Farm Management Problems in Oosima District, Yamaguti Prefecture Part 1. Managerial Studies on the Orangeries and their Catch-crops

The Oosima District in Yamaguti Prefecture is an island (region) in the western part of the Inland Sea. The main industry in this region is agriculture. Roughly 60% of the families and 60^ of the labourers make a living primarily by farming. Oosima is characterized by small scale farming, that is, the average size of the farm is about one acre. There are no more waste lands to be reclaimed. Roughly 10% of all farms consist of fields with conventional crops such as barley, wheat, rice, sweet potato, soy bean, and Azuki bean. About one eighth of the farms are Unsyu Orangeries. In spite of the great labour and fertilizer and skill required in the orangeries, the profit is much greater than that of the conventional crops. The increase in area of the Unsyu orangeries is attributed to this commercial reason. The writer investigated the most profitable crops grown in the Unayu orangeries in this region. The paying term for the Unsyu orangeries is 13 years. The expenses are given as follows : - Total expenses \ 273,221 Orange sapling 5,175 Fertilizer 51,846 Farm manure 18,487 Artificial manure 33,359 Spray materials 13,540 Other materials frope, bamboo etc.) 5,255 Saplings for hedge 555 Repairs and servicing 16,930 Tools 14,530 Building 2,400 Labour 92,400 Rent 14,300 Interest 73,220 The cash income of the orangery does not cover expenses during the first six years. Hence, for about 10 years from the opening of the orangery many catch-crops such as soy bean, barley, sweet potato, potato, or tobacco are cultivated in the Unsyu orangery. The soy bean and barley are sown between the rows of the Unsyu oranges, in order to balance income and expenses for the orangery itself.