16 THE GINSENG INDUSTRY. 



more tender when under unnatural conditions such as 

 would prevail in the box. 



If collected in the spring, set the plants in the bed 

 at once ; or if they must be kept out of the ground for a 

 few hours, keep them carefully covered with damp soil, 

 to prevent any possible injury to the tender rootlets. 

 The easiest way to dig the plants, when growing in the 

 woods, is to use a small spade, thrusting it straight 

 down at a distance of four or five inches from the plant 

 and to the full depth of the blade. If closer or shallower 

 than this there is danger of breaking the roots, and thus 

 ruining them. A trowel, though useful for transplant- 

 ing the more evenly developed cultivated roots, is not a 

 good tool to use in the woods, because of the possible 

 presence of other roots, stones and pieces of wood that 

 might interfere with the removal of the root. In the 

 cultivated beds, however, these objections are overcome, 

 and the trowel may be used to advantage in transplanting 

 the seedlings. 



Always take the greatest care to preserve the bud 

 at the crown of the root. If destroyed, there will be 

 more or less loss of time, if not of the plants themselves. 



STARTING WITH SEED. 



When collecting roots, be sure to also collect all 

 seed. Either sow it at once in a previously prepared 

 bed, or store it. Each method has advantages and dis- 

 advantages. The only advantage in planting at once is 

 that the seed is permanently disposed of. The disad- 

 vantages are that since eighteen months must elapse 

 before the seed can be made to sprout, there is much 

 risk that the seed bed may become dry, and the seed 

 thus be rendered worthless ; the seed bed must also be 

 attended to, mulched, shaded, weeded, and protected 

 from chickens, mice and other nuisances. Then there 

 is much more anxiety when the seed is thus handled 



