70 PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY. 



This early maturing trait should be taken advan- 

 tage of as a starting. In fact some enterprising grow- 

 ers are already planning to develop varieties that will 

 always sprout during the spring following the ripening 

 of the seed. Such improved varieties should be named 

 and disseminated. There is not the slightest reason 

 to doubt that ginseng can be improved by selection 

 and cultivation, in similar manner as has been done 

 with carrots, beets, parsnips and many other cultivated 

 crops that have been developed from the original wild 

 forms. 



The statements made upon this subject in the first 

 part are hereby emphasized. But neither the author's 

 talking nor the grower's wondering about them will 

 accomplish anything. The way to prove the truth of 

 the assertions is to test them. Turn to Page 38, read 

 and think this matter over again, remembering during 

 the perusal that when the prices of seeds and plants 

 fall as fall they must the man who has a good vari- 

 ety, a variety worthy of a name, may still command a 

 high price perhaps not so high as at present is asked 

 yet not so high that his conscience will trouble him 

 for accepting it, because he will be giving a superior 

 article for the money. There is no reason why vari- 

 eties noted for early sprouting, early maturing, long 

 straight heavy roots, ability to withstand disease better 

 than common stock, etc., etc., should not be advertised 

 within the next ten years in the same way that seeds- 

 men advertise early and late, green and yellow podded, 

 black and white seeded beans. The whole matter rests 

 with the grower. He should first make himself thor- 

 oughly familiar with the plant and its peculiarities. 

 Then, for reasons already detailed, he should start his 

 improvements with the best stock obtainable. 



Considerable as have been the improvements made 

 in the growing of ginseng, which twenty years ago 

 was not in cultivation in America, the author believes 



