i64 CHINA. 



GiKG-sENG, nine modern. The value of the root increafes; it was formerly 

 \v()rth its weight in filver; " at prefent," i'lxy^ Du Halde->, " it 

 « is fold for nearly its weight in gold." 



In 1709, when the great Kang-hi was on one of his p:o- 

 grelTes into his Manchew dominions, he was defirous to give his 

 favorite T'artar'ians a valuable perquilite, and fent ten thoufand 

 of his foldiers to collect all the Ging-feng they could find. Each 

 was to give him two ounces of the beft, and to receive for the 

 remainder an equal weight of fine filver. They fallied forth, 

 and colleded in the year twenty thoufand pounds weight ; but 

 fuffered fufficiently, for they were allowed neither tent or 

 any fort of covering, and the places of fearch fwarmed with 

 tigers. Thofe who did not return on the fignal of moving their 

 quarters, were fuppofed to have been devoured by thofe dreadful 

 animals. 



In the C/6/;z^^ dominions Ging-feng grows between the thirty- 

 ninth and forty-feventh degree north Latitude, and between ten 

 and twenty eaft Longitude from Peking : but is not confined to 

 the old world ; it was difcovered in Canada, in 1704, by M. Sar- 

 rajin, who fent fpecimens to Paris. It was introduced into Eng- 

 land, in 1740, by the worthy Peter Co/linfon, and now flourillies 

 in Kew garden. Linnaus firft called this plant Sion Ninji, after- 

 wards Panax quinquefolium. Ebrei. in Trew, tab. 6. names it 

 Araliajirmn ; and Catejby, Appendix, tab. 16. Aureliana Cana- 

 denjis, after Lafitau. Doctor Woodvilk, i. 270. retains the Linn<^an 

 name. 

 In America In America it is not confined to Canada, It is found even as 



ALi>0. 



* Vol. ii. 215, 



far 



