CLARIFICATION. 75 



Since nothing is mentioned in the first edition 

 concerning clarification, and since there seems to be 

 a growing interest in the process and the product, the 

 following paragraphs are quoted from Bulletin 16 of 

 the Division of Botany : 



"A process employed by the Chinese to produce a 

 yellowish translucent appearance in the -ginseng root, 

 which adds to its value in their estimation, is thus 

 described by Father Jartoux : 



" They take care to wash it well and cleanse it with 

 a brush from all extraneous matter. Then they^orprit 

 into scalding water, and prepare it in the fume of a 

 sort of yellow millet, which communicates to it a part 

 of its color. The millet is put into a vessel with a little 

 water, and boils over a gentle fire; the roots are laid 

 upon small transverse pieces of wood over the vessel, 

 and are thus prepared, being covered with a linen cloth 

 or some other vessel placed over them. They may also 

 be dried in the sun or by the fire ; but then, though they 

 retain their virtue well enough, yet they have not that 

 yellow color which the Chinese so much admire. 

 When the roots are dried, they must be kept close in 

 some very dry place; otherwise they are in danger of 

 corrupting or being eaten by worms/ 



"Another authority, referring apparently to the 

 same Chinese custom, states : 'It is cured by steaming 

 in a steaming basket. If intended for use in the South, 

 sugar is added ; if for use in the North, no sugar/ 



"The clarifying process is thus described by Mr. 

 Foulk: 'Soon after the seeds have been gathered in 

 October the plants and roots intact are carefully taken 

 from the earth. The stems are readily broken off, the 

 roots washed, placed in small baskets with large 

 meshes, and at once taken to the steaming house. 

 Here are flat, shallow iron boilers over fireplaces, over 

 which are earthenware vessels, two feet in diameter 

 and as many high, with close-fitting lids. In the hot- 



