GINSENG. 15 



CHAPTER VH. 

 QINSENQ. 

 MARKET AND ITS COMMERCIAL VALUE. In speaking of the 

 local market — the market in the United States — it may be stated 

 that in localities where the root is still to be found in the forest, 

 it is bought from the gatherers by druggists and other merchants 

 and by them shipped to the larger dealers. Such dealers can be 

 found in nearly all larger cities- These larger dealers either sell 

 to the Chinese exporters, or export the roots to Hongkong or other 

 large Chinese cities, but most of the exporting is done by the 

 Chinese. The main distributing point in the Orient is said to be 

 Hongkong, and nearly all American ginseng comes to China 

 through that port. 



The prices paid in recent years by the larger dealers of this 

 country have ranged from $4.. 50 to $5.50 per pound for lower 

 grades, S5.50 to IG.50 for medium and $6-50 to $8.25 per pound 

 for good quality, the latter being really for selected roots. 



In this connection the following official statistics as to the 

 amount exported and its value may be of interest to the reader. 

 STATISTICS SHOWING SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Statistical 

 table of ginseng exported from the United States to China and 

 other countries, taken from the official commerce reports published 

 by the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Commerce and 

 Labor. It represents the American trade in ginseng with China 

 and all other countries for the past ninety years. 



