802 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



pounds of cultivated root was sold to an exporter and |8.50 per 

 pound was received for the root. On the basis of this experiment 

 I estimated the cost of planting an acre, figuring liberally on the 

 preparation of the land, erecting a substantial lath house, weeding, 

 mulching, etc., paying for the two-year old roots (then 10 cents 

 each)^ oost of planting, etc., and it summed up to |10,000. Estimat- 

 ing the product of roots in five years time and selling at $8.50 

 per pound, gave an income of |25,000, deducting the total expense 

 of 110,000, leaves $15,000 as a conservative estimate of clear gain 

 for an acre in five years, which is at the rate of |3,000 per acre 

 annually. The report of this experiment is published in Bulletin 

 No. 62, of the Pennsylvania Experiment Station, and those of you 

 who have not already received a copy, may obtain one by writing 

 to the Station for it. 



1 would caution you against the planting of small wild roots. 

 Cultivated wild roots at 20 cents each are worth more than wild 

 roots at 5 cents each. (Samples of each were displayed.) Wild 

 roots are stunted, wrinkled and in cultivation can make only a 

 slow growth. They are usually from 5-15 years old, and occasion- 

 ally 40 years old, through in size they are smaller than good 2-year 

 old cultivated roots from the seedbed. The cultivated roots are 

 long, white, smooth, and bear a large, vigorous bud close to the root 

 and when planted make a quick and rapid growth. The age of a 

 root can be determined by the number of scars on the "neck" be- 

 tween the root and head or bud. Each scar represents a year, for it 

 marks the place of the attachment of the annual growth of each 

 season. 



A word of caution about seeds. Ginseng seeds must never be 

 allowed to become dry. They lose vitality quickly when they dry. 

 A packet purchased in a seed store of Philadelphia contained 11 

 seeds, costing 50 cents, and when thrown in water to test them, 

 all floated on top of the water, showing them to be worthless. 

 When seeds are obtained they should be tested in this manner 

 with water. It is known as the "water test" and every reliable 

 dealer will sell upon the water test. Be particular to get American 

 seed. During the past two years Japanese seed, which could be 

 obtained cheaper than American seed, was imported and sold as 

 American seed. It produces an inferior grade of root and therefore 

 should be avoided. An expert can readily detect the foreign seed 

 as it has ridges over its surface not possessed by the American seed. 

 Great efforts are being made to obtain Manchurian or Korean seed, 

 because Uie species of ginseng grown in those countries is superior 

 to the American. It is claimed, however, that it is impossible 

 to secure such seeds. Samples of seeds claimed to be Manchurian 

 have been sent to me for examination and by subjecting them to 



