The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-05-01
The Cultivation of Ginseng.


motive best known to themselves,
have been exploiting the Importance
of ginseng culture in the Pacific north
west They have made such ridi-
culiously extravagant claims for the
root as a money maker that those
not posted have come to think that
their fortunes would be made with
an acre of ginseng. We have yet tC
hear of one having grown wealthy
from following the advice of these
money to be made by few in the
business, when it is fully understood
and conducted on conservative and
careful lines, with a full knowledge
as to where the market is to be
found, we do not deny, but we cannot
endorse the claims made by those
who pull the wool over the eyes of
the farmers and tell them that all
they have to do is to raise an acre
Of ginseng and they will be rolling in
wealth. The Ranch has been max
ing some inquiries regarding the root
and it's cultivation, and has been able
to find no confederation of the claims
of those few enthusiasts referred to.
The bureau of plant industry Of the
department of agriculture has been
making extensive Investigations along
the same lines, and the botanist in
charge of the work makes his report
as given below. 1t will be noted that
so far as they have any record gin
seng has never been successfully Gull
tivated outside of it's native range.
The authorities having charge of these
Investigations state that the Guilt
waited root has thus far proven to be
inferior to the wild. The statement
of Frederick V. Colville, botanist in
charge of the work, follows:
"Ginseng is native in rich, moist
soil in hardwood forests from Maine
to Minnesota and southwark to the
mountains of northern Georgia and
Arkansas, and has been cultivated in
small areas from central New York
to Missouri. So far as we have any
record, ginseng has never been sue
cessfully cultivated outside of it's
native range. No experiments in the
cultivation of ginseng are being made
by the department.
"In cultivating ginseng the condi-
lions of it's native habitat must be fol
lowed as closely as possible. 1t needs
a deep rich soil and, being a plant
accustomed to the shelter of forest
trees, will require shade, which can
be supplied by the erection Of lath
sheds over the beds. A heavy mulch
of leaves or similar material and
stable manure should be applied to
the beds in the autumn.
"The seed, which is supposed to lose
it's vitality if allowed to become Try, is
sown in the spring or autumn in drills
6 inches apart and about 2 inches
apart in the row. The plants remain
in the seed bed for two years and are
then transplanted, being set about 8
inches apart each way. 1t requires
from five to seven years to obtain
marketable roots from the seeds. Tho
roots are set about by inches apart.
When the plants are from 5 to years
old the roots are dug, washed, sorted,
and dried.
aside from the small amount of
ginseng consumed by the Chinese resi-
dents in this country, most of the
ginseng produced in the United States
is exported to China. During the year
ended June 30, 1908, the exports from
the United States amounted to ISL, 1886
pounds, valued at $796,O03. The root
is worth from $3.50 to $3.50 per pound,
according to quality. Fancy lots of
roots have brought growers as high