The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-23
How a Nashville Merchant was Taken
in with Loaded Ginseng.

Tennessee is rather richer than any
other State in the Union in mineral
wealth. Metals are found in her valleys
and in her mountains, and a discovery
has demonstrated the fact they are some
times to be seen in her ginseng. OF late
the quality of the root brought to this
market has been far from what it should
be. After picking the true root the col
lector, probably in fit of generosity,
and with desire to give full measure,
has thrown in tops and roots of other
herbs, drawing, to large extent, on the
vegetable kingdom. When it came to
be solid, of course it went for ginseng.
This sad state of things has caused
dealers to keep an especially lively look
out for large, fresh roots, that could
really and truly come under the head
| of ginseng, or, in more common par
lance, " sang" Such offerings, now so
rare, always gladden. the dealers heart,
and no doubt awaken inward pride that
Tennessee still is no slouch in the produe-
tion of the Chinaman's cure-all.
Mr.. Bernheim, of Cline & Bernheim,
found, the other day, a lot of this char
acter. 1t was unusually fine, and he lost
no time in securing it. Its weight was
remarkable. While beating his purchase
into smaller pieces, Mr.. Bernheim made
a discovery, which, had he been a miner
prospecting for underground wealth,
would have greatly pleased him. But,
as he was simply a merchant buying to
fill Northern orders, he did not regard a
little lead mine in the interior of his
sang" with any special qualification.
Indeed, he thought it an outrage-an
eight-to-seven affair. Surprise, although
great, gave way to spirit of search, and
several roots similarly mineralized were
brought to light. There were several
theories as to the cause. 1t might have
been freak of nature-the dame being
given to freaks. Then, again, some one
might have taken the root when in its
infancy and filled it with lead. Other
reasons were advanced, but failed to meet
the stern facts of the case. Mr.. Bern
helm, with all his indisposition to ac-
knowledge mans depravity, was forced
to the sad conclusion that the lead had
been placed there that when weighed it
might not be found wanting. By way of
pdTeHIneSlS, MT. DtIllnelnl Is WdHtlIS-
to find the seller.
Further investigation led to the very
probable supposition that the metal had
been melted and poured into the hol-
low root. The pieces when extracted had
the appearance of having reached their
destination in that way, and such was
Mr.. Bernheim's conclusion. This little
circumstance, insignificant as it is, bears
out something we have always advocated.
Tennessee is progressing-though in a
questionable way, to be sure, so far as
the present case is concerned. COnnecti-
cut, with her wooden hams, nutmegs
and pumpkin-seed, can stand aside,
while the " Volunteer State goes to the
head of the class. Our dealers, however,
will probably clamor for return to the
single standard-esang. Unlike the
American type-setters, they want no
"leaded matter" in theirs.
As most of our readers are doubtless
aware, the almost entire export of Amer
lean ginseng goes to China. In tricks of
trade, the ways of the Tennessee ginseng
digger seem quite as dark as those of
the Heather Chinee, for whom the root
is Intended