A historical study of windbreaks on farm fields in the Musashi Plain.

[摘要] A brief study from agricultural and historical points of view was made on the development of windbreaks on the Musashi plain in the Kanto district. Significance of the windbreak for farming in that district, where fields are very often exposed to strong winds in the season from January to March, had attracted farmers' attention from old times, and been mentioned in many of the literatures and narratives referred to by the author. Nowadays, we can see many farm-fields which are provided with well-arranged windbreaks. On the other hand, however, we also find some fields with much disarranged windbreaks or even with none. The author indicated the fact that the extent of completion of windbreaks might be considered to relate more directly to the origin of the village to which it belongs than to the lay of the field and its soil conditions. The villages on the plain may be divided into two types as are shown in Fig. 1 and 2 according to the mode of land allotment and the shape of the field owned by each farmer. The village type of Fit. 1 is unsuitable for establishing windbreaks and the type of Fig. 2 is suitable. And the older settlements are generally of the former type and their windbreaks are disarranged or lacking, while the newer ones are of the latter type and are furnished with well arranged windbreaks. The author examined the kinds of plants used as windbreaks in that plain, which changed in accordance to the change of economical conditions of the farmers, the most probable chronological order being assumed as follows; Utsugi (Deutzia crenate Sieb. et Zucc.)-tea plant (Thea sinesis L.)-azalea plant (Rhododendron spp.)-spindle tree (Euonymus japonica Thund.)-Sawara (Chamaecyparis pisifera Endl.)

[学科分类] 农业科学（综合）