The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-01-27
RAISING GINSENG IN IOWA. one Faach Of TT1fr4z Acres Will Be
 Planted in Woodland


 Al Chinese aaundrynan in small town in Iowa says that he uses $50 worth of ginseng root each year and fhat if lfe could afford it he would eat more If each Chinannan in China consumes. as is saids one fifth of "a eent's worth of this root each year, ana ik a large share of the supply comes from the United States, how long win the root continue to rise in prfce7 It has been said that 100 acr es of ginseng under arbor would break the market but as yet the price has continued to rise The present quota tofn for the best grade of American root has reached ss pound on the New York market, and the price is the highest ever paid The wild root has been dug out of the woods all over America until this source has been greatly reduced. Some is raised in Csh1nas Japan and Corea and com mands a much higher price than the Amer1can.
 The root is regarded as a. digestion eorfective and mild laxative In shape the roots are somewhat like car- rots- In flavor they are swedish and zromatics much like licorice. This doubtless has much to do with the popularity of the commodity with the celestials- It is taken in other ways. but is most often cheWed in the dry form 8Id men in our own country, native Americans. had the habit when I Waa a boy Of carrying in a waisteoat peckAt 8 piece of dried rhubarb root for like purposes. I remember thar nly grahdEafher used to use if1fpor- tea Freheh root and, that he always carried piece It is only in recent years that Iz has occurred to me that he maT have carried ;Ehubarb root becauseH # tasfsd good.
 Ginhealg seeds are pla nfed in rich, openakoI under q ml1lth like the leaves. et a forest and flze Whole bed is coFered with an arB6r butit Of posts and erozspkeces and slats to provide parti&l shade Il lzs thak under the trees. The seeds take eighteen months to Eerminate That is. seeds spIanted this fall will come up fle spring Of 1s15s The crop ls ifoE ready to harTeE until live to seven years af- ter Pzentzns< but then may produce. thQpsands Of dollars per acre
 Ginseng has passed the stage Of be- 1ngr as most of us supposed, fake and get-rich h-uuick-scheme, and is now in the nature Of a long-time truck growing proposition. The sr- bors are very expensive and can be used for no other purpose than for growing woodland herbs The most paipstaking care is required in cu1ti- yation and in combating insects and diseases
 The largest growers of my acquain- tance are old oiiion men who have made money in onions and are still making a large income from onior culture and are taking a seven year flyer in ginseng
 Because the aEbers are expens5vsl e.=s EzzsuDt is being made to f<rt5ss ginseng in wild hardwood timber h northeru Iowa there is one patch of thirty acres of woodland that has been fenced boy-tight and will all be cleared and planted to ginseng be- Fore spring There=1s one other such patch at least, in Iowa. With such plantings going on over the country there is. strong market for seeds and seedlings for transplanting and much money is being made by the sale s,f these.EC. L. Fitchs Iowa State Col lezze-5