The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-07-23

AAOkO Oh 2 ORkfJ4 ~ NAAASS@S-
sippi lying In wait upon every hand
only awaiting men with brains. Drawn
and money to develop them. A few
weeks since attention was called in
this department to the culture of gin
seng and the field II offered for proht.
able investment. This valuable root
grows wild In some portions Of the
State, and is gathered with profit.
That 1t could be cultivated with great
profit goes without saying. An at'
tempt is being made along this line
by Rev. w. e. Crum, at Hickory Flat,
and the result of this investigation
will be watched with interest. A num-
Der of years is necessary to get even
q small plat of ground properly seeded
and growing. The formation of COM
panies for its culture would be a bust
ness-like plan, and with the proper
handling, pay far larger dividends
than bank or manufacturing stock.
Considerable capital would be neces-
sary to get an acre or so in cultiva-
ton and carry it until ready for the
market, several years being required.
Then. too, 1t would be necessary to
furnish protection from thieves in the
way Of strong and impregnable fences,
or watchmen to patrol the premises
night and day. The value of the plant
would offer great inducements for pill
fering, and close watch would be
necessary. The following experience
Of Mr.. Lester Herren, of Asheville,
NJ c.. will be of interest,";
Less than three miles from Ashe'
Vile there lives an old man named
Herren, who, twelve years ago, began
the cultivation of ginseng. Mr. Her
rem planted one-fourth of an acre, and
notwithstanding the fact that several
years ago almost every plant was
stolen, he now has crop of the herb
for which he has been offered, and
refused, $4,000. Last year Mr.. Her.
rem gathered from his quarter OF an
acre $4,000 ginseng seed, which he
disposed of at the fabulous price OF
four cents each He has not yet gath
cred any Of the roots, and will not do
so for several years, although he has
on his place roots that will weigh from
one to nine ounces. Last year Mr..
Herren was offered a goodly sum for
the soed of his ginseng while 1t was
in bloom. The offer was turned down.
however, and the owner of the farm
gathered and disposed of the seed
himself. That he has been
more than successful is shown by the
offer which he refused for the quar-
ter of an acre of plants, and it is gen.
orally believed by those who have
seen the place that the ginseng farm
will in few years rival a gold mine
for wealth. Mr.. Herren
says that it is not hard to raise the
ginseng; that it must be planted on
good land and in new or wooded soil.
He started his farm by digging up
wild plants on Pole creek and trans
planting them. By this means he got
the plants started considerably; had
he planted the seed he says that 1t
would have taken two years for them
to come up and several years after
ward before any sized roots would
have been formed
The market for ginseng is found in
China and Japan, and the ruling price
Is from 81 to $40 per pound. The de-
mand is good and far beyond the sup
ply. Where the plant grows wild in
the State. farms could be started
easily by transplanting the roots and
gathering the seed and starting them
in frames, transplanting to the field
later on. 1t appears that lucrative
field is offered here for the invest
ment of capital that is well worthy an
investigation. The plant grows wild
in Mississippi and thrives. Why not
cultivate it and reap the profit that
appears to be in the business? Let's
hear from some one on the subject.
Hazlehurst offers the following ex-
periences in trucking that will be
worth much to other sections as an
example: w. M. Aainsworth planted
three acres in tomatoes and sold
$S74.50 worth. He estimates his clear
profit at $3.50. Dan Pitts planted four
acres and estimates the profit at $500.
John Pitts planted half an acre and
has for profit $240 R. E. Ainsworth
planted one and half acres in beans
and marketed $154 worth, profit,
$125. H q. Strahan planted small
patch in Irish potatoes and sold $3.50
worth. and now has the ground plant
ed in corn. O. J. Young planted one
and half acres in tomatoes and sold
the crop for $3.50, with a clear profit
of $3.50. Britain & Henry put
twelve acres in tomatoes, beans and
cabbage. The net profit above all ex-
penses will easily go above $1,000.
Surveyors are at work along the
line of the Memphis, Indianola & Gulf
road through the delta, and another
force IS at work securing right of way
and arranging for the building of the
road. 1t looks very much like there
was something to the project and the
writer believes that within six months
actual work will have begun. A SPLEEN
did section of delta country will be
tapped between Memphis and Jack
son that would prove a magnificent
feeder for the road
The farmers around Columbus are
becoming interested in the forage
plant hairy vetch. An experiment
has demonstrated the fact that after
three years it viii easily attain a
height Of ten feet. The success at
tending the experiment will be the
cause of a great deal of this crop be-
ing planted in the future.
Belzoni is soon to have the streets
lighted with arc lights That stirring
little city on the Yazoo is taking on
city airs fast, and ere long we may
listen for the clang of the electric
cars.
Pascagoula has this to say in sup
port Of her claim for future greate
ness Safest lanI-locked deep water
harbor on the northern shore of the
Gulf Of Mexico Population is up
wards Of 10000. River and bay front