THE LAND-USE PROBREMS OF KONGO RECLAIMED LAND, YATSUSHIRO CITY

Abstract

1) In 1957 the first cultivators settled at Kongo, which was a newly reclaimed virgin land in the suburbs of Yatsushiro City. There are rural 170 families at presnt. 2) The land was started to be used only for agricultural purpose. This paper is chiefly based upon the data in 1959. 3) As regards to summer crops, the percentage of early rice crop and two-crop-areas predominant. This is due to the advice of the prefectural authorities to avert disaster of a typhoon. Moreover, the successful results of the crops have atracted the farmers. 4) There is some disparity in the ratio of applicaton of early crop and two-crops of rice according to the differences of the native places from which the settlers have come. In general, the ratio of application is higher among the immigrants from other prefectures or from remote districts of Kumamoto Prefecture than those from the neighbourhood. 5) Concerning the rice field, early crop area has a tendency to be distributed in the vicinity of the Tide-defence-bank, and the two-crop-area scattered close to the residences of each settlement. This is due to the result of the effort to avert the most miserable harm of typhoon blow near the shoreline, and to relieve the pressure of busyness of the two-crops of rice. 6) There are various kinds of uses in the second crops use; wheat, barley, rushes, watermelons, rapeseeds and onions. The rate of whole land-use is below 24%. Among the crops, the rushes are most notable. 7) As to the cultivation of rushes, the main role has been performed by the settlers from Yatsushiro City and its neighbouring villages. The others have mostly followed them. 8) The rush cultivation necessitates the belated rice plant, and so the plans to increase crops of rice either by early crops or by two-crops compete with each other.