The Benibana Museum (The Safflower Museum)
28. Area under Cultivation of Mogami-benibana (最上紅花の栽培面積)
What was the area under cultivation of benibana at that age? In Edo period, the demand of benibana goods rapidly increased and in answer to the demand, its cultivation area was also grown, but it had naturally a limit, because its cultivation needed a favourable soil besides keeping daily necessities like rice crop. And the matter's worse, plucking of flowers needed much of farmers' labour. The old document tells that the ratio of benibana cultivation was 30% of all farming fields in 1692.
And during 1789-1800, the ratio was 20% of all the farming lands. These show that benibana cultivation was 10%, the lower limit, to 30%, the upper limit, according with on the manner of proper farming at the age.