The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-27

several hundred dollars worth OF seed
on one visit. To rob flourishina
garden OF Its feed would BIO like rob-
bling q bank.
Tho process of termination is mys-
tcrious--not like any other plant Ths
seed is sown in a. bed OF sand, and
but to better explain it--Mr. Cecil
showed me a little screened bed OF
sand by feet. In which he had
$4,000 seed terminating. These seed
/ were put there In September, 1909, and
next spring, 1911, they might be taken
UP and sown In rows two inches apart,
rows a foot apart, In soil prepared
about as for an ordinary garden, and
under shelter as before stated. Tho
surface must be kept free from weeds
by hoeing.
OF Rather Slow Growth.
\ The plant Will attain several inche1
OF height the first year. and about the
last OF September the stalk will wither
and die, but tho root will remain in
the ground. and the next year will put
forth another stalk. and by the third
year will attain full height OF about
two feet and begin to bear seed BY
the nth year It Is full seed -bearing.
the bunch OF seed sometimes reaching
500 to the plant. There are one, two
and sometimes three seed to the pod
The pods are deep red, and tempt
the birds, but they are quickly dropped.
Tor not even a chicken Will eat them.
One can easily tell the age OF the
root. for wherever the stalk puts forth
from the root there is left ring
| similar to that on a cows norma ring
for each year. Mr.. Cecil has some
roots. forest gathered. that are thirty
years old.
Conscientious scruples.
Whence the demand for this strange
plant and why the great price?
The root is bought almost entirely
for the Chinese, who use II as g cure
all. medicine. talisman, charm, offer
ing to their gods. and some use it
as rare condiment. They must and
VIII have 1t. paying big money for the
dried root. The plant grows In China
but the natives seem TO prefer the
American-grown root 1t seems that
1t has never occurred to them to try
to cultivate the plant
The root often grows in odd shapes
OF animals or that OF man. and such
shapes will sell for fabulous sum.
to be usea as sacrifice 10 the gods.
Although an experienced raiser OF
the plant. Mr.. Cecil Will likely never
be an extensive handler OF 1t. either
root or seed. He is very devout
Christian, and believes we would be
fostering idoIatry to raise and sell
the plant Furthermore, he has con-
science that will not permit him TO
charge IS hundred for seed. He can
not be convinceG that ginseng is not
staple commodity every one must
have, but more OF rarity or luxury
that only those who can afford 10
pay the prite need buy; that the plant
requires great care and responsibility
In raising and big price is required
to compensate.
In spite OF the advice of his friends
and the pleadings OF his household,
Mr. Cecil has decided to quit raising
ginseng. So positive IS he that IT is
q sin to Supply the Chinese with ma
terial for idolatrous purposes that he
Will not sell or give away his roots
and seed, but for conscience sake Will
let go to waste 100 roots and 1900
seed. valued in open market at more
than $1,000.
The argument that corn. wheat,
barley. apples. and all fruits can be
made into evils just as ginseng can
be used for an u1christian purpose
raiser OF Campbell county will quit
Its cultivation because OF an over
sensitive conscience.
AT any rate. Mr.. Cecil has demo.
strated that ginseng can be raised In
Campbell county; also with proper
dertully profitable crop. II Mr.. Cecil
can successfully raise II others with
less touchy conscience can also. and
there Is no r ,ason why many farmers
and town gardeners should not take
up the cultivation OF 1t. for when once
properly set and protected 1t win year
ly grow into increased profits. and
will be like small gold mine.