San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-02-02
THE GINSENG TRADE.
A SUPERSTITION WHICH COSTS A
MILLION DOLLARS YEARLY.

to Caucasfans-A StrnnBe article oi
Traffic A Priests Discovery - The
American Plant.
One Of the mysteries in the world II
commerce Is ginseng. If you speak to an
ordinary man about ginseng, he will ask
you what you mean. If you tell him that
ginseng Is an article of commerce III which
n traffic of about 81 600, OGO n year is done
by Americans, he will stare at you. If
you tell him that il has been in certain
places of the world worth its weight in
gold he will probably stare harder. If,
in addition to this you tell him that it Is
vast humbug, and that it is very or
binary root of IN American shrub, almost
without particle Of any. but imaginary
value, he will conccdc that it is II strange
article for traffic. Finally, when he
learns that the populace of II vast nation,
high and low consider it curCull, and
that it enters into every medicine for
every almcnt in that nation, he will only
understand the matter when he learns
that ii Is the eccentric Chinese to whom
this in reality unimportant root is valua-
BILE.
WHAT Is IT GOOD FOR.
Physicians and authorities of the civil
lied world give the assurance that in
medicinal properties the root is almost
inert, at the most contains to very mild
extent tonic properties. None but the
singular and rice eating Celestial can feel
any effects from the use of it: but among
the Cinnamon OF this country there is
almost no consumption. The root il
bought here by resident Cinnamon for
home export. They do not use it them
selves, however, and inquiry from these
Celestial worthless has seldom brought out
any satisfactory statements as to what
ginseng is good for
The belief among the homo Chinese is
mostly superstition. IL is sort Of fetish;
its powers are supposed to be occult, OF
the nature of mnEic. II is believed to
have u mysterious and powerful effect on
the fecundative powers and TO he infall-
bic in cases, Of barrenness This is its
primary importance, and occasionally
Caucasians have attempted to test its
value in this direction, but satisfactory re-
suits nre wanting. In China the belief is
still implicit, and besides the vast amount
grown in that country, it receives Ill that
America can supply, which is on tho
average l2j,OOO pounds year. The
American wholesale price is now sea- u
pound.
Ginseng, In China, IL government mo-
nOpoly, and Professor l.ockhart, of Lon
don, is the authority for the Statements
that It is sold to privileged dealers by the
imperial government of China at its
weight In gold This il denied by Some
American dealers. But the value is still
high.
There are certain single roots, especially
OF certain shapes, very rare which bring
from S25 to $500, and are only possessed
by the wealthy Observation-Disclosures and
others.
Ginseng from Manchuria was oncc
valued above all other varieties, and inn
perial edict prohibited its collection, be-
cause the enormous export was reducing
il To scarcity. Ginseng in this country is
limited. Only 100000 or 100000 pounds
of II can be collected in one year. It's
price here is enormous, and even ludiCruus,
when the worthlessness of the article is
considered. OF the root, although light,
it only requires hatful to make a pound
And yet the wholesale price here Is slowly,
but always steadily, rising, ana the ride
ulous fact is before las that the price If
this futile drug, used by nobody in this
country, will In time become greater than
that Of opium itself, rs the gradual but
sure process Of its determination in Amer
lea continues.
FATHLE FNsToUX's DISCOVERY.
It happened that in 1909, Jewish
priest, one Father +. Fastuux. was dill
gently employ ell in making map of Tar
tary. During this lntoI he saw the plant
growing in its mystic land, four lDaguus
away fTuul the kingdom uf CurCa, IN tho
spot where Tartar village lay. Tho
Tartars were full 81 the praise of tho
fabulous ginseng and its wonderful
powers. Cool Father Fa~tDuN became
an enthusiast a.~'. lie had missionary
friends on the other -iGc 90 tire w,rld in
Canada. To thee TIE priest sent some q
the root and an cStolWyut uf i's Irurrr-
ties ~ a cU.c fur go human ili-. Eu.k in
due time came thr rSr'y that the ss5..c
root WAS we'll known Co thc C.urGa
priests ard ia fUll U-c 10y ile lrfaus
The American -iuscn. perhaps differs
slightly irum Tie th-ger. flr then, g-s
i've or sin cari,ti,, 90 the Tuut. Ifit o. r-as-
stsses all the external attributes 4 tlc
celestial variety.
The ginseng vas sCut 81 thar tf',-a 90
Europe. and was then rI-f i--rH,r..I 20
the CIVILIZED world even l' rIas I..a. n
tie last crnirry. ErrH F.Er a..ar.- rl.-..v
shattered thC ilu-iau o. .Hr.. raH.. al
prUnouuCed 60 a-'au-i rlEf a I sres.
THIS did MT aift,f l.- ..'ru gu r'# N.H-
Csl raCes- Lag -I'sr1T.I- -. r' -..- To-
U0vCp-1 over TIE u-.--. .. N.lsf E---
ica, The IDEA 20 Pc r. r-- rT Dr. -r.sH
about tie VIII .l..- AL rr.. g .-.a
norfhwe-f alf rH-s .eaI l. r.-..r.. r
rains its GaraT b. D.-r.l Tr rHra r.-.
ular iudu--rF. IslIT -r -~.HrH #.
uou- Tht li--a-l y 20 rf . r.