SELECTION FOB IMPROVEMENT. 37 



through the beds and thus disturb the plants. It is 

 likely that the moles do as much good as harm, since 

 they eat a great many worms and grubs that might 

 injure the plants. If the grubs were not present the 

 moles would not give any trouble, because they would 

 seek places better supplied with food. Mice are charged 

 with eating the roots, whether justly or not it is hard to 

 say. But since they give trouble by making nests and 

 burrows in the beds, they are nuisances and should be 

 kept in check. The usual methods of catching both 

 moles and mice will apply to the ginseng bed pests. 

 Dogs, cats, poison and traps are all useful. 



Chickens should be kept away from the beds, 

 because they are sure to be grateful to the grower for 

 preparing so nice a place to scratch. They are also said 

 to be fond of the berries when these are ripe. There are 

 cheaper chicken foods than ginseng berries at a dollar 

 an ounce for the seed. 



SELECTION FOR IMPROVEMENT. 



A point that should be considered by every grower 

 of this root, is the improvement of his stock. This, it 

 seems probable, can be accomplished by the practice of 

 methods successfully applied in the improvement of 

 other cultivated plants. Care and patience are the two 

 principal requisites. 



Select the best specimens and grow them in a bed 

 by themselves, giving them a little extra attention. Save 

 the plants and the seed they mature separate from the 

 general crop, and when the plants so produced are large 

 enough to judge of their qualities, select those that 

 seem the best, and transplant the poorer ones to the 

 general market bed. Save and plant the seed from the 

 superior ones, as before, and so continue. 



By choosing the best formed, the earliest maturing 

 and the largest roots, these qualities may be imparted to 



