LETTERS FROM GROWERS. 117 



farm load to two square rods of ground. See that 

 the manure is well rotted, fine and well broken up. 

 Ginseng is not a foliage plant but a root plant ; there- 

 fore avoid all fresh manure. Mix the manure with 

 the soil as evenly as possible and divide the ground 

 into beds about five feet wide. The beds should be 

 made by driving stakes in the ground, nailing five- 

 inch boards to the stakes, and leaving a walk sixteen 

 inches wide between the beds. 



"For sowing seed, sift fine manure through a 

 three-fourths inch mesh sieve and cover the bed one 

 inch deep. Then mix this manure with the surface 

 soil of the bed. I prefer to do it with the sieve. Now, 

 level the bed smoothly and mark with a four-inch 

 marker; in these marks press a clapboard, beveled to 

 an edge, one inch deep. Sow in these cracks either 

 seed or berries about one inch apart and after sowing 

 go over each row with the sharp edge of the board and 

 gently press each seed or berry to the bottom of the 

 crack. Cover the seed by drawing the board angling 

 across the rows ; then cover the beds with leaves three 

 or four inches deep. Some lay brush on to keep the 

 leaves in place, but I have never been bothered by 

 the wind. 



"When the plantlets are coming up remove the 

 leaves and sow on the bed hardwood ashes at the rate 

 of one peck per square rod ; and again in two or three 

 weeks when all plants have appeared repeat the applica- 

 tion. The potash destroys and drives away numerous 

 insects that feed on the young plants and prevents 

 slumping off. Do not use any nitrate of soda or other 

 fertilizers rich in nitrogen; such are injurious to the 

 plants. 



"For setting roots we mark the beds both ways 

 with a six-inch marker, using a dibber to make the 

 hole in each square and inserting the root with the 

 crown two inches below the surface. With the fore- 



