Charlevoix county herald., 1913-11-22

to planting the beds. Chemical
fertilizers and wood ashes have
been used, but as seriously injur-
ious results have sometimes fol-
lowed il is best, for the beginner
at least, to depend on rotted
leaves and raw ground bone to
enrich the soil. For seed beds the
soil should be half woods earth,
free from fiber, and il inclined to
be heavy, enough sand should be
added so that the mixture will not
bake or harden even after heavy
rains.
Ginseng seeds are best planted
in spring as early as the soil can
be worked to advantage. Only
cracked or. partially terminated
seeds should be used. They may
be planted inches apart each
way in the permanent beds or 2
by inches in seed beds and
transplanted to stand or
inches apart when z years old.
The seeds should be covered
inch deep with woods soil or old
rotten hickory or Eastwood saw
dust. That from pine or oak
trees should not be used. The
roots may be set any time from
October to April when the soil
is in suitable condition, the crowns
being placed about inches be-
low the surface. The most APP
proved distances to plant are 6 or
inches apart each way, the lat
ter being preferred when '-year-
old roots are to be grown.
Many planters round the surface
of the beds, making the center
several inches higher than the
sides, since they find space for
more plants on the curved than
on the flat surface; but others
claim that the possible injury from
drought in very. convex beds more
than offsets this advantage. 1t
is important, however to have the
centers high enough not to retain
water after a rain. For roots the
beds should be worked fully IL
inches deep, but the seed beds
need not be so deeply stirred as
it is not advisable to have them
settle to any marked extent.
Ginseng needs little cultivation,
but the beds should at all times
be kept free from weeds and
grass, and the surface of the soil
should be scratched with a light
tool whenever it shows signs of
caking. Ginseng seedlings grow d
bout inches high the first year,
with three leaflets at the apex of
the stem. The second-year plants
may reach or inches in height,
bearing two compound leaves each
composed of five characteristic
leaflets. A third leaf is general
ly added the next year and fruits
may be expected. In succeed
ing years a fourth leaf is formed
and the fruiting head reaches it's
maximum development, sometimes
producing as many as 100 seeds,
but the average under cultivation
seldom exceeds 40 seeds to plant.
In accordance with natural con-
ditions a winter mulch over the
crowns is essential, especially in,
northern localities. Forest leaves
held in place with poultry netting
or light brush are best, but corn
stalks stripped of the husks, bean
vines, cowpea hay, or other coarse
litter not containing weed seeds
or material attractive to mice will
answer the purpose. 1t should
not be placed in position until
actual freezing weather is inn
minent and should be removed in
spring before the first shoots
come through the soil.
A mulch of or inches of
leaves or their equivalent in lit
ter is ample for the severest
climate, and less is needed in the
South. Seeding beds particular
ly require careful mulching to pre-
vent heaving by frost.
Free ventilation is very neces-
sary for ginseng. In the forest,
owing TO the height of the protec-'
tive canopy of trees, air currents
are almost constant. This condi-
ton should be borne in mind in
the construction of artificial shade,
and the shed should contain as
few obstacles as possible to the
free circulation of air. Open sides
at the north and east will gem
orally insure free ventilation.
Owing to the comparatively high
cost OF ginseng plants and roots,
the beds should be well protected
by secure fences from the intru-
sion of wild or domestic animals
and should also be securely guard
ed against theft, which is not un-
common with this high-priced
product. Protection is especially
needed with forest paintings,
which should always DE well in
closeds Moles may be controlled
with suitable traps, of which there
are several kinds on the market,
or the beds may be guarded with
boards or wire netting of SUI
close mesh set IL to IS
inches in the ground.
Ginseng Varieties
The culture of native ginseng |
has been too brief to induce va
rietal changes, but liberal fertili-
zation and continual selection OF
seeds from individual plants hav-
ng superior commercial chdrac-
tcristics will doubtless in the end
'avorably modify the wild type of
plants. There are, however, var
Gus recognizable geographical
,aces, not all of the same value to
the grower. Plants from the north
ern range, particularly those in
liuenDus IN NeW York and Wis