe black slaves are not the best choice. The best choice is actually to go to India to buy some untouchables who can farm. Because Indians are experienced in growing rice, soybeans, or serving zebu.

In the early development of Brazil, the population and zebu were introduced directly from India. Brazil is much closer to India than the mainland, and it is very convenient to import labor and cattle from India.

Marin didn't know how much impact the economic plan for developing Brazil he set for his men today had on Brazil. Because he admires Indians who know how to grow rice and soybeans, and he also admires Indian zebu. As a result, the aristocrats under him kept importing Indian labor and Indian zebu. Hundreds of years later, Brazil was very Indianized. Fortunately, Indians are used to being conquered, so they don't make much trouble. In particular, the Indians introduced by Marin's nobles are mainly untouchables who are very obedient and very easy to manage. Give them a little respect, and they will be grateful. Moreover, the strange thing is that they themselves feel that they are humble, and tell their descendants that you are the descendant of a bitch, and you are born with humble blood... How strange...