Soil classification and evaluation methods in Aizu District in 17th century: Comparison of <i>Aizu-nosho</i> and <i>Tochi-cho</i> documents

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  • 17世紀の会津地方における土壌の分類評価—『会津農書』と土地帳の比較—
  • 17世紀の会津地方における土壌の分類評価 : 『会津農書』と土地帳の比較
  • 17セイキ ノ アイズ チホウ ニ オケル ドジョウ ノ ブンルイ ヒョウカ : 『 アイズノウショ 』 ト トチチョウ ノ ヒカク

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Abstract

<p>Based on the Aizu-nosho and Tochi-cho documents established in the 17th century, we analyzed the soil classification method used by farmers in the Aizu District in the early modern period. In the agricultural textbook “Aizu-nosho,” written by a farmer, soils (tsuchi) were classified into nine taxa in descending order of farmland grade: yellow ma-tsuchi (Yamadori-ma-tsuchi), black ma-tsuchi, white ma-tsuchi, suna (sandy)-ma-tsuchi, no-ma-tsuchi, su (sour)-ma-tsuchi, suna-tsuchi, no-tsuchi, and su-tsuchi. These taxa were characterized by bulk density, color, taste, texture, and structure and were related to crop suitability. Tochi-cho was a public land survey record of villages in the Aizu District. Soil descriptions in 209 villages were provided. In Tochi-cho, soils were classified by combining three items, soil type, color, and mixture, and a total of 62 taxa were recognized. The major soil types were no-tsuchi, ma-tsuchi, suna-tsuchi, and “typeless,” and the minor types included neba (sticky)-tsuchi, su-tsuchi, sibu (acerbic)-tsuchi, reki (wet)-tsuchi, kawagomi (river dust)-tsuchi, ara (loose)-tsuchi, and shi (death)-tsuchi. The colors were basically black, white, and red. Soils rich in sand and stone were described as mixtures. The grade of farmland was significantly different for each soil taxon in Tochi-cho. However, the median grades of taxa were in the same order as described in Aizu-nosho. Comparing the location of villages with the topographic map, it was found that the ma-tsuchi taxon is predominantly distributed in the lowlands rather than the mountains and terraces, but vice versa for the no-tsuchi taxon. The location of the soil types does not match the taxa used in current soil maps. This study revealed that farmers in the Aizu District used their senses to classify soils finely and regarded taxa as an indicator of land productivity in the early modern period.</p>

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