The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-08


a MYSTERIOUS STAPLE.
In talking with Mr.. Horkheimer he
said: at Is funny business, this ginseng
trade, and l often getFCared when think
OF the amount Of money We sometimes
have locked up In It, II VIC only knew
what there was about 1t that makeA the
demand for 1t so steady 1t would DO dit.
ferent, but there's the trouble; we have
never bsen able to lind out, Now, there
stands barrel OF the root; outside OF
the barrel there is no intrinsic value
about 1t, and yet there's good money for
Us in that barrel. The five houses In this
country thatexportt thereof have formed for
anumber Of years past syndicate that has
controlled the exports, thereby prevent
ing q competition or overwhelming Of the
Chinese market and also enabling uB to
make q good profit. We have all tried,
collectively and Individually, to ascertain
to what use the Chinese put the root, but
have never secured any satisfactory an.
swer. We at one time authorized our
agent In China to offer fifty pounds sterl.
ing to any ono who would tell him what
1t was used for, forever he does not know,
end lie was unable even then to find but.
60 you see we are dealing with an un.
known quantity. The time that l most
realized this fact was during the recent
FranCo.Tonquin troubles, when there was
no demand for 'seng, and we had large
quantities Off on hand. You show root
to one oil our Cinnamon here and he
don't know what 1t is.
1.-THE most generally accepted belief Is,
that 1t is considered by the Chinese 10 have
great medicinal virtues; that II Is used as
tonic for debility, and that 1t is great
panacea for almost all ills that the Chinese
flesh Is heir 10. Another belief Is that the
root Is Of such strength and power that 1t
strengthens the genital organs and stlmu-
lates propagation, and In support Of these
theories Is the adjudication OF the name,
resemblance to man, or imam root,
and the fact that every root has some
slight resemblance 10 human FORM" and
Mr.. Horkheimer illustrated by picking up
several specimens. Each had body
from which branChed out stems or roots
like mans limbs. In some OF the cases
The resemblance was very marked.
IN THIS COUNTRY.
Continuing, Mr.. Horkheimer said: "And
yet the health.givipg theory does not hold
good In this country, for all analyses fail
to show that the root possesses any medic.
inal qualities worth mentioning, and drug.
pists only keep small quantity on band
70 fill occasional orders from some old
lady from the country who puts II With
other roots and herbs TO form some deCoC.
tion or tea that she, like the Chinese, be-
lieyes 10 be q Cure.all. Then there are
those who believe that tho root Ia used by
the Chinese In curing their tea 70 give II q
peculiar flavor; others that believe II ID
ground Up into pulp and used TO make
those strange and valuable Chinese vases
and Btill others think that the root is used
for the making Of idols. This belief II
strengthened by the fact that the larger.
root, the more perfect liz condition and the
closer II resembles q man the greater III
yalue. l have fine specimen In my desS
that would readily sell for at least 80 pei
pound" ..
@Where does the, best, ginseng In till
State come FROM 7"
"Iieht here In the Panhandle, W.
also get about the same quality from thu
river counties between here and Parkers
burg and from the COUNTIES opposite 1t
Ohio. Some Of the finest specimens
ever saw came from near Darlington. The
poorest comes from the Inferior, notably
Braxton and The couhties surrounding 1t
There stands a barrel Of III you will no
lice that the dlggefs have not allowed u
| 10 mature. Out In the fat interior, yot
zee, there are people who make business
Of Il every season, limiting Ior and digging
aenR, and they 30 work the soil that It be
comes exhausted, That gotten here In tht
Panhandle Il better because II 10 no
sought after 60 eagerly, and therefore he
an opportunity 10 grow 10 some slse, and
as told you, the larger q root is and th,
more Ia shape resembles that oil Q man TIL
more val1e II has, That piece have II
nv office that spoke oil, Il II should be
come broken would not he worth bal
what II now To-"
An UNUSUAL PROJECTION.
~ suppose continued Mr.. Hotk
| hatt,he Ulhnt mira 'aAnR WA dug In thi