The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
HUNTERS AFTER GINSENG.
Tho Root That Il supposed by Chiuese Doctors
TO Hnve Great Curative Powers.
From the Pittsburo Dispatch.

From the Pittsburo Dispatch.
Ono Of the most peculiar and interesting &C.
equations OF the residents of the mountain
ections Of our own and other States ct this
season OF the year Is picking ginseng. This
novel calling Is just now being followed by
hundreds OF mountain rcsidcnts, who are reap
irg no inconsidcrable harvest from their labors.
Many almost support their families by dig
ging the plant, and go persevcring have been
the ginseng diggers Of late years that the plant
has become quite rare in many sections whore
1t formerly fourished-
This valuable medicinal plant Is to be found
all through tho Allegheny Mountains. 1t
has a feshy root and a stalk from four to nine
inches high, which bears near tho top three
pctiOlate leaves Oh FIVE small leaflets, and on the
end Of the stalk some insignificant white bios
SONS, The root is much used Ia medicine in
this country, but it Is chiefly Z. vaiUc as an
article of export 70 China, in which country it
- supposed to LOSSES remarkable virtues for
value at tho little mountain store Is usually
81 or 50 per pound when dried. and the green
roots there sell Tor about 81 a pound. The
mountains, and is the chief article given in
Iayment for many purchases made by the
Ginseng digging is indeed n novel occupation.
The sang digRers," rs they are .c%omnon.,T
Inat,ock and "a 81. t., anG me scnrch, for he val
liable plant, begins. Ginseng usually grows IN
| DdAGAth, hllu bpOlo L NtIl hHunnl u Inv
mountain residents. Often hundreds Of pounds
OF he root ore taken from one patch, and the
men as well as the men hunt ginseng. and the
stalk is well known to all the mountain lads
and !assics. Ginseng grows in a rich, black
S.', and Is more commonly found on the hill
sides than IN the lowlands.
Few ure the mountain residents who do not
devote some of thor tins to hunting this val
liable plant, and in The mountain farmhouses
there are now many hundred pounds OF the
article laid away waiting the market. While
the fall IS the IayOrlte time for ginseng hunting.
it is carried on all summer. When a patch Of
The root is found the hunter loses no time in
lose it, tor undoubtedly some other hunter
would find the patch and dig II.
There Is always II ready market for the arti-
mountains. the mountain farmers usually sell
pic!ous of the city, dealers who come their way.
and they usually find the mountain storckeeper
tteeTin@' Isewsh fe9 as They they trade t:'e gi M rnsi for Sat th SR,
store supplies, bools. and clothing material.
I Worth 9bF OF TT Hbe Toot ar s' Sn, s sn0TIiRaI a6 o1 n" othCr
mountain States OF tue East great quantities
ere also ma, 6eted. Minnesota is also o we'll
Known regic,! OF the plant.
This plant is SO esteemed in China that the
Tisht 10 gather 1t Ia reserved to the Emperor.
for the treatment OF body and mind and for
The prolonRation Of ne. Their physicians
iit"y nee .sEs. ~ i IN al t IeGH' b e. "I pre teTE dSG.'
The best roots have a horny appearance and
tion Is obi aimee by putting them into stcaming
hot water. brushing until clean. and then
s~teaInins over boiling, nlillct. The roots that
most powerful. and it is said that Ii Is to this
kind Of root that the plant owes its name, jim
C.rcn means like a man, and the American In.
dian name means the same. The nearer the
root resembles the human form The more c,i'
cac!ous IL ia hnppoo.l to he.. lhe genuinl
ROOFS, say the Chinese; have oishoots 70 repre-,
sent In, aims and the legs. The Oricntals have
Amy legends concerning the great medical
plant, and TO it they assign many powers.
Before tho discovery Of the root in this coun
Pekin. in 1913 the Jesuits ncgui shipping
Tho root to Cuina, and In 1855 it cold in thi'
Golntry for " per ns, Ioh faT a s;yeId IN" asSni DO.
i sides China ami the United States, Japan am
Korea produce the valuable plant. In thit
country attempts have been made TO cult
vato tho root, but tho attempt has not been 81
successful as WAS expected.
The quality OF the ginseng root varies greatly
ami il requires a shrewd dealer 10 make "A sue
cess in tho ginseng business. Not infreGnentl,
the hun!crs. Ic5ort to strategy to get n gooC
round price for their supply. With il other anc
the dried roots arc immersed IN water and theI
dried on the outside. The qunliiy OF tn
OF digging and their size, The larger roots ar,
considered the best and omman the nighcs
prices,
seng hunting has been followed from lin
timo Of the earliest s"tt.emenI. Like hunt
iny, trapping, berry picking, bark pecling
tain residents. ginseng hunting has is season
ana Just now bundTed5 ~ mountain resident
are securing the mountain woodlands in qucs
These monntiin residents arc indeed MOI
primitive people, They live much with
mountain home than tie lite Village at III
foot Of the range. TO them tho great outsin
= world Is an. unknown. factor, and in the quicI
. ie.s OF Their mountain h0mcs they live thei
humble existence.