The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-11-07
GINSENG FARM IS
NOW OPERATED IN
CUlLEOKA SECTION
]. /. AND PAUL FITZPATRICK EN-.
BARK NEW AND INTEREST.
ING VENTURE.
FIRST ROOT GOES TO China
Already Have Three and a Half
Acres and "Field" Will Be In
creased to Five Acres.-Immense
Profits to be Made.

Another industry that proves again
the diversity of the resources of this
country, has been launched by ]. l..
Fitzpatrick and son, Paul Fitzpatrick,
of the Culleoka section. They have
established gin seng farm and this
week made their first export ship
meth Of the product. The shipment
was sent direct to Hong Kong, China,
which gets about all of the famous
root. O.
Starting on a small scale the "seng
farm" gives every promise of being
one of the most profitable fields in
the state. The Messrs. Fitzpatrick
live at the old ante-bellum home of
the Fitzpatricks across the line in
Marshall county and about six miles
from Culleoka. About eight years
ago they began to lay plans for the
production of ginseng.
Ginseng is plant that must be
close to nature, the closer the bet
ter. The growers went into the for
est primeval and cleared it leaving
sufficient number of trees for shade.
The surplus roots in the ground were
taken out and the first bed planted
Gingseng is a slow crop to produce
1t requires eighteen months for the
seeds to come up" after they have
been planted. But Mr.. Fitzpatrick
and his son have been persistent ana
they now have three and one-half
acres in seng. Their first shipment
this year will bring them about $500.
Next year they expect to market an
acre or more and it should produce
not far short of 1000 pounds. At 81
per pound which is about the price
that the root now commands this will
give them an income of $1,000
There are in addition to the three
and a half acres already growing
about two acres more in the farm"
that has been seeded to ''seng." 1t
is the plan of the Fitzpatricks to so
arrange their crops that they can
plant and market an acre every year
which will bring to them very sub
stantial income. 1t will make the
acre of land worth a fabulous price
on the basis of a six per cent yield.
The seeds of ginseng are sown in
the fall. They come up the follow
ing spring a year. At the age of five
years they are ready for the market
From beginning of ESQ roots in 1904
these growers will next year harvest
over 10000 roots. An acre will pro-
duce about 100000 roots, and allow
ing for the roots that for one reason
or another fail to mature, there will
be about 100000 roots to harvest
which should produce close to 1000
pounds of root.
The Fitzpatricks do not use artifi-
Cal SUdu0 hui COulIucTCid1 Lei LIlllclS
in the growing of the root They
leave sufficient shade in the forest
and depend upon the soil as nature
prepared it. The expense of planting
the first acre, preparing the land, get
ting the plants in etc., is about $3.50.
After that the crops that follow will
cost considerably less. The roots do
not produce seed until they are
eighteen months old. The roots are
planted in beds with walkways be-
tween.
Both the Messrs. Fitzpatrick are
substantial and successful farmers
and dbusiness men and their enter
! prise is being watched with a great
deal Of interest.