PRESENT STATUS OF THE 

 INDUSTRY. 



BOTANY OF THE PLANT. 



Since the writing of Part I, the most important 

 peculiarity that has been discovered in the ginseng 

 plant is the occasional development of sterile blossoms. 

 Professor Carman, Botanist of the Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station of Kentucky, states the case clearly 

 in the following letter published by Mr. J. W. Sears 

 in a recent circular : "The ginseng you have sent me 

 appears to be the same species as that grown by you. 

 Only one botanical species is recognized in this coun- 

 try, unless we include the small species with globular 

 root, mentioned in my bulletin. The truth appears to 

 be that Panax quinquefolium sometimes produces sep- 

 arate staminate and pistillate flowers and if one 

 happens to get the staminate only he will of course get 

 no fruit. Your plants appear to bear perfect flowers, 

 that is, with both stamens and pistils in the same 

 flower, and hence they produce berries whether other 

 plants are near them or not." 



Under what conditions staminate or male plants 

 appear in a plantation is not yet determined, but that 

 they do appear and are not uncommon is a fact that 

 should lead to careful observation on the part of grow- 

 ers. If the discovery be made as to peculiarities of 

 soil, fertilizers, management or other conditions that 

 produce them, the grower may have the control in his 

 own hands so that he may or may not obtain seed as 

 he desires. With seed at present prices the discovery 



