The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-08-17
AN ORIENTAL TIDBIT.
GINSENG IS DEEMED A LUXURY BY
CELESTIAL oRANDEEs.
The Root I'm China IL Worth More
Than Its Weight In Gold, and In
Korea IL Is Death to Export IL
without Imperial Permission.

without Imperial Permission.
II Is not a well known fact that a
large percentage OF the rhipments Of
ginseng (Aralla sinsenD which go an
nually 10 China Is contributed by the
forests OF northern Ohio. Nevertheless
IL Is true. Large districts there were
and still are comparatively well stocked
with the herb, and many residents
have made hundreds Of dollars by gath
ering the roots In years gone by. The
first sign Of spring calls the ginseng
dlggers from their homes, and many Of
them are already afeld, seeking prob
ably the most precious plant that
grows. A spade and bag over his
shoulder identify the man who seeks
ginseng from other men. He goes 10
rich woodlands and then singles ost
the butternut trees, under which the
herb Is most commonly found.
The roots Of the plant, sometimes
ncshy tubcrs the size Of a forefinger,
are Of that shape and easily go 10 make
up pound Of the matter desired
when dried. they bring from SO to $40
a pound, according 10 their size, the
older and larger the higher the price
Although gathering the roots IL a prof
table business, At Of selling direct
TO the consumer Is much more profit
able. In China II is sold by the ounce
and ofttlmcs brings as high AZ 5000 an
ounce, that weight In all cases bringing
, more than the pound upon the Ameri-
can market. With the Celestials IL Is
prize, and upon perfect specimens as
high as $500 has been lavlshed. With
them II Is supposed 10 possess n super
natural power 20 strengthen and invig-
crate the weakening tissues, so that
the eater will live 10 be 100 years old.
And not only Is the power thus ascrib-
ed. but 10 the poor mentally II lmparts
knowledge and, above all, prepares
the olive eyed prince for long and
luxurious soJourn on earth.
In fact, the ginseng root Is almost
sacred TO the Chinaman OF the upper
class, and 10 present II 10 ones friend
is homage difficult Of appreciation
by the sons OF the west who gather IL
I'm the woods. The entire growth OF
the herb is protected by the govern
mcnt I'm the Chinese empire. At one
time the emperor detailed 10000 Tar
tars 10 gather all that could be found
in his domain. Each man was obliged
to give two pounds to his majesty, and
for what he succeeded In gathering aft
erward he was repaid by It's weight in
silver This, however. was no more
than onc-cighth OF It's value, and soon
It was exchanged evenly for It's weight
I'm gold. as Is often the case at the
present time.
The American crop does not compare
Mt all fayorably with that Of Korea.
In that country, however IL Is found
practicable to raise II In gardens, and
here II Is impossible To produce good
roots by so doing. IL Is n crime pun
ishablc by death for n Korean TO sell
ginseng outside OF his own country
without imperial permission. Thus
protected Il forms one OF the staple
products Of Korea and Is much appre-
ciated by the Chinese owing TO It's SUI
pcrlor flavor. There is naturally
prejudice on the part of the Chinese to
receive from the west anything so
highly regarded by them. Up TO the
dawn of the nineteenth century II was
exported from America I'm small guam
titles, but as early ms 1880 the ship
mcnts amounted to nearly 100000 I'm
one year.
There seems TO bc an idea prevalerN
I'm this country that the Chinese DOW
der the roots and smoke them. This Ia
an error. II Is never used as "A quletus.
The commonor classes eat II much as
we do the common llcorice root, but
those who employ II most are the gran
dccgand even the royal households.
A truly oriental and luxurious man
ncr of administering the powdered root
obtains among the higher classes. BY
the highest caste the treatment is TAX
en- during n period OF 40 days once In
two years. The patient Is taken 10 n
beautiful garden where flowers are
blooming, birds singing. water spar
king from fountain and usually
where music Is TO bc heard through the
hours OF the day. In this retreat he is
told nothing of the outside world and
Is allowed TO receive no letters from
friends for fear they might contain un-
pleasant news. Here he is fed the
ginseng powder, n soft yellow stun
with slightly aromatic flavor. AS n
natural consequence of his rest from
trouble and worry the patient comes
forth I'm brighter spirit. and In this
way it is sounded abroad that II was
the ginseng treatment which made him
SO.
IL Is n singular fact that the name
given the plant by the Chinese and the
North American Indian is strongly
similar. Both names suggest the fam
cied resemblance of n root 10 the form
Of the human body, the tube- being Oft
times split into two divisions resem-
bling the limbs OF n man. On account
Of this similarity 10 n mans form the
supernatural powers were ascribed 20
Il. and there Is much evidence to show
that IL was I'm high favor with the In
dlans on the same account.-Pittsburg
Dispatch.
Antiquity of "a Regular shindy."
The antiquity OF many familiar
terms Is surprising when II is known.
Many people are not aware that What
the dickensw occurs I'm Shakespeare,
hut fewer still will be prepared TO hear
that the phrase "A regular shindy" ic