The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-11
Ginsfng Culture Not for Every One.

Periodically and systematically the news
papers publish exaggerated reports of the
immense consumption of ginseng in the
Orient, of the exports from this country,
and of the yield obtained from a small
bed specially cared for by some farmer,
but without mentioning this special care.
From these unreliable and incomplete data
it is easy to calculate the vast sums that
could be realized from few acres and the
wealth that would flow into our land from
abroad. Sufficient replies TO such state
ments are that an estimation of the con-
sumption of ginseng, in the Orient must
always be of the widest conjecture, since
no reliable records are kept, and because
a vast amount of smuggling is done; that
the exports from the United States have
not yet reached one million dollars. al
though the common figure of the press is
five times that amount; and that the most
successful cultivator of ginseng in Amer
lea declares that cultivation upon an ex-
tensive scale is well nigh impossible. .He
has been growing this root with profit for
more than a decade, yet his whole planta-
ton as less than an acre.
A few points in the cultivation of ginseng
may be suggestive of the attention it de-
mands, and may strengthen what has been
said above. In the first place, the seed
must be eighteen months old before it wall
sprout; in other words, seed ripened in the
autumn of 1898 will not terminate until
the spring of 1900. This popularity involves
special care In storing, or in protecting 1t
ii planted, because if once allowed to be-
come dry it is ruined and will not grow.
The soil must be like the mold of the
Woods-light, loose. retentive of moisture
I'm fact, it is better to
grow the plants in the forest
where these conditions prevail. If this be
done, they may be stolen by sang diggers.
The plants must be provided with shade
II grown In the garden, else they may die
from sun-scald or from the drying out of
the soil. The beds, especially the seed
ling-plots, must be kept clean. All weed
ing must be done with the fingers, since
ginseng will not tolerate the use of tools.
The seedlings must be transplanted at one
year old to permanent beds, where the
same shading and hand-weeding must be
continued for four years-often more. Dur
ing this time no money is earned except
the last year, or perhaps two, when the few
scattering seeds upon occasional, extra
strong plants NAV bring in a few cents,
even at the present price of 81 an ounce.
When the harvest comes in the fifth or
sixth year from the, seed sometimes the
1ourth), the operation of digging, washing
and curing demand special care, since the
oreakage of roots means a lessening in the
price obtained. Besides these barely men
toned details there are others which, all
taken together, will show the reader that
the growing of ginseng is not the simple
thing 1t is often said to be.
still in spite of all that has been said
above, the cultivation of this root is in
proper hands, likely TO be profitable and
since the difficulties will tend to reduce
competition, the men who do make a sue
cess of raising it will most likely find it
very profitable. The prospective grower
need only remember that he should learn
10 creep before he tries to run. He may
start by using the plants found in the
woods, both by saving and planting the
seed obtained from them and by trans
panting the old roots NJ. G. X.