Geographic Characters of Flower Producing Areas viewed from Sendai Market

In recent years, there has been a rapid growth of desire for flower production in Japan, and new floricultural areas have developed in the climatically favourable districts for the culture in addition to the old areas near large cities. The author attemtps to compare the flower producing areas of the outskirts of Sendai with those of distant environs from the viewpoint of their location factors and distribution.Of the flowers supplied to Sendai market, 55 per cent are shipped from distant areas, (the major floricultural districts are Shizuoka, Chiba, Fukushima and Nagano.), and the rest are from the outskirts of Sendai city. Some differences in kind, price and supplying season of flowers can be observed among the areas.The floricultural areas can be classified into the following 3 types according to the supplying season.1) The areas which ship 50 percent or more of flowers concentratively in summer season (from May to October) are Nagano and Fukushima Prefs.2) Of the areas which supply more than 50 percent in winter season (from November to April), the major ones are Chiba and Shizuoka Prefs.3) The area providing the market all the year round is the outskirts of Sendai city.From the view-point of the kind of flowers, however, the flower producing areas can also be categorized into the following types.1) The flowers which are generally shipped from distant environs. (fruiescens, chrysanthemum, calendula flliciasis, matthiola incana etc.)2) The flowers shipped dominatingly from the outskirts of Sendai. (lathurus ldoratus, rose, dahlia veriabiles etc.)3) The flowers carried from both the distant environs and the outskirts. (chrysanthemum, carnation, callistiphus chinensis etc.)Chrysanthemum is a typical flower, which is carried to market in a whole year. However, the supplying season of chrysanthemum can be divided into 4 types.1) From July to October chrysanthemum is shipped from Nagano Pref. (shade culture), and Fukushima Pref. (open-air culture).2) From October to November, from the outskirts of Sendai. (open-air culture).3) From November to February, from Chiba and Shizuoka Prefs. (open-air culture).4) From February to July, from the outskirts of Sendai. (open-air culture and green house culture).Generally speaking, cheap production cost is the main item necessary for the decision of the locaion of flower culture, and the merits or demerits of the location of flower culture are determined by shipping expenses and production cost. Distant environs is advantageous in production cost, because the distant flower producing areas are favoured with good climatic conditions and such heating apparatus unnecessary for the culture as seen in the suburbs of Sendai, while in cartage the outskirts is advantageous because of nearness to Sendai market.