The oldest rubber garden in Vietnam

DONG NAI - Once a place used for experimental rubber planting by the French in 1906, Dong Nai still preserves a garden of ancient trees over 100 years old.

The 8-hectare rubber garden (also known as Lot 9) in Bau Ham 2 commune, Thong Nhat district was first planted by the French in Vietnam under the name Suzanah plantation in 1906. The garden is currently managed by An Loc Rubber Farm and is considered a conservation garden of the Vietnamese rubber industry.

The garden campus was restored by Dong Nai Rubber Corporation with the original house of rubber workers during the French colonial period in 2015 so that visitors, students and pupils can better understand the traditional historical value of the industry.

According to recorded documents, around 1906, the French planted 1,000 rubber trees in Dau Giay on a trial basis. Seeing that the trees grew quickly and produced latex, they developed plantations throughout the provinces of the Southeast.

The traditional Vietnamese glazed tile roof is still preserved in the house. Inside, there are many items recreated from the rubber tappers of the past. The preserved rubber garden was recognized as a provincial relic by Dong Nai province in 2009.

In 1980, the rubber industry stopped tapping latex in this garden to preserve it and serve the historicaleducation of the younger generation. Traces of a rubber tapping knife remain on the trunk of an ancient rubber tree.

According to An Loc Rubber Farm, the garden currently has 224 trees over 100 years old out of a total of 700 trees planted in 1906 that are growing well. To facilitate conservation and care, the management unit numbers each tree.

Many trees over 100 years old have thick, rough bark that bears witness to the vicissitudes of time.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quang, Head of the Technical Team of An Loc Farm, said that the garden is for conservation purposes and no longer for economic purposes. "Every month, the farm sends workers to take care of it, clean it, sweep it, cut grass and protect it from people destroying it," Mr. Quang said.

The rubber trees planted by the French are vegetative seedlings (planted from seeds) spaced 5x5 so they have very large roots, from 1-3 m, 30-40 m high, some trees can span several people.

The first rubber workers were recruited from the North and Central regions but mainly from Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri. Lot 9 rubber plantation was the largest plantation at that time.

Workers clear grass around the old rubber tree. "I and some other colleagues are assigned to regularly clear grass in the rubber conservation plot to help the trees grow well. This is a valuable garden so we work very hard," said worker Nguyen Van Sinh.

Besides the rubber trees that are still growing well, there are many trees that have died due to weather and termites.

A rubber tree about 80 cm in diameter was broken and rotten inside the garden.

The 100-year-old rubber tree is hollow inside but the treetop still grows well, with branches and leaves covering a section of the sky.

According to the management board of An Loc rubber plantation, every year, the company has a plan to take care of the trees, treat diseases, and spray pesticides to prevent them from drying out.

After the bare leaves fall, spring comes, the leaves begin to sprout, signaling a new latex season in the rubber forests of the Southeast region.

Phuoc Tuan - Vnexpress.net

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