Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-07-22

progressive unions and all organizations OF
IKE nature, are requested to furnish the
writer with notice of matter that would be
OF inter st to readers of this department.
newspapers are also requested to send
marked copies containing mention of new
enterprises, good yields OF crop, extra stock
de-, or to plaee the writer on the mailing
list so that such matters can be nroperly
handled. Would highly appreciate any OF
the State papers that might be sent regularly
All press people are cordially requested to
make this office headquarters while In Jack
son. Always have comfortable chair, ex-
changes, stationery and hearty greeting
for the fraternity.
There are opportunities in Missis-
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 it offered for profit
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 attempt is
being made along this line by Rev. W.
E. Crum at Hickory Flat and the re-
suit of his investigation will be
watched with interest. A number of
years is necessary to get even small
plat of ground properly seeded and
growing. The formation of companies
for its culture would be business
like plan and with the proper handling
pay larger dividends than bank or
far larger dividends than bank or
manufacturing stock. Considerable
capital would be necessary to get
an acre or so in cultivation and carry
it until ready for the market, several
years being required. Then too it
would be necessary to furnish pro-
lection from thieves in the way of
strong .lmpregnable fences or watch
men to patrol the premises night and
day. The value of the plant would Of
fer great inducements for pilfering
and close watch would be necessary.
The following experience of Mr.. Les
ter Herren of Ashville, N. c., will be
of interest; "Less than miles from
Ashville there lives an old man named
Herren, who II years ago began the
cultivation of ginseng. Mr.. Herren
planted one-fourth of an acre, and not
withstanding the fact that several years
ago almost every plant was stolen, he
now has a crop of the herb for which
he has been offered and refused $4,000
Last year Mr.. Herren gathered from
his quarter of an acre 24,000 ginseng
seed, which he disposed of at the fab
ulous price of four cents each. He has
not yet gathered 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 seed of his ginseng
while it was in. bloom. The offer was
tur ed 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
quarter of an acre of plants, and it is
generally believed by those who have
seen the place that 'ginseng farm
will in a few years rival a gold mine
for wealth. ." Mr.. Herren saws
that it is not hard to raise the GIN
seng; 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 transplant
ing them. By this means he got the
plants started considerably, had he
planted the seed be says that it would
have taken two years for them to come
up and several years afterwards be-
fore any sized roots would have
been formed" The market for gin
serg is found in China and japan and
the ruling price is from $7 to $40 per
pound. The demand is good and far
beyond the supply. 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, transplant
ing to the field later on. 1t appears
that a lucrative field is. offered here
for the investment 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.
The Patrons Union at Lake will be