100 PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY. 



very considerable in Hong Kong, and the demand is so 

 great that much more could be disposed of advantage- 

 ously. The ginseng root is as indispensable to the 

 well-to-do Chinese as is 'their rice. They attribute all 

 sorts of medicinal virtues to the root, especially using 

 it as a stimulant. The growth of the ginseng trade has 

 been marked in recent years, and higher prices are now 

 paid by dealers than ever before, especially during the 

 last three years. American growers of ginseng may 

 confidently expect a steadily increasing market in 

 Hong Kong, although it is largely only a distributing 

 center. The root is prepared in this city. The skin 

 is cleaned and smoothed by a special process, sorted 

 out in equal sizes, put up in neat boxes of various 

 capacities, according to quality, and re-exported to all 

 the consuming districts in China. The bulk of the 

 shipments goes to the northern ports, such as Shanghai, 

 Hankan, Tientsin, and Chefoo, although a fair pro- 

 portion finds its way to Canton and the coast ports 

 Amoy, Swatow, and Fuchau; also to Formosa, and 

 other markets where there are Chinese. 



"The average value of American ginseng annually 

 received at Hong Kong is from $1,700,000 to $1,800,- 

 ooo Mexican ($763,300 to $808,200 gold). On Jan- 

 uary i, 1902, the Mexican dollar was valued by the 

 United States Mint at forty-four and nine-tenths cents. 



"The value of the Chinese ginseng annually 

 imported is estimated at about $100,000 Mexican 

 ($44,900). The quantity is small, but its value is 

 computed at twenty to forty times its weight in silver, 

 according to quality. The importation of Korean 

 ginseng root is valued at about $800,000' ($359,200) 

 a year. 



"The prices of ginseng vary according to quality. 

 The wild, dried American root, as imported at Hong 

 Kong, may be classified into three grades, generally 

 known to the trade as 'fair,' 'good/ and 'extra' or 



