42 THE GINSENG INDUSTRY. 



same reason will become recognized by tlie dealer who 

 handles them as of superior quality, thus gaining his 

 confidence. 



Large quantities of good root are annually injured 

 in value by careless handling after they are taken from 

 the beds; therefore, pay particular attention to the fol- 

 lowing : Shake on 2 all loose earth and place the roots at 

 once in water, so that the earth remaining upon them 

 may not become dry, and thus stick to the roots. When 

 all are dug, put them in a tub with plenty of water, and 

 wash them thoroughly in several waters, using a rather 

 stiff broom, but be careful not to break the roots. Use 

 a hand brush to finish any specimens that are not per- 

 fectly clean after the washing in the tub. The roots are 

 now ready to be dried. 



Drying in the sun is too slow a process, and though 

 practiced to a large extent by the sang diggers, it is use- 

 ful only for summer-dug roots, the sun not being warm 

 enough when the roots are dug at the proper season. 

 The practice of drying the roots in an oven, or in pans 

 upon the top of the stove, is usually too rapid, and there 

 is much danger of burning them when dried in this way. 

 The value of many roots is reduced by drying them on 

 strings hung in the kitchen. In this way they become 

 more or less discolored, and are considered inferior on 

 account of the holes made in them by the strings. As 

 the roots run such great risks of being cooked when 

 dried in the oven or upon the stove, it will be found 

 best to rely upon a more gentle heat. Nothing is better 

 than to dry them in a current of warm air. This may 

 be secured in either of the two simple homemade dryers 

 described herewith. 



Get a box large enough to cover the top of the 

 kitchen stove, and deep enough to hold six or eight slid- 

 ing shelves. Remove the bottom entirely. Make a 

 hole in the top ; take off one side, and make a hinged 



