Terraced Fields Research Articles

Deux paysages en terrasses de l'Ardèche

In two different geological regions of Ardeche (Massif Central), farmers built terraced fields to domesticate the steep slopes. On the Gras Plateau of Chomerac the viticultural hillsides have been abandoned since the 1870 phylloxeric crisis. In the Boutières region, terraced fields have been left to abandon since the 2nd World War. To save these man-made landscapes, they should be inserted into a new planning policy for sloping areas.

Effects of Agricultural Terraces on the Reestablishment of Bluestem Grasslands

Effects of Agricultural Terraces on the Reestablishment of Bluestem Grasslands

A New Picture Deep Among Mist-Shrouded Mountains

To our great delight we recently made a trip to Ke-hsin Brigade, K'e-tien Commune in Chung-hsiang hsien of Hupei Province to have a look at the beautiful picture which the brigade members had painted against the backdrop of deep, mist-shrouded mountains. Along the mountain slopes were neatly etched terraced fields. Blue sky was mirrored in various reservoirs. Clear water in the irrigation ditches threaded among the mountains. The valleys resounded with the roar of tractors and engines. Citing the tremendous changes the brigade had experienced over the past few years, the brigade members lashed out at Lin Piao's criminal acts in attacking and negating the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

The Tomb of Han Hsiang of the Liao Dynasty at Shang-Lu Village, Ch'ien-an Hsien, Hopei Province

Shang-lu village is a mountain community in the Sha-ho-i area, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of the Ch'ien-an hsien seat. The land there slopes from north to south. Northwest of the village a group of sloped ridges lie close to one another with the furthest hidden behind the taller front lines. Most of the slopes have been cleared into terraced fields. The largest among this group is called "Empress Ridge," and the tomb of Han Hsiang is located on its southern slope above a narrow terraced field. In front of the tomb, which is 250 meters southwest of the village, lies "Dowager Gulch."

Redox potential trends in a submerged rice soil

Different levels of added fresh organic matter have had no significant effects on E h values in a submerged rice field. The effect of cropping during the period of intensive vegetative growth is to depress the redox potential of the soil. This effect is evidently due to oxygen consumption by the roots in respiration being greater than oxygen transport through the plant and subsequent diffusion out of the root. Higher E h values in the bare plots at the lower depths suggest lateral oxygen diffusion through the vertical face of the terrace. The absence of a marked depression in redox potential following submersion of a terraced rice field is an important observation.

Ten-year comparison of different soil managements in Satsuma orange orchard

In order to compare the effects of different soil managements on the growth and yield of Satsuma orange trees, and on the physical and chemical properties of soil, field experiments were conducted for 10 years at the Ehime Fruit Tree Exp. Sta.1. One of experiments was started in 1952 with 4-year-old trees grown on the sloping diluviatic land. The tree growth estimated from the volume of tree crown in the 10th year, was superior both under the bur clover sod and under the orchard grass with partial clean cultivation, then medium both under the wheat straw mulch and under the weed sod, and inferior under the clean cultivation. The total yield of fruit was best under the bur clover, then better under the weed, and bad both under the orchard grass and under the straw as same as under the clean cultivation.2. Humus content and pore space in the soil increased markedly both under the bur clover and under the straw than under the clean cultivation. The trend extended deeper in the subsoil under the bur clover than under the straw. The pH and exchangeable Ca and Mg levels in the soil had the tendency to rise up greatly under the bur clover. The exchangeable K content of the soil was increased under the straw, though it was not closely related to the K content of leaves.3. In the 7th year, nitrate nitrogen content of the soil was greatest under the bur clover, followed by the straw and the clean cultivation in the order. It was, however, less under the bur clover than under the clean cultivation, if the sod was not frequently mowed. Mineralization of soil nitrogen was most active in either surface soil under the sod or mulch. The N content of leaves, however, had no connection with the total inorganic or nitrate nitrogen content of the soil.4. In the other experiments of 1952-1961, 18-year-old trees grown on the flat field, and on the terraced field were used. The effect of the hay mulch was observed with the former, and that of the weed sod with the latter. As the results, no distinct difference of fruit yield existed between the clean cultivation and these two soil management systems in the first 5 years, while in the second 5 years these two systems were slightly superior to the clean cultivation.

A Study of the “Yokoido” Irrigation of the Katsuragi Fan in the Nara Basin

The Katsuragi Fan, situated in the south-western of the Yamato Basin is an alluvial fan well cultivated into rich rice-field. To irrigate these fields is used the irrigation tunnel named “Yokoido”, the characteristics of which are as follows;(1) Most of the“Yokoidos” may be found in the central part of the fan. They have been constructed by digging the underground straight from the scarp of the terraced field or along the river bank, and are generally about one meter in width and depth and from 60 to 80 meters in length.(2) The temperature of these water is rather low in summer and its quantity, being much varying, is controlled by the natural circumstances. It is to help the shortage of water supply from the pond and the rivers.(3) The “Yokoidos” seem to have been developed because of the abundance of underground water resourses as well as the gradual increase of rice planting in this area. And it must be noted that they were mostly constructed in Meiji Era.(4) Since the soil of the fan is much permeable it must be so often consolidated, or mended with the earth brought from other area.

SPECIALIZED CITRUS CULTURE IN ÔCHÔ VILLAGE, TOYOTA COUNTY, HIROSHIMA PREFCTURE

1. Ocho Village, located on Osaki-shimo Island in the inland sea of Setouchi, is known as a village most specialized in citrus culture in Japan. The ratio of orchards to the total arable land was 97% in 1929. During the war, 20% of the fruit trees were cut down. And by 1950, the ratio had again increased up to 90%. Before the springing up of citrus culture in the village, villagers were growing peaches. In 1859, UNSHU tangerine was introduced to the village. Early-crop (Wase) UNSHU tangerine was introduced in 1903, which at present. occupies 55% of the total amount of citrus crop in Ocho. This is of the highest as the rate of early-crop UNSHU in Japan. 2. The area of Ocho Village covers a sloping land of 10 to 40 degrees. Thecitrus trees are planted in terraced fields, 70% of which have stone-steps and. 30% soil-steps. To carry the fruits down the steep slope, a simple cableway was set up in 1921. Today, there are 46 cablecars, in the village, by which 30% of the total crop of tangerines are carried down the slope. The entire cable system is operated by electricity and under the management of the cooperative of the villagers. There is no comparable example to this scheme in Japan. 3. Canned tangerine was first made here in Japan in 1927. The markets for Ocho tangerines are Kobe-Osaka area (40%), Tokyo (30%), and others. Marketing of the early-crop UNSHU is made in October, 35%; November, 50%; December, 15%. The ordinary UNSHU is shipped in November, 10% December, 30%; January, 15%; February 20% ; March, 20%; April, 5%. 4. One of the characteristics of citrus culture in Ocho is the “watarisaku” (farming over the water). Out of 700 cho (1 cho _??_ 1 ha.) of citrus orchard belonging to the villagers, 300 ch5 is located within the village and 400 cho is scatteringly distributed in 30 other villages, namely in many other neighbouring islands. They maintain their “farming over the water” by 200 nonpowered boats and 350 powered boats. The followings are considered to be the factors in bringing up an unusual manner of farming as this. (1) Limited area of land and increasing population. (2) The sea is calm even in winter, so ferrying by small boats to the orchards in other islands is made without danger. (3) The village of Ocho embraces a good natural harbour, which enables several hundred boats to be at anchor at one time. And as the harbour faces to the east, it is shielded from the north-west winter monsoon. (4) As the land is limited in area, its price is high. If one sells 1 tan (1/10 cho) of upland fields in Ocho, he will be able to purchase 5 tan of uplandfields or even more of forest in Ehime Prefecture. (5) There are customs of establishing “branch families” and of “inheritance by the youngest child” in Ocho. The eldest son and the younger ones, got mnarried, buy orchards outside the village, and settle there. The younger children stay in their native house and engage in fruit-growing, instead of becoming fantory workers as is usually the case in other farm areas. (9) They traditionally have skilled techniques in fruit-growing. The general standard of techniques has been high. The villagers are industrious and have no political disputes. The present village master is the third one since 1889. (7) The successive, village masters encouraged the farming over the water. The Hiroshima Agriculture and Industry Bank had actively assisted the farmers in purchasing farmland, loaning to them over one million yen since the end of the Meiji, era. Due to the recent inflation, all the loan has been returned, and thevillage is prosperous. (8) Citrus growing has the highest possibility of cash income. Industrial processing of the products is developing, and the enterprise, is economically stable.

Explorations in the Karakoram

MR. W. M. CONWAY gave an account of his recent exploring expedition in the Karakoram mountains at the last meeting of the Royal Geographical Society. The paper was illustrated by lantern slides, and a series of paintings by Mr. McCormick, who accompanied the expedition, was also exhibited. Mr. Conway said:—We left Srinagar on April 13, 1892, and came to Gilgit. Arrived at Gilgit we found the condition of the mountains, from a climber's point of view, too backward for our purposes. We therefore spent a month in mapping and exploring the fine Bagrot Valley, which slopes southwards from Rakipushi and its immediate neighbours along the main ridge. We hoped to be able to force a passage over this ridge into Nagyr; but the persistent bad weather baulked our efforts when they were on the point of succeeding. When the traveller has emerged from the inhospitable defiles which sunder the valley of Hunza Nagyr from Gilgit, and has climbed the vast ancient moraines near Tashot, which form the final rampart of the fertile basin (fertile, of course, only by reason of artificial irrigation of admirable complexity and completeness), he stands surrounded by an astonishing view. The bottom of the valley is, as usual, deeply filled by débris, whose surface is covered by terraced fields, faced with cyclopean masonry, and rich with growing crops and countless fruit trees. The mountains fling themselves aloft on either hand, with astounding precipitancy, as it were into the uttermost heights of heaven; so steeply, in fact, that a spring avalanche falling from the summit of Rakipushi on the south must almost reach the bottom of the valley. Rakipushi is 25,500feet high; the Hunza peak is about 24,000 feet high. Their summits are separated by a distance of 19 miles. Both mountains are visible from base to summit at one and the same time from the level floor of the valley between them, which is not more than 7000 feet above the sea. No mountain view that I saw in the Karakorams surpasses this for grim wonder of colossal scale, combined with savage grandeur of form and contrast of smiling foreground.