parenchyma became lost already

This was a debt of farmers only.

Utsu family was a branch of Ōkubo family of Odawara lord.
Their's territory was Yokota village、Monoi village and Higashinuma village.

Incidentally，Their's territory has been integrated and renamed to Ninomiya town currently.  (Tochigi Prefecture.)
Ninomiya is the last name of Kinjiro.

Rice yield of this land.
It was regarded as 4000 koku.

This number was very important.
Because the position of the lord was determined by their’s Rice yields this era.
In short,Utsu family was the position of 4000 koku.


・・・・・・・・・
　

Population of 1698 was 400 family about 1900 people.
And tax revenue of 2000 koku had been expected as annual tribute rate of 50%.

But population of 1822 was sharp decrease to 156 family 749 people.　
And their real tax revenue was about 700 koku.
　
According to Hōtoku-ki.

"Around the early 17th century，440 family,tax revenue of about 3100 bales.
But current，140 family,tax revenue of about 800 bales.
Every family is very poor."

According to the letter of resignation of 1828.

"Hundred years until 1821，Utsu family have the support of the Odawara clan.
As result,Farmers became about 250 family.
The population decreased by about 1000 people.
Tax revenue is rice of about 1000 bales and 127 ryō of the field crop.
Parenchyma became lost already."


・・・・・・・・・
　

More than anything，They had a debt of 50 ryō already from the merchant of Edo at 1780.
(Its mortgage was the annual rice tax for the following year.)

Six years later 1786，They have borrowed 600 ryō from Odawara clan by flood damage.
(Financial assistance of Odawara clan was followed regularly.)
　
This would was more than the annual income of them.
But it was a drop in the bucket.

Eight years later 1794，They had the debt 200 ryō from the same merchant.
(non-interest bearing, 20 annual installments.)
And they did not pay it back from the first year.
(Probably，was not able to.)

Their finances had collapsed.
　

・・・・・・・・・
　

"Utsu family have to spent most of their income to debt repayment now.
And population has continued to decline.
Of course debt will also continued to increase."　　
　
Tax revenue of about 4000 bales at 4000 koku.
This goal setting is wrong at the first place.
Here is a land of 2000 koku at best.
And therefore we should aim to tax revenue of about 2000 bales."
　
The results of a detailed survey，Kinjiro concluded so.