diskusbooks Chapter 1265
Chapter 1265
"Simply collect this milky white sap, and then process it to turn it into a widely used material."
As he spoke, Wei Wu's hands didn't stop; he took out several items from the system's inventory and placed them in front of Zhu Biao.
They were a soccer ball, a bicycle, and a small bundle of electrical wires, and then Wei Wu pointed to these items and said:
"Brother, you can touch them. These things are all made of rubber."
Next, Zhu Biao touched each one individually, gaining a basic understanding of the rubber material.
At this time, Wei Wucai continued to speak:
"This is called a football, it's used for... never mind, let's not talk about this thing! Brother, look at the tires of this bicycle."
"Tires made of rubber not only greatly reduce wheel vibration, but also make wheel rotation easier."
"And it's also very quiet. Plus, things made of rubber are waterproof. Of course, these aren't the most important things."
At this point, Wei Wu picked up the small bundle of wires, handed it to Zhu Biao, and continued:
"The key is that rubber can be used to make insulation for wires. With it, all we need to do is improve the generator and increase its power output."
"Once the power lines are laid, it won't be impossible to have the entire capital city using electricity in the future!"
Wei Wu had already developed the generator two years ago, but he hadn't found a better insulation material.
The only alternative is petroleum-derived asphalt, but this stuff is difficult to refine and not very safe.
Even if an insulation layer is made of asphalt, it still needs to be protected with something like bamboo tubes on the outside, and even that is not safe.
During the time Wei Wu was away from the capital, several accidents occurred, but fortunately, the people at the Academy of Sciences were able to resolve them.
But with rubber, things became simple; we could simply erect utility poles and run cables overhead, just like in later generations.
In addition, with rubber as the insulation layer, the insulation problem of telephone lines can also be solved, allowing the Ming Dynasty to enter the communication era ahead of schedule.
After Wei Wu's explanation, Zhu Biao finally understood how useful rubber was, and immediately said:
"Xiao Wu, how many rubber trees did you get in total? Are there any restrictions on land and climate for planting them?"
"There are many. We received a total of nine thousand seedlings this time, but planting them will be a bit of a hassle."
Having said that, Wei Wu paused for a moment before continuing:
"Rubber trees are tropical plants and have specific climate requirements. They need an environment with high temperature, high humidity, even rainfall, and low wind."
"Within our Great Ming Dynasty, only a few places such as Qiongzhou Prefecture and Yunnan are suitable for planting. It is best to start by planting in Qiongzhou Prefecture."
"Once it survives and produces seeds, we will introduce it to Yunnan so that the locals can plant it, and then the imperial court will come to collect the rubber."
"This will not only increase the number of rubber trees, but also give local people another way to increase their income."
"After all, a rubber tree can produce latex for 25 to 30 years, making its economic lifespan very long."
No sooner had Wei Wu finished speaking than Zhu Biao suddenly stood up.
"Good stuff!"
Seeing Zhu Biao's reaction, Wei Wu was somewhat surprised, as he felt that the reaction seemed a bit excessive.
Admittedly, rubber trees play an indispensable role in industrial development, but Zhu Biao shouldn't have gotten so excited that he stood up!
Just as Wei Wu was filled with doubt, Zhu Biao directly provided the answer.
"Xiao Wu, you said that this kind of rubber tree can produce that thing called rubber for twenty-five to thirty years?"
"Yup!"
Wei Wu nodded in response, and then asked another question.
"Brother, isn't that a bit too much of a reaction?"
Zhu Biao knew what Wei Wu meant, so he immediately shook his head and then explained: