The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-23

should be planted in the forest mould
to insure another crop. This the GIN
seng dIggers have seldom done.
The rule has always been TO begin
digging as soon as the flower appeared.
thus DISCRIMINATING the plant. Ken
lucky, realizing the folly Of dlggers,
has passed law prohibiting the gath
ering of roots before the berries are ripe.
The Province OF Ontario has passed
and enforces a similar law. In West
Virginia a law prohibits the digging OF
ginseng without the consent Of the
owners Of the land.
The best ginseng comes from Penn
sylyanIa, New York. Minnesota and
Canada. Southern root Is quoted at 81
a pound less than northern root. 1t
takes four pounds of green root dug In
the spring to make one of dry. In the
fall It takes only three pounds OF green
for one OF dry. Only dry root is ex-
ported. The average mature ginseng
plant is ten inches high and the average
root weighs an ounce. Stocks four feet
high have been found and roots weigh
ing thirty ounces have been dug, but
they are very rare. One peculIarIty
about ginseng is that many Of the roots
arc forked and resemble in form the
human body with spurs for arms and
legs. Such roots. II they are extremely
old, bring their weight in gold in China.
The Chinese believe that the root Of q
plant that thus expands Into the human
form in dark forests and thIckets must
be Intended to alleviate the sufrerings
OF the human race.
In color the ginseng root resembles
the garden pnrsnIp. It has pleasant,
aromatic taste. Nearly every digger
chews 1t and regards 1t as a specific for
stomaah troubles,a the same time polk
ing fun at the Chinamun who gives up
good money for It. Ginseng Is plant
Of slow growth and long lived. Every
fall the dying stalk leaves a wrinkle
that is as plain as the rings by which
the age Of tree is told. and old disgers
say that they frequently find roots fifty
years old.
The process Of preparing the roots for
market is simple. The digger washes
them in spring water to remove the
earth and dries them in the sun. When
,,-ad bs corrIea them 10 the country
suFeu He S''i go -,,,
store ana trades them LOT cash OF B"ouA'
All over the ginseng country buyers are
,,,,v and c,mne,ItIon go lively that the
mar $50 80 49, M. oor,trv
digger gets soOu price i"e u''''
dealers ship the roots to the city dealer
for whom he buys in bags or barrels.
One hFh III Lexington ny" 'liiu'Su
Sex, 900 worth OF ginseng last season. ana
ONO sbinment by EXPRESS from a Ken
- A.. ,,,,v,t,s,,,,
tuchy "Nu"tu'4i IVA ;" - ~
firm In New York was valued AT RlO'VVu'
An tho VIpsenp root dug in the United
-. s.,.,,,. s...,,,. Nyn,, vori, cItv
states hHAi'S Feu'u'' 4's"
There are 70 hrms IN new lOFk
City that buy ginseng from country
and small city dealers. When the
RhiDmentH reach New lOrk kney uEH
sorted and the roots plnccd in heaps on
INC floor, rendy TO be Inspected by the
Chinese exporters, who make daily
rounds, The Chinese pack the roots
into walden casks that hold 200 pounds
md ship direct TO Hong Kong. The
Communication men know little more about
tbs Chinese end Of the ginseng question
Than the digCers in the backwoods, for
ne cbInamen nre retlcent. Some dig.
vsTs Hre NOT unlike these honest farm
sTs who put the big apples In the top
row when pncklng a barrel. Commits
sinn mon frequently md ginseng roots
GIisI With lead and other metals. and
nfis1 chenp Eouthern roots are found
,,.fvc5 NTH shInmentg from as far north
80 canada
&c vood Idea Of the ynIue OF wild gin
sang may bc secured by a visit TO one
~ IL" Sew York commission houses
in,o ' In ssn,enber. when business Is
h,isk on Inc moor win be seen lit
H. IN rvraTnid ~ roofs. perhaps a bushel
w N ~ tbSt The dSnIer asks $500 FOR,
G n ~, roots bovc been assorted are OF
suoH s lSy' nnd nerSected in every way.
sOOu ,e,ay,isSSon man saws that the Chi
Oie a,t,,a,,nss ,,,aL StgaBg effort ey.
i ~. S v~p 70 learn tho name OF the