96 PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY. 



1,033,882 taels (equal to 353,147 pounds, valued at 

 $656,515 gold), or about $1.86 gold per pound. 



"Korean ginseng declared at the same ports for the 

 year 1896 amounted to 11,240 catties, valued at 389,192 

 taels (14,987 pounds, valued at $247,137 gold), or 

 about $16.50 per pound. It may be seen that by 

 customs valuations alone, the Korean gins-eng is 

 appraised at nearly nine times the value of that from 

 America. 



/'The above declared 'amount of ginseng imported 

 into China from Korea is supposed to represent not 

 more than half of the actual importation, as the smug- 

 gling of this article is made the business of almost 

 every Chinaman returning home from Korea. There 

 is also a considerable import of Korean ginseng into 

 Hong Kong, which being a British port, is not included 

 in the reports of the Chinese customs. 



"The Korean ginseng crop for 1896, marketed 

 early in 1897 and declared at the customs, amounted 

 in round numbers to 31,000 catties (41,300 pounds), 

 valued in Korea at 600,000 yen ($300,000 gold), on 

 which an export duty of 300,000 yen ($150,000 gold) 

 was collected. The value of this crop in China is con- 

 siderably more than double its valuation in Korea, the 

 best Korean ginseng often bringing 50 taels ($31.75 

 gold per pound) in China. 



"Numerous requests are received at this office 

 from time to time for ginseng seeds. It will be seen 

 from reading this report that it is useless to send the 

 seeds to America, as they will dry out on the way and 

 fail to germinate when planted." 



"American Ginseng in China" is the title of an 

 article in Consular Reports prepared by Consul-Gen- 

 eral Rounsevelle Wildman on January 7, 1900, which 

 is quoted entire as follows : 



"The demand for a market for American ginseng 

 in China continues. I am in receipt by every mail of 



