50 THE GIKSENG INDUSTRY. 



from two and one-half square rods ground, was 38 pounds 

 dry root ; 34 pounds sold for $7 per pound. 



"Ginseng culture has come to stay. Many planta- 

 tions are starting up in many parts of the United States. 

 I made a visit to the eastern part of New York state 

 recently, where I found quite a number of cultivators. 

 Some of them had been engaged in the business ten 

 years. I paid one party $66 for seed, and $152 for his 

 crop of ginseng the past season. Also paid a lady in 

 Wisconsin $38 for seed, and $11 to another in New 

 York state for cultivated ginseng. I give these facts to 

 show that others can make, and are making, a success of 

 ginseng culture." 



Of course this is a somewhat remarkable showing. 

 It owes much of its success to the untiring efforts and 

 wide experience of Mr. Stanton. Still, by following 

 carefully the instructions given in this book the beginner 

 should, barring accident, be able to make a good profit. 

 It is, however, well to be cautious and patient, and to 

 be content to extend the plantation as experience dic- 

 tates, rather than to rush into the business upon a large 

 scale without sufficient knowledge of the details essen- 

 tial to its success. It is, consequently, unsafe to take 

 the figures given above, and to calculate from them the 

 probable returns per acre. 



There is great promise in the industry. Though 

 Chinese ginseng is considered by the Chinese as superior 

 to the American variety, there is, nevertheless, a steady 

 sale for the latter. The demand is large ; the natural 

 supply is inadequate, and decreasing ; the cultivated 

 beds are not being extended fast enough to supply the 

 deficiency in the wild root ; the price is consequently 

 high and likely to rise still higher, and, should a glut 

 occur, a very unlikely contingency under the conditions 

 that have prevailed for some years, or should lower 

 prices rule for a time, there need be no cause for alarm. 



