The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25
GINSENG CULTURE.
An Industry to Be Developed in Ar
knnsas-ROOt becoming Scarce.

| Ephralm L. Page, who for the last three
years has been experimenting in the cul-
ture of ginseng root at this place on the
| south side of the river, has received an
offer from New York capitalist to meet
! him at the Tennessee centennial exposi-
! ton, where further plans will be matured
| for the production of the plant which
bears the seed from which the root is
produced, says a special from Dixon, III.
Ginseng in late years has become a val
| liable commodity. 1t is said to have al
most wholly disappeared from the noun
tain Businesses and rocky woodlands to
| which it is indigenous. In the past it
has been much sought for by "seng hunt
| ers," who disposed of their finds at prices
| which made the occupation lucrative. Seed
! is now ranging in price somewhere near
| $500 an ounce. The product of the coun-
| try found and still finds its way to China,
! where the people make use of it as sort
OF cure-all for many diseases.
There has always been a prejudice
against cultivated ginseng. Among the
| Chinese and japanese, with whom alone
| it is considered a celebrated medicine, the
wild specimen brings the higher prices.
At a time when the demand became al
most beyond supply other roots began to
be substituted notably panaX quinquefo-
lium, or Linn. which was known as the
American root. The dynasty favored the
seng Obtained in Manchuria, and by them
was considered of unequaled excellence
But 1t became SO rare that am imperial
edct was issued against the gathering of
1t. Ginseng collected in the Chinese en-
pire is imperial property, and is sold only
TO those to whom privileges have been
granted and from whom it brings it's
weight in gold. During the first part of
the winter the population of Sjansai turn
out in body to collect it, sleeping in the
field while the season continues.
The Chinese treat the root to get it in
shape for medicine, and during the treat
ment certain developments show its SUI
periority or inferiority. The people who
believe in its efficacy depend much on the
shape of a root when taken from the
ground, having much the same supersti-
tons connected with its form as many
people of all countries attribute to a rab-
bits foot when the animal is taken in a
graveyard in a certain phase of the moon
| A forked root that bears the shape of a
man has commanded from the very
wealthy class sums ranging from $500 to
| $500
The care and protection accorded a val
| liable specimen by a ginseng merchant
| is scrupulous in the extreme. 1t is wrap
| ped in fine silk and placed in a box, which
| in turn is secured in a series of boxes in
which are parcels Of quicklime to prevent
dampness. The smaller box containing
| the root itself is lined with sheet lead In
exhibiting the stuff the merchant holds
the prospective customer at a distance
forbidding him to touch or breathe upon
! it.
| A kettle particularly made for the pre-
| paration of ginseng tea is found among
| the household effects of the Chinese. The
kettle is double, the inner cup being of
| silver, and in this the tea is made In
another compartment of the same utensil
| is cup in which rice cooks while the tea
/ brews, and the patient eats one and
drinks the other at the same time.
Few European physicians have been
| brought to believe that there are any Gu
| ratiVe properties in ginseng. There is
| therefore, little or no demand save in
| China or Japan, or among the peoples of
| those countries who have taken up their
abode in othher nations. Chinese ped
dlerS Of ginseng sell the root extensively
among their own people in America and
other Nies.
A few years ago Mr.. Page, who is some
thing of botanist, became interested in
the plant. In other days it is said to have
grown in the Rock river country, where
Indians gathered and Grated it in consid-
cradle quantity. 1t has, however. totally
| disappeared from the region. Page knew
that it was cultivated only in one place
in the United States, and that near SYRIA
cuse, N. Y. From the persons who were
there attempting to get crop under way
he bought quantity of seed, paying $500
for three ounces. This initial ATTEMPT was
wholly unsuccessful.
In the cultivation of "'seng" n root 10
transplanted which produces a plant on
which berry appears. In this berry there
| are generally two seeds which, in turn
| when planted, produce the root.
Page, having failed TO grow the roots
from seed purchased In New York, con-
! Guided to obtain some roots from their ma
! tive haunts. He learned that they could
be found in or near Allegheny county.
| North Carolina Being In i'll health and
thinking the climate would he beneficial
he set out on a journey to the Blue Ridge
mountains Of the Tar state. Here In this
section he tarHed two years. He had sent
| for his wife and one Of his sons, and to-
| gether the family put In the months ming
/ ling with the " 'seng diggers," who gave
| the Sucker state hunters valuable point
ers in gathering the root BY careful
searching and a knowledge gained from
| the "rarheels," who taught them how to
distinguish 'seng from sarsaparila and
! other roots OF close resemblance the Page
family during the two years succeeded In
! gathering some 600 roots. which they box
/ ed and prepared TO transport to Lee coun-
| ~ Illinois, In the soil OF which they pro-
/ posed to plant them on his own home lot
1 In Dixon.
The Pages then chose novel me thod OF
reaching their old home In Dixon. In
stead OF taking TO the railway, by which
/ they could get home IN twenty-four hours
/ lt was decided TO continue the search dur
| ing a slow journey through Virginia
/ West Virginia, ohio Indiana and Illinois
| To that end prairie schooner and pair
OF mules were purchased, together with
! cooking and sleeping outfit.
The family set out overland northward
IN June OF last year. stopping az Marion.
Va. from which they wendell their way IN
/ the romantic paths OF the old Dominion
! TO Bluenolds, W. Va. where another stop
was made The hills and hoilows were
carefully examined during the Journey and
additional roots gathered here and there.
The Pages relate an incident OF their
homoward trip, in which handsome big
shepherd dog, which they procured az the
outset went into the mountains while IN
1 Virginia and rounded up a pair OF wild
hogs aud ran them into camp. Tho razor
backed rooters were given the remnants
OF the camp meal until another start was
made. After several miles had been Cray-