  A density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method for highly anisotropic
two-dimensional systems is presented. The method consists in applying the usual
DMRG in two steps. In the first step, a pure one dimensional calculation along
the longitudinal direction is made in order to generate a low energy
Hamiltonian. In the second step, the anisotropic 2D lattice is obtained by
coupling in the transverse direction the 1D Hamiltonians. The method is applied
to the anisotropic quantum spin half Heisenberg model on a square lattice.
