The Hartford republican., 1913-05-23
Was Snre Sale and Requires
Small Space.
Arkansas Farmer Has Made
SO 900 on Acre and
Half.

from an acre and q half planted in
ginseng. T. Il. Kincaid of Hot Springs.
Ark, whose announcement to this
effect was published recently, has
prepared a statement Of the care and
means employed by him to obtain
from his small tract of land this
seemingly fabulous sum from root
culture.
II began to grow ginseng about
eight years ago." says Mr.. Kincaid,
In letter to John II. Page, state
commissioner OF mines, manufactures
and agriculture. IL put out 200 roots
under artificial shade on the back end
OF a lot at my home In Hot Springs.
Then l set out 5OOplants. These
studied 70 two years. while at the
same time l read everything / conld
fintAon the ginseng industry. BY ex-
perience. however, | found that many
OF the writer's whose articles ! so
diligently had read, knew even less
about ginseng than I did.
Answering the inquiries that have
been sent to me. would say, first,
ginseng must have shade. either ma
tural or artificial. am using the na-
tural shade because ! learned during
the two years 1 experimental with
my garden that during July and Aug
ust the heat Is so intense that it is
impossible to keep Elephants from
burning. | was unable under lattice
to bring more than one-fourth Of my
plants to bear seed. There are OBJ
jections, also, to q woods garden.
The tree roots spread throughout the
beds and during our usual drought
the plants suffer intensely from lack
OF moisture and q few near the trees
soon will wilt. have been able, how
ever. in the woods garden to bring
about 80 per cent OF my seed-bear-
ing plants to a good harvest.
"2. There 10 q disease which at
{ ks the seedlings, that is, the lit
y plants that come up the first
year. called 'dampening off, The lit
tie plants decay at the soil line, wilt
and fall over a few daysafter they
have reached their growth and be-
ftse. any root has formed. II you
have 'dampening off, you lose your
entire seed crop. Under aartificial
shade l lost all my seedlings; under |
natural shade never have seen any
sign Of 'dampening off, Under natur-
al shade the roots make slower |
growth than they do under artificial |
shade, but a better quality OF foot |
10 grown. Quality. it might be said,
Is what the Chinese desire in gin |
seng roots.
''3. An idea prevails that all an as
pirant to wealth must do Is to set |
out a ginseng garden and let 1t grow.
Indeed. many OF the writer's will tell |
you this. This. however. is a fatal
mistake. A ginseng gardener must |
stay with his garden. The amount |
of time he gives to 1t will depend
on the size of his tract planted. A |
few beds will require but a few min
utes each day. A garden of an acre |
ana q half will require the service
OF one man from April 10 to Novem-
Der 1. II you have blight, which !
most gardeners encounter part Of the
time, two men will be needed. The
gardQ must be sprayed frequently |
and all diseased parts of the plants
removed and burned. Many writers |
tell you this is not necessary, but |
experience has taught me different.
81 the fall. when ginseng has
died down naturally. the bed should
be carefully gone over and every old |
stub and stem removed, for in the
pith of the stems the blight spores
live throughout the winter and are
ever reay to attack the ginseng in
the spring.
"There is work in every ginseng |
Garden. Let me assure you Of that |
The grower must weed his garden and
keep a sharp lookout for moles. These
little animals can do a great amount
OF damage in a short time.
-. Fall is the best time for set
ting out garden! !sthough work also
can be done in the spring. ! prefer
planting in September and October
Seed and roots may be obtaind from
any grown who has surplus. Seeds
are worth from $40 to SIS per pound.
stratified seed. that is. seed which
have cracked open and will grow the
next year after you plant them, for
ginseng seeds from this stock must
haveseighteen months to grow. STREET
ified1seed comes up the next spring
II you plant them In the fall, and
usually sell from S12 to $40 per
pound. There are from 5000 TO 1000