Abstract

CASTRO, Anna Raquel de Matos; SANJAD, Nelson  and  ROMEIRO, Doralice dos Santos. From rubber tree homeland to rubber tree plantation: Jacques Huber and his studies on the culture of heveas in the East (1911-1912). Bol. Mus. Para. Emilio Goeldi Cienc. Hum. [online]. 2009, vol.4, n.3, pp.503-545. ISSN 1981-8122.

The paper deals with the trip of the Swiss botanist Jacques Huber (1867-1914) to the main eastern rubber producing countries between 1911 and 1912. This trip was intended to develop studies on the cultivation of Hevea brasiliensis in that region. Huber was commissioned with the task by the State of Pará governor João Coelho, who wanted to find solutions to the downfall of the regional economy. The economy of Amazonia was primarily based on rubber extractivism and was seriously endangered due the market controlled by England from eastern plantations. Back to Brazil, Huber published a report with information about the society, economy and environment where the rubber trees were cultivated. The report compiles scientific observations and the topics that motivated the regional elites in that context. In addition to the brief analyses of the report, photographs took by Huber in the East of rubber trees plantations, tree tapping and local workers are published.

Keywords : Jacques Huber; Hevea; Rubber tree; Rubber; Amazon.

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