The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-15
Ginseng.

Editor Morning News: In your paper of
April 1 appears the inquiry of G. A. w.
of Greenwood, Fla. about ginseng root,
and your answer thereto. 1t has been
usual with agricultural editors to say
in answer to any such questions
that the plant cannot be cultivated and
is to be obtained only in mountains and
woods in it's wild growth To say that an
indigenous plant cannot be culti-
waited, and likely successfully cultivated
may not grow and thrive in open fields,
cultivated with pillow and hoe, as we do
corn, cotton or wheat and other crops.
But it does grow in the forests where the
root is obtained for market.
1t certainly can be successfully cult
waited by ascertaining the situation, the
locations and conditions in which it grows
IN nature, procuring the seeds or roots,
planting then in, and preserving, the con-
ditions In which we see it grow and devel-
ops. This is the intelligent system of all
cultivation.
1t grows well in some of the large areas
Of forests of the south, and 1t is to be
hoped that some observing farmers may
watch Its habits and the conditions fav-
orfng its growth, and II may be learned
how to successfully propagate and de-
velop it in the forests, and without dis
turbing or destroying the forests. Some
additional income may sometime be de-
rived from ii.
You may be very correct and conserva-
tive when you say in your answer to G..
A. W:
1T will be some years yet before any
thing practical will have been demon
strated in regard to it's culture"
We have much to learn and are to be
greatly benefited by intelligent fostering
and utilizing the valuable timber, nut
and native fruit and mast bearing trees of
our forests.
Ginseng is only one of the ten thousand
small products that our people may care
fully watch as a relief from low cotton,
and you are doing great public service
in calling attention to and discussing
these minor crops. Farmers cannot af-
ford to be idle The only certain way to
reduce the cotton crop is to find something
that pays better, in the thousands of
minor crops which we can but do not
produce. r. s. w.
Washington county. April 5.
Our correspondent IS reminded that in
our brief remarks relative to ginseng root
we merely wanted to convey the idea that
so far as is known the plant had not been
brought into cultivation after the manner
of horseradish or chickory root Using
the term in the sense of increased propa-
cation it is quite possible that there are
some faVOrably situated a sto the pos
session of forest land that might propa-
gate ginseng to some advantage. What
ever the price may be notw it is quite sure
any marked addition to the supply would
be very promptly followed by lower prices.
We hope r. l.. W. will be able to demon
strate in that practical way that enforces
recognition of the fact that ginseng is an
available plant for our almost crushed
farmers.
In an ignorance of anything of pract-
cal value in regard to ginseng we find 1t
almost unavoidable in replying to would
be cultivators of it to use the two little
words "go slow" We shall keep a sharp
lookout for the very first experiences that
seem to suggest this plant as a valuable
side crop for southern attention, We have
got to learn to be farmers, and vary our
crops as we have never done before.
Fifty dollars here, fifty here, from one
crop 500, from another $500, not despis-
ing even the modest five from some little
crop of ore row.
The day of the planter is over. The
man that despises are affects to despise
small things that is fearful of being
styled truck grower had better exchange
his plows and hoes for something else,
and without much delay. He is not apt to
thrive at farming.