524 CANADIAN LOCAL HISTORY. 



It would have been gratifying to posterity had the printers of the Gazette and Oracle endeavor- 

 ed to furnish a connected record of "the short'and simple annals" of their own immediate 

 neighborhood. But these unfortunately were deemed undeserving of much notice. We have 

 announcements of meetings, and projects, and subscriptions for particular purposes, unfollowed 

 up by an account of what was subsequently said, done and effected ; and when a local incident 

 is mentioned, the detail is generally very meagre. An advertisement in the'number for the 

 27th August, 1801, reminds us that in the early history of Canada it was imagined'. that a great 

 source of wealth to the inhabitants of the country in all future time would be the ginseng that 

 was found growing naturally in the swamps. The market for guiseng was principally China, 

 where it was worth its weight in silver. The word is said to be Chinese for "all-heal." In 

 1801 we find that Mr. Jacob Herchmer, of York, was speculating in ginseng. In his advertise- 

 ment in the Gazette and Oracle he "begs leave to inform the inhabitants of York and its 

 vicinity that he wUl purchase any quantity of ginseng between this and the first of Novem- 

 ber next, and that he will give two shillings. New York currency, per pound well dried, and 

 one shilling for green." At a later period, it wiU be remembered, the cultivation of hemp 

 was expected to be the mainstay of the country's prosperity. The whole of the editorial matter 

 of the Gazette and Oracle on the 2nd of January, 1802, is the following : " The Oracle, York, 

 Saturday, January 2, 1802. The Printer presents his congratulary compliments to his 

 customers on the New Year." The dignified title of Editor was yet but sparingly assumed. 

 That term is used once by Tiffany at Newark, in the second volume. After the death of Gov- 

 erner Hunter in September 1805, J. Bennett (writes himself down " Printer to the King's 

 Most Excellent Majesty." Previously the colophon of the publication had been]: "York, 

 printed by John Bennett, by the authority of His Excellency .Peter Hunter, Esq., Lieut.- 

 Governor." 



Happening to have at hand a bill of Bennett's against the Government we give it here. The 

 modern reader will be able to form from this specimen an idea of the extent of the government 

 requirements in 1805 in regard to printing and the cost thereof. "We give also the various 

 attestations appended to the account : 



York, Upper Canada, 24th June, 1805. 

 The Government of Upper Canada, 



To John Bennett, Government Printer. 



Jan. 11. 300 copies Still Licenses, J sheet foolscap, iiica type . . . .* o 16 6 



March 30. Printing 20 copies of an Act for altering the time of issuing Licenses for 



keeping of a House of Public Entertainment, J sheet demy, pica type, 3 4 

 April 5. Inserting a Notice to persons taking out Shop, StiU or Tavern Licenses, 6 



weeks in the Gazette, equal to 4J advertisements 1 1(5 



April 16. 1,000 copies of Proclamation, warning persons that possess and occupy 

 Lands in this Province, without due titles having been obtained for such 

 Lands, forthwith to quit and remove from the same, i sheet demy, 



double pica type 4 IS 4 



April 22. 'lOO copies of an Act to afford relief to persons entitled to claim Land in 

 this Province as heirs or devisees of the nominees of the Crown, one 



sheet demy, pica type 3 6 3 



Printing Marginal Notes to do 5 



May 14. Printing 1,500 copies of the Acts of the First Session of the Fourth Par- 

 liament, 3 sheets demy, pica type 45 



Marginal Notes to do. at Ss. per sheet 15 



Folding, Stitching and Covering in Blue Paper, at Id 6 5 



Halifax Currency £63 5 9 



Amonnting to sixty-three pounds five shillings and nine pence Halifax currency. Errors 



e:?cepted. 



(Signed) John Bennett. 



John Bennett, of the Town of York, in the Home District, maketh oath and saith, that the 



