130 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



eral inches in the ground, and grow very commonly at the base of trees 

 in rich shaded forests. A species either identical with or closely re- 

 sembling our plant grows in Northern China, and has for unknown 

 ages been in use among the Chinese as a medical plant, and is believed 

 by them to possess most extraordinary virtues, so much so that it is 

 perhaps the most universal of all their remedies, entering into a large 

 proportion of their prescriptions and commanding a high price. 



Since cominercia relations have been established with China large 

 quantities of American ginseng have been exported to that country, 

 where it has usually found a ready sale. At first the roots were pro- 

 cured from Canada and the New England {States, but more recently 

 large quantities have been collected and exported from the mountain- 

 ous regions of North Carolina. 



By medical men of our own country, this root is not believed to have 

 any active medicinal properties. 



It has an aromatic bitter-sweet taste, somewhat mucilaginous, and 

 may be considered as a mild stimulant aromatic tonic. Plate IX. 



Podophyllum peltatum — Mandrake ; May Apple, 



A perennial, herbaceous plant growing throughout most parts of the 

 Eastern United States in moist rich woods. What is commonly called 

 the root of this plant is really a prostrate root-stock or stem, botanically 

 called a rhizome, from which the true roots strike out at and near the 

 joints. These underground stems sometimes extend for 3 or 4 feet in 

 length, each year extending farther, and forming a joint or swelling, 

 from which the next year's upright growth takes place. These upright 

 stems are a foot to afoot and a half high, round and smooth, and divid- 

 ing at the top into two large leaves, and in the forks between the leaves 

 is produced usually a single flower. A portion, however, of the upright 

 stems produce only a single leaf and no flower. These single leaves are 

 peltate or umbrella-like, having the stalk fixed in the center of the leaf, 

 with the veins spreading out from that point in all directions like the 

 rays of an umbrella. The leaves of the flowering stems are one-sided, 

 having the stalk fixed near the inner edge. They are mostly 6 to 10 

 inches in diameter, and divided into from five to nine lobes, the divis- 

 ions reaching within an inch or less of the base. The lobes are some- 

 what obovate, wedge-shaped, sharply and coarsely toothed at the 

 summit. The flower is nodding, on a peduncle an inch or two in length. 

 It is nearly 2 inches in breadth when fully expanded. In the bud it is 

 inclosed by three small green bracts which soon drop away, together 

 with the six thin membranaceous sepals, leaving after expansion from 

 six to nine white petals. These petals are obovate and spreading. The 

 stamens are twice as many as the petals, on short filaments. The 

 ovar} T occupying the center of the flower is crowned with a large sessile, 

 crenate stigma. The flower is succeeded by a softish fruit of an oval 

 form, about the size of a large plum, which has a thickish rind, becoming 

 yellow when ripe, and a pulpy interior of an acid and agreeable taste, 

 in which is embedded about a dozen small seeds. This pulp is much 

 relished by many persons, and has cooling and aperient qualities. The 

 long, creeping root-stalks, commonly called the roots, are the parts of 

 this plant which are employed medicinally. When dried these are brit- 

 tle and easily reduced to powder. They have a peculiar and rather 

 unpleasant taste, becoming intensely bitter. This root has long been 

 esteemed as a valuable medicinal article. It is in proper doses a sure 



and aefciye Qataartic, and is also believed to aaye an alterative influence 



