GINSENG 



GINSENG 



361 



ground thoroughly with a strong solution of copper 

 sulfate (two pounds copper sulfate, ten to fifteen 

 gallons water), before the plants come up. As soon 

 as the plants begin to appear, spray thoroughly 

 with Bordeaux mixture. As the plants come up 

 unevenly, it may be necessary to spray daily till all 

 are up, after which thorough spraying every ten 

 days or two weeks until the seed-heads begin to fill, 

 will be sufiicient. When the seed-heads are filling, 

 they should be sprayed once or twice to protect 

 them from the form of the disease known as blast. 



Soft rot of the roots is indicated by premature 

 coloring of the foliage. The leaflets become bronze 

 and then show a reddish coloration, followed by the 

 wilting and death of the top. The roots rot, and 

 become sticky, mushy and ill-smelling. This disease 

 is destructive only in wet soils. Normally it is harm- 

 less, becoming parasitic on the roots only when 

 their vitality is reduced by excessive moisture. 

 The only remedy is thorough drainage. 



Rot of stems and roots causes the stem to fall over 

 from the weakening at its base, while the roots 

 became soft and pulpy. The disease may be recog- 

 nized by the large black knots on the base of the 

 stem or on the roots. Thorough ventilation and 

 careful drainage are recommended. 



Nematode root-galls. — The nematode worm attacks 

 ginseng plants, especially those in gardens near 

 woodlots. The largest knots seem to be formed on 

 the main roots. The galls may reach a large size, 

 and rapidly rob the plant of its vitality and reduce 

 the value of the roots. The most effective remedy 

 is to remove the garden to an unaffected place, and 

 to be careful not to transfer any of the worms or 

 eggs from the old garden. Seeds or unaffected 

 roots should be used to start the new garden. 

 Freezing and drying of the ground are both destruc- 

 tive to the worms. If the soil can be steam-steril- 

 ized, the worms and eggs will both be killed. 



Snails eat the foliage and stems of young plants. 

 A good method of extermination is to trap with slices 

 of turnip or lettuce leaves. These may be placed 

 about the garden and turned over from time to 

 time, and the snails killed. With the aid of a lan- 

 tern they may be gathered at night from the foli- 

 age. Carbon bisulfid has been used with good ef- 

 fect, especially by applying along the boards, which 

 afford an excellent hiding place for the snails. 

 Care must be exercised not to have the carbon bi- 

 sulfid very strong. Air-slaked lime applied to the 

 soil is said to give good results. 



A discussion of these pests is to be found in Cor- 

 nell Bulletin No. 219, "Diseases of Ginseng," by 

 James M. Van Hook, from which these notes are in 

 part adapted. 



Medicinal properties. 



In this country ginseng is considered of little 

 medicinal value. The root is mildly aromatic and 

 slightly stimulant. The Chinese and Koreans, how- 

 ever, place a high value on it, and regard it as 

 a panacea. In Korea, the cultivated ginseng is 

 smaller than the wild or mountain ginseng, the 

 root of which attains a length of a foot or more 

 and a diameter of an inch and upward. It is said 



that when this wild root is administered the patient 

 loses consciousness for a time, and for about a 

 month is tortured by boils, eruptions, sleeplessness 

 and other ills. Rejuvenation then begins, the skin 

 becomes clear, the body healthy, and the person 

 will live (such is the belief) exempt from diseases 

 for many years. The Chinese consider that it acts 

 as a preventive by toning up the system. 



The root appears to be differently employed 

 according to the source from which it is secured, 

 probably partly on real and partly on fictitious 

 grounds. There are said to be three ways of tak- 

 ing ginseng, viz., as pills, confection and infusion. 

 Its medicinal value is thought to be diminished by 

 a steaming process to which it is frequently sub- 

 jected for the improvement of its color. It appears 

 to be given the character of a confection by steep- 

 ing in honey or by the use of sugar. 



Markets and marketing. 



Ginseng roots are purchased by raw fur dealers 

 in New York and other large cities. Many of these 

 dealers issue price-lists, which are mailed to grow- 

 ers and collectors from July to December. These 

 buyers either dispose of their holdings to Chinese 

 representatives or export directly to Hong Kong, 

 which is the principal port for American goods 

 entering China. There the roots are handled by 

 Chinese merchants who purchase in large quanti- 

 ties to supply the retailers, from whom the con- 

 sumers buy. That there is a demand for American 

 root in China is certain. The native supply is lim- 

 ited, and it is to this country that China must look 

 for a large share of the ginseng she uses. The 

 market for the past two years has preferred that 

 the roots be not washed with a brush, but that 

 they be cleaned by a strong current of water 

 thrown on them, as from a hose. 



The market price of ginseng fluctuates more or 

 less, chiefly because of trade conditions and the 

 rise and fall in silver. In the years 1905 and 1906, 

 cultivated ginseng was subject to great variation 

 in price, even being refused at one time. Prior to 

 this very high prices had been paid. Leading New 

 York dealers, who furnish the prices quoted below, 

 say the business is still in a transitional state, 

 which will probably last two or three years, until 

 growers produce the medium - sized, ringed, dark, 

 uniform roots in demand among the Chinese. In 

 the spring of 1907 when these statements were 

 made, prices for American wild root in New York 

 city ranged from $6.35 to $7.25 a pound, and those 

 of cultivated, from $5.75 to $6.40. 



Literature. 



Kains, Ginseng : Its Cultivation, Harvesting and 

 ' Market Value, Orange Judd Co., New York (1904) ; 

 An Experiment in Ginseng-Culture, Pennsylvania 

 State College Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 62 ; 

 Ginseng : Its Nature and Culture, Kentucky Ex- 

 periment Station, Bulletin No. 78 ; Diseases of 

 Ginseng, New York (Cornell) Experiment Station, 

 Bulletin No. 219 ; Pennsylvania State Department 

 of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 27 ; Missouri Experi- 

 ment Station, Bulletin No. 69 ; Division of Botany, 



