The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19

BIZ a. Z. BLAKEsLEE, JACKSON.


Some three or four years ago the
writer frequently referred to the posi-
bilities OF ginseng culture in the
"Greater Mississippi" department. A
number Of parties were beginning the
culture OF the plant at that time, and
considerable interest was being shown.
1t grows wild in several sections of the
State, being gathered from the woods
and sold generally by the women and
children for pin money. In the writer's
native county (Benton) it grew in pro-
fusion on the hill sides and in the little
valleys. Several dollars worth of the
root could be gathered by q family dur
ing the year. The following letter
from A. G. Golf OF Youngton, Warren
county, will prove interesting as he
gives his experience in handling the
plant, together with some possibilities
of its culture:
Comparatively few people know any
thing Of ginseng, and fewer still know
anything of its culture and value.
From my personal experience covering
. period of several years I believe that
an acre OF good ginseng would easily be
worth fully fifty thousand dollars. I
started four years ago with 600 plants.
Last year (October) l dug $50 pounds
which made SO pounds of dry roots that
l readily sold for over 5000. also sold
$3.50 worth of seed and planted $50 900
besides. The root product was taken
from six beds each three feet wide and
thirty feet long. In 1906 l planted
300, 600 seed from these plants and have
this spring 100000 healthy and vigor-
Gus plants. Also have about % 1000
plants from seed planted prior to 1906.
| have sold plants to be delivered this
fall to the amount of 1857. The whole
amount of land occupied is less than
one-third of an acre. Seed that ripeu
after the 10th OF August if not allowed
to dry before being planted will germi-
earlier will come up the next spring
and it takes five years to mature o root
To obtain the best results ginseng
should be planted in deeply worked,
rich and we'll drained soil with two
thirds or three-fourths shade. 1t will
not grow on wet land or in the sun.
The root is used principally by the Chi
nese and is worth from five to ten dol
lars per pound, according to quality"
There is evidently something in the
culture OF ginseng for our people if they
will properly prepare for it and are
able to carry it through. 1t is a native
here and could undoubtedly be grown
and cultivated to an advantage, but
there are drawbacks, of course. 1t is
expensive to prepare the land by mulch
ing and shading as required, and then
the plat must be carefully guarded to
prevent thieves from stealing in a
night what it has taken years of patient
attention to produce. From seven to
eight years is required to produce a
commercially valuable root. However,
those who could prepare and cultivate
a small plat would be providing some
thing of value for the future. Let's
hear from others on the subject.
Holmes county is taking active steps
toward the location OF an agricultural
high school. On the 1st the school
board met and adopted the following
resolutions:
/. A meeting will be held on the
first Monday in July for the pur-
pose of considering propositions from
the various communities Of the county
for the location of said school, and for
the purpose of locating the same II
found practicable and desirable.
?. That any community desiring to
ask for the school must file it's PROPOSE
tion in writing, stating clearly what
offer and inducements it has to make
for the location of the school in said
community.
3. That the offers and requests OF
each community will have due consid-
Grafton by the board, but it reserves
the right to reject any or all PROPOSE
tions, and to locate the school to the
best interests of the county. Every
thing else being equal, the best finan-
cial offer will get the school.
4. The school may be located in con-
nection with a county public school.
The North Mississippi fair circuit
has dates as follows:
Neshoba, August II to q.
Baldwin, September Is to Is.
Starkville, October 6 to 8.
Greenville, October Il to II.
Scott Newton, October ID to Is.
Yazoo City, October 10 to "a.
Columbus, October 20 to %.
Dates for the South Mississippi cir.
cult have not been completed as yet
but will be announced shortly. The
prospects for successful fairs in the
state were never better, and the number
shows a healthy increase. Keep UP
the good work until the county withou,
q fair will be an exception instead Of q
rule.
A thoroughly sensibls action ,wal
taken by the citizens Of Marshall coan.
ty when they decided to build . model
road from the business square in Holly
Springs to the experiment station. 1,
is proposed to construct q permanent
roadbed and surface with gravel OF
other durable material. A public meet
ing was held and the details arranged.
l Vyr - $500 = AIs- 49,