886 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



with largfer amounts of Florida soft phosphate. Superphosphate at 

 $14 ]ier ton proved far superior both in yield and in financial returns 

 to soft phosphate at $12 per ton. 



Miscellaneous fodder crops, J. L. Hills ( Vermont 8ta. Rpt 1893, 

 pp. 114-118). — The composition and yield per acre of food constituents 

 are tabulated for Japanese radish, spurry, millet, rape, soja bean, horse 

 bean, and sunflowers, and for mixtures of peas, oats, and rape, hairy vetch 

 and soja beans, hairy vetch and horse beans, and vetch, oats, and rape. 

 The largest yield of dry matter, 7,491 lbs. per acre, was made by rape; 

 this plant produced a larger crop when the drills were 6 in. apart than 

 when planted at a distance of 27 in. apart. Japanese radish was refused 

 by cattle; sunflower heads afforded 2,738 lbs. dry matter per acre, con- 

 taining 607 lbs. of fat, a much larger quantity than that produced by 

 any other crop. 



American ginseng, G. V. Nash ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Division of Botany 

 Bill. 16, pp. 22, figs. 2). — The roots of ginseng {Panex quinqnefolinm) are 

 exported to China, where they are used medicinally. The following 

 topics are treated: History, description, geographical distribution, 

 medicinal properties, commercial value, export statistics, protection 

 against extermination, cultivation, composition, and preparation of 

 ginseng for market. 



" There are two ways in which a start may be made in the cultivation of ginseng, 

 viz, by transplanting the wild roots and by sowing seed. By the latter method from 

 4 to 7 years are required to produce the first crop of marketable roots, and the laud 

 yields no income in the meanwhile. The more speedy and better plan is to transplant 

 wild roots of different ages. This is to be done in the fall of the year, the seed of 

 the plants being collected at the same time and sown . . . The following autumn 

 dig lip the roots and replant all that are not of marketable size, sowing all the seed 

 yielded by the bed." 



A ginseng bed should be shaded, and hence its best location is in a 

 wood from which the underbrush has been removed. It is recommended 

 to plant the seed in drills 2 or 3 in. apart and 1 in. deep at the rate of 

 1 seed per inch. The seed should be sown as soon as gathered, or 

 if kept for any time it should be packed in moist loam. If alli^wed to 

 dry it will not germinate. Eigliteen months usually elapse between 

 planting and germination. When the plants are 2 or 3 years old they 

 may be again transplanted to carefully prepared beds. 



" When the plants are from 4 to 7 years old, they are to be dug up in the fall, after 

 the seed is gathered. They should then be sorted, all that are large enough for the 

 market being taken out and the remainder replanted. In digging the roots great 

 care should be exer<isod not to mutilate them, as their value is increased in propor- 

 tion to their freedom from blemishes." 



The consumption of ginseng is limited and there is a possibility 

 of glutting the market. On the other hand, its culture requires but 

 little capital, and when the price is low the roots can be left in the 

 ground to await higher prices. 



