New-York tribune., 1906-07-08
HAVE FAITH IN GINSENG
Chinese Consider Root a CHrs-All-
Bug american Variety EGgrly.

With the exception OF tea, ginseng IS t.s
most celebrated plant IN all the Orient. II ray
we'll be called the "cure-all." as the Chinese
have a wonderful faith In its curative AT
strengthening properties. and II has been a9-
propriatsly called the "cinchona Of China" y
is considered 20 be a sovereign cure for f-vs,
and weaknesses OF all kinds. and Is. indeed. t-s
chief and most costly medicine OF the Chi--ss
Empire.
Ginseng Is found wild In the mountain forests
OF Eastern Asia. from Nepal to Manchuzia. i
once grew In FU-Kien. Kiang-Han and Shan-sA
but was supplanted by the GIanchurian wild root
The root is carefully hunted for by the Mane1-s
who boast that the weeds Of their country aEs
the choice drugs Of the Chinese. a boast Wiiea
has much foundation in fact. OF the thirty
seven ports in China where the imperial Haazi-
time customs are established. too import si1-
seng. Imports during 1905 were as follows;
Shanghai. 1O3.SO2 pounds: WuhU. 2SI4s hil-
Kiang, $500; Han-KOW. American cla-ile-
5.100; Hai-Chang. American clarified. 81
Wen-Chau. 9.1O0: Chung-King. American ela'-
fled, 5000: Che-FOo, S0.4OS; Canton. I5sslo. aal
Foo-ChOw, 1j.O07. The total impOrtariors :.
these ports for the last four years were: 1S'-r
40lsO2l pounds 1868. 4O4OOO poundsi 1f7s
S1S.59s pounds and 1905. SS1 SS1 pounds 4Asss
figures however, by no means cover ali the -.
senS entering China, as much OF ~ 49,
through the native custom houses, which -
no tabulated data Of exports and Imports -
great quantities Of IL are smuggled mo - -
line. NiU-Chwang is the one Chinese port VIA
exports native ginseng. Its exports 1or s@- ~
four years were. respectively. 22S.OOO zlS"'s
$1,000 and 10000 pounds. ,
To give an accurate price for ginseng No-1
be impossible. so greatly does IL diner Wl~4 N.s
variety OF the root offered 70 consumers. eoHs
weight In gold, while the cultivated variety =. -
be purchased FOR from 80 cents q pOlAt -,
Generally speaking. the present aveFaSe I.ss -.
are. for the best ginseng, $12 Pounos - -. q
quality SO 80. and for ordinary, % cents .9 -
Japan sends 70 China the cheapest slnss.4s
great deal or which is used 20 adults!t-' -
higher quality from COrea- In values ana Ql1.::S
Of the root the four principal producing eoel---s
rank follows: Manchuria. COreas Amerle- =. -.
Japan Prices often vary In accordance Wls- 49, -
method used In clarifying the root. some Asss., S
nese provinces prefer it white others -
and sSl others require y OK oI I sas
say to the ferTUginOus soil on which u s--s
and. according to others, TO peculiar ~ es h
clarifying Most Of the COrean product so~'
Southern China by way OF Hong Kong ,,v.
Wild ginseng. from whatever country, e- ~ -.
commands better price than the cultLve.siSsis1r
ticle chiefly because OF Chinese supels~-..
which prefers roots resembling man o. -.
grOtesQue creature to that or the ISsuL--- 70
NAL roots which cultivation natuIe-nS S,to-s9 a
produce. Chinese druggists, Wheli Q1SS-t-r--lss
to the real difference between the M Mel.S -
wild and the American cultivated SlIise-s .ss1
admit that the difference in quality = l--r-s
in the appearance OF the roots but tno s1-s 49,
churian ginseng comes from the ELlsss,r.
mother country. and from the same SOL -. -
Sprang the God OF Heaven ana theISso-i-r IS,--i-rs
Chinese regard II as infinitely more .,,,-ssr,
as a curative agent than any ctneL 3e-sr~
could possibly be. Many assert tnat 49, tls -rs
demand Cor ginseng viii be a decree-s--s7,a q
from the fact that its imaginary ptutss'-~sts3
curing every disease on earth VIII oe 1900
In proportion 20 the advance or me0lcel ss~san-
There can De no doubt however, INA. go &
does possess certain curative proper -. 49, r-any
can be safely asserted that IL will re4SllJS ras
generations. perhaps centuries 20 s-,,->s s-,-> fs-re
Chinaman's implicit faith in his mys'e'''
hOnOred cUre-au- -sfses
American ginseng. Of which large 49, as
are annually exported to China. IS cless~S, -szn
rule with hsiyang. that is. west ocean. s.I..-fs q
or western country ginseng. Ine me ia.,-'ogatel
this article az Niu-ChWang for IoOO e1To~chr-
in value to S4.612 gold The exports o. 'i-ss eesir-ss
rian ginseng through Niu-ChWanS sSSNlsS
ports for lsO aggregated IN NS,lgS N-.S, T4ar ~.
gold and for 1904 sos. .4S1. gold WIG A--~s rs
Fian ginseng Is rare even in ManchuL p. S-- So
estimated valuation ranges at present S-~t, LSt =
20 $500 gold pound The toel. - tons
ginseng into China for 1904 aggresstst 90 sons
valued at Sg32 13 ~ and for lSuo " ~ -ssfra..as
valued az 81. 400 zJ6 50 The tncreas.e s1a y
OF the imports OF last year eInpnasl.1s e~xet
creasing price OF ginseng In the Cnli.- ,s-r 9i7t
HsiyanE, or American girselle, - ~ g 4cs-
in China largely through Hong 1Nols 7s-,-t1. u
hal foreign commission houses s,s n nGA
of the American product are INC! -. n1slsSs
with each succeeding year, anu 10y -
gives every indication OF pSco-4A-s : 49,
a