In recent years, with the improvement of environmental protection and food safety awareness, people's requirements for agricultural production methods and the quality of agricultural products are getting higher and higher. Against this background, a seemingly "backward" agricultural practice - watering vegetables with manure - has attracted the attention of scientists. Although China's ancestors had already watered vegetables with manure, European scientists had only recently discovered the benefits of the practice. So why did European scientists discover this later than their Chinese ancestors?
First, different geographical and environmental conditions may lead scientists to have different research priorities. As a large agricultural country with a large population, agricultural production has always been an important pillar of the national economy and people's livelihood. As a result, agricultural scientists in China began studying all aspects of agricultural production at an early age, including the maintenance and improvement of soil fertility. In Europe, the importance of agriculture is relatively low due to its earlier industrialization and urbanization. As a result, scientists in Europe may be more focused on issues such as environmental protection and food safety, while ignoring traditional agricultural practices.
Secondly, the methods and means of scientific research are also important factors affecting the development of science. The practice of China's ancestors in watering vegetables with manure in agricultural production is based on their long-term experience and observations. European scientists pay more attention to experiments and data verification, and they need to prove the effectiveness of this practice through scientific methods. The requirements of this scientific method may lead scientists to spend more time and effort on some traditional practices.
Finally, differences in culture and tradition are also one of the reasons for this phenomenon. China's farming culture has a long history, and ancestors have accumulated rich experience and wisdom in agricultural production. They know the importance of manure water for soil fertility and apply it to agricultural production. In Europe, where agricultural production may differ from China due to historical and cultural differences, scientists may not realize the importance of manure for crop growth.
To sum up, the practice of watering vegetables with manure by Chinese ancestors has long been widely used, but European scientists have only recently discovered the benefits of this practice. This difference may be due to differences in geographical and environmental conditions, differences in scientific research methods, and differences in culture and tradition. In any case, this finding has important implications for the sustainable development of agricultural production and environmental protection. On the basis of protecting traditional wisdom, we should strengthen scientific research, promote innovation and development of agricultural production, and realize sustainable development of agriculture and harmonious coexistence between man and nature.