ENEMIES. 69 



ularly the undersides of the leaves, mind, just enough 

 so it won't trickle off. And this must be applied as 

 soon as the first sign of disease is seen. It will also be 

 good to thoroughly spray all posts, walks, etc., to kill 

 disease germs that may be resting upon them. 



Let no grower be surprised at the appearance of 

 diseases. He is largely responsible for them because 

 he has taken the plant from its natural surroundings 

 and is making it grow under artificial conditions. It 

 may be that he is giving too much shade, too little air, 

 too much nitrogen, that the plants are too crowded, 

 the soil too moist whatever the wrong condition, he 

 must find out and correct it. It is safe to say that the 

 grower who most nearly approaches natural conditions 

 will be least troubled with disease. Keep the plants 

 healthy by rational 'feeding, which will tend to make 

 them strong and to keep them so, then by careful 

 spraying, prevent the entrance of disease. Just think 

 of a ginseng disease as ginseng cancer. When cancer 

 gets a start there is no cure. Spraying is not a remedy, 

 it is a preventive ; it is an insurance. 



SELECTION FOR IMPROVEMENT 



The author is especially pleased to note the inter- 

 est that is being taken in the selection of ginseng to 

 obtain improved varieties. Not that any marked im- 

 provements such as those mentioned on Pages 37-39 

 have been made, but that the more progressive growers 

 are making observations and drawing deductions. 



Since the writing of Part I the most important 

 discovery perhaps of all in connection with ginseng, 

 is the fact that the seeds of some plants and the ear- 

 liest ripened seeds of others do not always wait until 

 the second spring to germinate, but sprout during the 

 first spring, thus saving a whole year's time. When 

 a plant shows a tendency to hustle like this no grower 

 should lose an opportunity to help it. 



