Soybeans

Trucks waiting to dispatch their loads of soybeans at Usina Mato Grosso on the Santarém-Cuiabá Highway.

The Thief at the End of the World

I'm delighted to have received Joe Jackson's book, The Thief at the End of the World. I'm even more pleased to have received it from the author, himself. Joe spent one morning with me at Bosque Santa Lucia in October, 2005, while researching the life of Henry Wickham, the alias "thief", who made off with the rubber tree seeds. Wickham immigrated to the Amazon from England in 1871, and farmed at piquía-tuba, which is at the top of the hill on the way to the Bosque. It can't be more than 3-4 kilometers away, as the vulture flies. Knowing the place and some of the history of rubber, I savored every last word in Joe's book. Image: latex forming from a cut on a rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) at Bosque Santa Lúcia.

Henry Ford in the jungle

On my trip to Belterra a few days ago, I made a stop to collect some Brazilian cedar (Cedrela odorata) seeds from that very high tree in the middle of the image, the one without leaves. It was loaded with pods, but none had fallen. I thought the tree might be dead, since our cedar trees at Bosque Santa Lucia have been in full dress since the rainy season started. A local employee came out of a neighboring building to say hello. He had visited our Bosque a few years ago as part of a course he was taking in Santarem. He told me that the tree was very much alive, but the seed pods hadn't started to fall. The neat white house in the background is referred to as "House Number one." It was build exclusively for Henry Ford, who had planned a visit to his rubber tree plantations in the Amazon. Unfortunately, the trip was canceled because of the death of his son and the industrial magnate never scheduled another visit. As a matter of fact, Henry Ford never once set foot in the Amazon.

Andiroba oil

The better known byproduct of the andiroba seeds is óleo de andiroba, or andiroba oil. The medicinal use of this oil is widespread throughout the Amazon and most of Brazil. Obviously, it was first discovered by the Indians, long before the Europeans arrived on the scene. The small bottle shown in the image is one I keep at Bosque Santa Lucia for visitors, when they forget their insect repellent. Most people don't like the smell of the oil, but it does the job. It's also used to rehydrate the skin and stop itching. I need to restock my supply.

Andiroba seeds

I picked up these andiroba seeds (Carapa guianensis) in Belterra a few days ago and they've since been planted at Bosque Santa Lucia. As you can see, they're really very large seeds. If planted right away, they germination rate is very good. There are a few of these trees at Bosque Santa Lucia, one already producing seeds. The family is Meliaceae, the same as mahogany.

Henry Ford in Belterra

Another old friend we encountered at the Book Fair was Henry Ford, founder of rubber tree plantations at Fordlandia and Belterra. I didn't pay a lot of attention to details, but I think this exhibit was sponsored by the Municipality of Belterra, which borders with the Santarem Municipality. I've never seen this painting of Ford before, although it's similar to a photograph that hangs on the wall of the ICBS Library.