杰斐逊的植物引种实验及其对美国农业的影响

Thomas Jefferson’s Experiment on Plant Introduction and Its Effect on the American Agriculture

18世纪,为提升国家实力,许多欧洲大国开始从全球范围内大规模引种外来高价值植物,并逐渐形成全球植物流动网络。美国建国初期,在科学实用主义理念的影响下,托马斯·杰斐逊力图通过掌握前沿的植物学知识,建立实验性的园圃,积极参与欧洲国家构筑的全球植物流动网络,实现对外来高价值食用植物、药用植物及经济植物等的引种与推广,最终达到改善美国农业经营模式,增强粮食自给自足能力的目的。尽管杰斐逊引种外来高价值植物的实验大都以失败告终,但仍有部分植物被成功引种和推广,它们在一定程度上促进了美国早期农业的多样化经营,丰富了家庭及农业生产。此外,杰斐逊对引种外来植物的倡导不仅鼓励了当时许多实验农场的建立,更成为留给后世持续推动农业发展的重要遗产。迄今为止,外来高价值植物对美国农业不断改进的影响依然在持续。本质上,植物引种实验是杰斐逊应用实用的植物学来推动美国农业进步的尝试,反映了启蒙科学对他的影响。

In order to enhance the national strength, many European powers began to introduce exotic highvalue plants on a large scale from all over the world in the 18thcentury, which gradually formed a global plant flow network that was dominated by those European powers. In the early period after the foundation of the United States, under the influence of the idea of the scientific pragmatism, Thomas Jefferson sought to introduce and promote foreign high-value edible plants, medicinal plants and economic plants by mastering cutting-edge botanical knowledge, establishing experimental gardens and actively participating in that global plant flow network. Eventually, he intended to achieve the purpose of improving the American agricultural operation mode and enhancing food self-sufficiency. Although most exotic high-value plants which were introduced by Jefferson ended in failure, some of them were successfully introduced and promoted, which to some extent improved the diversification of early American agriculture and enriched family and agricultural production. In addition, Jefferson’s advocacy of introducing exotic plants not only encouraged the establishment of many experimental farms, but also left an important legacy for the continued development of the American agriculture. Until the present,the effect of exotic high-value plants has continued on improving the American agriculture. In essence,the experiment of plant introduction was an attempt of Jefferson applying practical botany to advance the American agriculture, which reflected the influence of the Enlightenment science on Jefferson.