The Minneapolis journal., 1905-08-05
AMERICAN GINSENG
STANDS NO SHOW.
JOHN GOoDNoW WRITES TO DIS
PEI AN ILLUSION.
Chinese Market and Distribution Of the
Root Is Controlled by Trust, Which
Uses Only Korean Article-only
Plants Of Certain Shape Have Great
Value.

y 1 & ( T, . ! + : + E O. = .
John Goodnow sends to The Jour
n al the following letter with regard
to- the ginseng trade in China, which
ought to be useful to people in this
country who have been 1aboring under
the impression that there is an unlim-
tied market for the article in that coun-
try:
To the Editor Of Tho Journal.
i have received so many letters from
Minneapolis and Minnesota asking
about the market in China for ginseng,
that L am forced to reply thru your
columns and to ask other Minnesota
papers to reprint this letter.
The market in China for ginseng is
and fanciful idea of the properties of
the root. Our pharmacists class GIN
seng as a rather mild tonic. The Chi
nese believe it to be powerful rem
eddy in cases of weakness or the decay
of bodily powers. They esteem it espe-
cially as an aphrodisiac. This, how
eyer, is not believed to be true of all
ginseng roots to the same degree Only
certain colors and unique shapes are
worth their weight in gold. - A root
that is like in shape to any organ Of
have especial effect on that organ. No
other shape will have the desired effect.
a root shaped like man is worth many
times the prdce Of any other root. These
roots are exceedingly rare and hardly
affect the price of an entire crop. The
Koreans know how to obtain a larger
proportion Of these peculiar shaped
roots, and they bleach and color the
roots to the desired tints. ..~
The market in China is almost entire
ly supplied from Korea, where each sea-
sons crop is sold in its entirety by
government agents. It is generally solo
to one Chinese syndicate which has it's
branches and agents all over China.
The same syndicate, being interested
in many successive crops, is in position
to keep the retail price at the top notch
and, at the. same time, to keep the
wholesale price down. Rather than cut
entire seasons crop until the stock on
hand has been disposed Of. I have rea-
son to believe that when the 1903 crop
was offered for sale in Korea, the 1901
crop had not been entirely consumed
and the 1902 crop was entirely in the
warehouses Of the syndicate, which was
thus in position to buy the 1903 crop
at it's own price witho out fear Of com
petition: The syndicate's agents only
oily control the trade that it is next
to impossible for our ginseng to get
into the market to large extent.
It makes good newspaper story to
write Of how the empress dowager gave
two ounces of ginseng to an especially
favored ,viceroy or general as a truly
imperial present. From that it is easy
to figure that the ginseng grown in a
city backyard hitherto devoted tc
weeds, tin cans and cats, will make the
grower independently rich. But the fact
remains that the few shipments Of gin
seng from America to Shanghai, about
which I have known during the past
eight years, have lost money for the
shippers It may be that some Ameri
can wholesale concern will study this
market, it's peculiarities, uncertainties
and superstitions, and find a profit il
competing with Korean ginseng; but
do not expect to see it in my time
It appears to me that the way at the
present time to make money out Of gin
seng in America is to advertise Hber
ally and sell seed to those who will cul
tivate the plant and will hope to sell
| the roots. John Goodnow.
Shanghai, China, June 20.