Chapter 267: The Busy Minister of Agriculture
"Additionally, make more use of the Church's resources," Joseph instructed. "In many cases, the Church's efficiency far surpasses that of our bureaucratic system, and the farmers trust the priests' words more."
Vénio nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Your Highness, the Church contributed significantly to promoting the new composting methods earlier."
Joseph smiled. "We can't let them collect all that tithe without some effort, can we?"
In this effort to weaken feudal privileges, Joseph had deliberately avoided targeting the Church for now, aiming to minimize resistance. After all, the current Prime Minister was a former Archbishop of Toulouse, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Talleyrand, though a "worldly priest," still held the title of Archbishop.
Since the Church in France was heavily dependent on royal authority and generally cooperative with the monarchy, gradual reform would suffice. They were, after all, much easier to handle than the nobility.
However, Vénio was startled by Joseph's remark. In this era, the Church was not to be mocked lightly. He immediately turned his head, pretending he had heard nothing.
Joseph continued discussing his agricultural plans. "Many of the former lords' hunting grounds will gradually be converted into farmland."
The abolition of hunting privileges was a key element of the newly issued Decree on the Abolition of Noble Privileges, which returned much of the public land monopolized by the nobility as hunting grounds to the farmers for cultivation. This greatly increased the amount of arable land—though its true utility would depend on forthcoming plans for farmers to purchase the land.
"You'll need to make some plans to encourage farmers to plant vegetables, especially in parishes closer to the cities. For example, initial financial subsidies can be provided, and the government can organize transportation to bring vegetables to the cities for sale, thereby reducing farmers' transportation costs."
In contemporary France, the exorbitant cost of transportation meant that farmers could hardly make a profit if they were more than four kilometers from the market.
Joseph glanced downward as he spoke. "This is why we need to build more railroads. With wooden railways, vegetables from rural areas could be transported tens of kilometers."
Vénio hesitated. "Your Highness, as far as I know, there is already enough supply of vegetables like onions and carrots in the cities..."
Onions? Carrots? Joseph couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. To someone from the great land of gastronomy, the Minister of Agriculture's statement was practically heretical.
But he also understood that these were the staples of the French people's diet at the time. Or rather, being able to pair vegetable soup with their daily black bread was already considered a decent standard of living.
"You mustn't limit yourself to these items," Joseph said, helping him broaden his perspective. "First, chili peppers. They require only a small amount to significantly improve the flavor of food.
"Next, tomatoes. While they're more challenging to grow and don't store well, you can promote making tomato paste—it's simple to prepare, requiring just glass jars. I'll elaborate on this later.
"In addition to these, cultivate asparagus and artichokes in less fertile soils. These plants are hardy and yield high harvests."
These vegetables had already been introduced to France and even grown in the gardens of Versailles, but their cultivation among the general populace remained limited.
Vénio diligently noted down the Crown Prince's instructions but was still puzzled. "Your Highness, why expend so much effort on vegetables? I mean, grains and potatoes are the most crucial."
"Commercial value," Joseph replied with a smile. "With minimal land resources, we can greatly improve the quality of life for both farmers and city dwellers. Why shouldn't we do it?"
Joseph knew that even after abolishing noble privileges, the lower classes were still only barely surviving. They were far from content with society—a gap that posed dangers amidst the uncertainty within the old noble class and the military.
Thus, improving the quality of life for the lower classes was an equally critical task.
In reality, if the monarchy could secure overwhelming support from the lower classes, it would be untouchable. Of course, with the current productivity levels, achieving satisfaction for 96% of the population was a pipe dream.
But improving their living standards as much as possible was attainable.
For instance, making their meals more varied.
This could be achieved with affordable vegetables and improved cooking methods.
As for cooking, France had no shortage of skilled chefs. Moreover, Joseph could introduce traditional culinary techniques from his homeland, ensuring even a simple cabbage could be turned into a gourmet dish.
After a day's hard work, if the people could enjoy stir-fried dishes or hearty soups alongside their black bread, they would undoubtedly feel a sense of gratitude toward their king.
Joseph instructed Vénio, "You must also collaborate with the Church to produce a simple cookbook. Have the priests or nuns organize weekly cooking lessons for the women.
"Yes, and include this slogan: 'To win his heart, start by satisfying his stomach.'"
As he spoke, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
Eymond peered outside the window, then turned back and bowed to Joseph. "Your Highness, the wooden railway ends here. We'll need to switch to a carriage for the remainder of the journey."
Joseph nodded. For now, the wooden railway extended only to the western edge of Reims. Its construction was still costly, and it radiated no more than a few dozen kilometers from Paris.
As he boarded the carriage, he casually glanced at the three horses harnessed to it. An idea struck him, and he turned to Vénio. "By the way, are you familiar with soybeans?"
Vénio, being well-informed, nodded. "You mean the beans from the Far East? Some botanists have shown interest in them. Oh, and I believe some farmers in Georgia, America, grow them as cattle feed."
Joseph felt a sense of relief knowing that soybeans had already been introduced to France. He had feared he might need to source seeds from Asia himself.
"I need you to promote this crop in France, especially in the northern provinces."
"Yes, Your Highness. Are we to use it for feeding livestock?"
Joseph gestured for him to get in the carriage. "It can be used to feed cattle or to make soy sauce... a type of seasoning. But during wartime, soybeans are the best feed for warhorses—they're compact, easy to carry, and significantly boost a horse's stamina with just a small amount."
Compared to the oats currently used in Europe as the primary "nutritional supplement" for warhorses, soybeans were far superior. They required only a third of the quantity to achieve the same results.
This would be a significant improvement for logistics and transportation—after all, warhorse feed was the largest burden on the supply chain.
Moreover, soybeans were easy to carry. Cavalrymen could simply pack a few handfuls in their pouches to sustain their horses for days, eliminating the need for frequent returns to camp for resupply.