THE GINSENG INDUSTRY. 



HISTORY. 



In discussing the cultivation of a well-known crop, 

 such as the apple, or the onion, an author need mention 

 nothing as to its history. The great majority of readers 

 are not interested in such matters, and will skip over to 

 the more practical parts which deal with cultural direc- 

 tions, yield and profits. But in writing of a new crop, 

 especially one that can never become a staple, it is nec- 

 essary that the reader should know something of its 

 development, in order to judge of its advancement and 

 the probable limits of the market. He will then be in a 

 good position to judge whether or not to start for him- 

 self. The following brief introductory paragraphs, 

 therefore, are inserted to show the development of trade 

 in American ginseng from its earliest stage to its present 

 position of commercial importance. 



^Chinese ginseng, to which American ginseng is 

 closely related, has been to the Chinese of vastly more 

 importance than quinine has been to the nations of 

 more progressive ideas. Unlike quinine, however, which 

 is prescribed for a limited number of ailments, ginseng 

 is considered a sovereign remedy for almost every malady 

 that human flesh is heir to, from indigestion to con- 

 sumption, and is believed to insure immunity from all 

 kinds of disease. There is still a more remarkable 

 belief in the properties of this plant. It is thought that 

 certain specimens, like the one represented in Fig. 1, 

 which bear a somewhat close resemblance to the human 



