Forests of the Kanto Region in the 1880's

Abstract

Forests of the Kanto region in the 1880's were studied mainly through the drafts of the geographical maps surveyed then and the reconnaissance notes to support the maps. The results are as follows.(1) Most of the forests there in those days were those dominated by Pinus species or those dominated by deciduous Quercus species.(2) Forests dominated by Pinus were common in the areas near the sea and the courses of the Tone River, and forests dominated by Quercus were often or sometimes seen in Musashino, Sagamino and the northern part of the Kanto region.(3) Most trees of the forests were less than 10 meters in hight in general, and there were areas in which forests less than 4 meters or even less than 2 meters were commonly seen.(4) Such low forests were common especially among those dominated by Quercus.(5) High forests or trees were often seen in the government-owned places, near temples and shrines, near houses, and along roads.