MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. 135 



it belonging to the king. But in spite of the death 

 penalty for its private disposal large quantities are 

 smuggled across the Yellow Sea in junks from the 

 western coast of the peninsula to the mainland, and 

 also across the northwestern borders into China, where 

 it always commands a ready market and good price/ 

 ' "According to the authority last cited, 'the third 

 grade, called native ginseng, is grown in China near 

 the borders of Korea. This is mostly used to adulter- 

 ate the Korean article, and is valued at from $i to $10 

 per pound.' To this may correspond in some meas- 

 ure a native product noted by Dr. Smith, consisting 

 of the roots of species of Campanula and Adenophora, 

 used as a substitute for ginseng and called by its 

 name. 



"Regarding further grades, the above consular 

 authority says: 



:< 'American ginseng is generally regarded as next 

 in classification, but from all I can learn of it I think 

 it belongs rather to the third class, and the last as 

 fourth. When crude it averages about $2 per pound; 

 when clarified, from $4 to $6, and when reclarified, 

 from $6 to $8 per pound. What the clarifying may 

 be I have no absolute information. Some maintain it 

 is only washing and clearing the roots from earth and 

 fibers, and some that it is a process of steeping with 

 honey, which is only done with the best selected 

 specimens.' 



"As stated by the same writer, The last and 

 poorest quality is the Japanese ginseng, which, like 

 the native product, is used for the adulteration of the 

 Korean supply and other better grades.' Its value is 

 correspondent to that of the native article, i. e., $i to 

 $10 per pound. According to Dr. Smith, the Japan- 

 ese ginseng is often adulterated with the roots of 

 Campanula glauca and other plants." 



Of special interest to American ginseng growers. 



