88 



2 feet high, and neatly bordered with slates. It is sown in April, trans- 

 planted in the following spring, and again in three years into specially 

 prepared ground, not recently cultivated, and which has not been used 

 for Ginseng culture for seven years. Up to the second year the plant 

 hn< only two leaves. In the fourth year it is 6 inches high with four 

 leaves standing out at right angles from the stalk. Ir reaches maturity 

 in the 6th or 7th year. During its growth it is sheltered from both 

 wind and sun by well made reed roofs with blinds which are raised and 

 lowered as may be required. When the root is taken, it is known as 

 " white Ginseng," and is bought by merchants who get it " manufac- 

 tured." about 3^ catties of the fresh root making one cattie of red or 

 commercial Ginseng. The grower pays a tax of 20 cents, per cattie, 

 and the merchant 16 dollars a cattie for the root as received from the 

 manufacturer. 



" The annual time of manufacture depends on orders given by the 

 Government. The growers and merchants make the most profits 

 when the date is early. Only two manufacturers are licensed, and 150 

 growers. The quantity to be manufactured is also limited. In 1895 it 

 was 15,000 catties of red Ginseng and 8,000 of " beards. " The terms 

 " beards " and "tails" are used to denote different parts of the root, 

 wnich eventually has a grotesque resemblance to a headless man ! It 

 is possible that this likeness is the source of some of the almost mir- 

 aculous virtues which are attributed to it. Everything about the fac- 

 tories is scrupulously clean, and would do credit to European manage- 

 ment. The row of houses used by what we should call the excisemen 

 are well-built and comfortable. There are two officials sent from Seoul 

 by the Agricultural Department for the " season " with four policemen 

 and two attendants, whose expenses are paid by the manufacturers, and 

 each step of the manufacture and the egress of the workmen are care- 

 fully watched. Mr. Yi was sent by the Customs to make special en- 

 quiries in connection with the revenue derived. 



" Ginseng is steamed for 24 hours in large earthen jars over iron 

 pots built into furnaces, and is then partially dried in a room kept at a 

 high temperature by charcoal. The final drying is effected by exposing 

 the roots in elevated flat baskets to the rays of the bright winter sun, 

 The human resemblance survives these processes, but afterwards the 

 lt beards " and " tails " used chiefly in Korea, are cut off. an 1 the trunk 

 from 3 to 4 inches long, looks like a piece of clouded amber. These 

 trunks are carefully picked over, and being classified according to size 

 are neatly packed in small oblong baskets containing about 5 catties 

 each, 12 or 14 of these being packed in a basket, which is waterproof 

 and matted, and stamped and sealed by the Agricultural Department a> 

 ready for exportation. A basket, according to quality is worth from 

 $14,000 to $20,000. in a good season the grower makes about 15 

 times his outlay. Ginseng was a Royal monopoly, but times have chang- 

 ed. This medicine which has such a high and apparently partially de- 

 served reputation throughout the Far East, does not suit Europeans 

 and is of little account with European doctors." 



This is the only description ever published of the method of curing 

 or manufacture of Ginseng in Korea. 



