Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-07-02
CHINA'S GINSENG ROOT
LARGE QUANTITIES DUG IN THE FcpH
ESTS OF CHIC.


Mental Powers Brings Good Prize
1t is not q we'll known fact that
large percentage OF the ship
ments OF ginseng, which GO ami
ally to China, is contributed by tle
forests Of northern Ohio, nevet-
theless it is true. Large distries
there were snd still are comI aratiyey
we'll stocked with the herb; am many
residents have made hundreds of do
lars by gathering the roots in years
gone by. The first sign of sprinl
calls the ginseng diggers from theii
homes, and many of them ARE already,
afield, seeking probably the most
precious plant that grows. A spade
and bag over his shoulder identifies
the man who seeks ginseng from
other men. He goes to rich wood
lands and then singles out the butter
nut trees, under which the herb is
most commonly found.
The roots of the plant, sometimes
fleshy tubers the size of forehnger,
are of that shape and easily go to
make up pound OF the matter de-
sired. When dried they bring from
So to $40 pound, according to their
size; the older and larger, the higher
their price. Although gathering the
roots is profitable business, that of
selling direct to the consumer is much
the more profitable. In China it is
sold by the ounce aud oftentimeo
brings as high as 5000 an ounce; that
weight in all cases bringing more than
the pound upon the American mar
ket. With the celestials it is prize,
and upon perfect specimens as high
as $4,000 has been lavished. With
them it is supposed to possess a su-
pernatural power to strengthen and
invigorate the weakening tissues, SO
that the eater will live to be 100
years old. And not only is the power
thus ascrlbed, but to the poor men
tally, it imparts knowledge, and,
above all, prepares the olive-eyed
prince for a long and luxurious So
journ on earth.
In fact, the ginseng root is almost
sacred to the Chinaman of the upper
class, and to present it to one 8 friend
is an homage difficult of appreciation
by the sons OF the West, who gather
it in the woods. The entire growth
OF the herb is protected by the gov
ernment in the Chinese empire. At
one time the emperor detailed 10, 900
Tartars to gather all that could be
found in his domain. Each man was
obliged to give two pounds to Lis ma
jesty, and for what he succeeded in
gathering afterward he was repaid by
its weight in silver. This, however,
was no more than eighth of its
value and soon it Was exchanged even
ly for its weight in gold, as is often
the case at the present time.
The American crop does not COM
pare at all favorably with that of
Korea. In that country, however,
it is found practicable to raise it in
gardens, and here it is impossible to
produce good roots by SO doing. 1t
is crime punishable by death for
Korean to sell ginseng outside of his
own country without imperial per-
mission. Thus protected, it forms
one of the staple products of Korea.
and is mach appreciated by the Chi
nese owing to its superior 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 nine
teenth century it was exported from
America in small quantities, but as
early rs 1880 the shipments amounted
to nearly 500, 900 in one year.
There seems to be an idea preva-
lent in this country that the Chinese
powder the roots and smoke them.
This is an error 1t is never used as
o quietus. The commoner classes
eat it much as we do the common
liquorice root, but those who employ
it most are the grandees and even the
royal households. A truly Oriental
and luxurious manner of administer
ing the powdered root obtains among
the higher classes. By the highest
caste the treatment is taken during q
period of 40 days once in two years.
The patient is taken to beautiful
garden where flowers are blooming,
birds singing, water sparkling from a
fountain, aud usually where music is
to be heard through the hours of the
day. In this retreat he is told moth
ing of the outside world and allowed
to receive no letters from friends for
fear they might contain unpleasant
news. Here he is fed the ginseng
powder, soft, yellow stuff, with
slightly aromatic flavor. As natural
consequence of his rest from trouble
and worry, the patient comes forth in
brighter spirit, and in this way it is
sounded abroad that it was the GIN
seng treatment which made him so.
1t is singular fact that the name
given the plant by the Chinese
and the North American Indian is
strongly similar. Both names sug-
gest the fancied resemblance of
root to the form of the human BODY.
the tuber being ofttimes split into two
divisions resembling the limbs of q
man. On account of this similarity
to mans form the supernatural
powers were ascribed to it, and there