Cultivation  of  Hydrastis. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
\      April,  1913. 
the  roots  were  nearly  eaten  entire,  I  began  an  investigation,  thinking 
that  perhaps  grubs  were  the  destroyers  and  yet  the  roots  showed 
teeth  markings  which  grubs  did  not  or  could  not  do,  at  last  I  found 
a  small  run-way  below  the  surface,  and  I  followed  this,  at  the  end 
of  it  I  found  a  nest  of  field  mice  huddled  away  as  comfortable  as 
you  please,  with  pieces  of  ginseng  root  handy  for  the  next  meal — 
they  were  the  guilty  parties, — no  golden  seal  root  was  found  in 
this  nest ;  therefore  I  think  a  light  mulch  to  keep  the  frost  from 
heaving  the  roots  out  of  the  ground,  and  just  covering  enough  to 
protect  them  from  the  weather,  gives  to  me  the  best  satisfaction. 
• 
Miscellaneous. 
I  do'  not  wish  nor  is  it  my  intention  to  antagonize  anyone  engaged 
in  this  industry;  I  have  only  spoken  here  a  few  words  based  upon 
my  own  experience ;  and  I  stand  ready  to  adopt  any  improvement 
which  gives  results  better  than. those  which  I  already  employ;  I*  do 
not  say  that  my  ways  or  ideas  are  the  best,  but  I  do'  claim  that  the 
things  which  I  have  worked  out  myself,  from  year  to  year,  are  the 
most  practical  and  are  of  the  most  value  to  me. 
There  is  a  tendency  of  a  number  to  go  into  the  growing  of 
Hydrastis,  let  me  say  to  them,  like  unto  the  army  who  a  few  years 
ago  undertook  ginseng  culture  and  failed,  that  there  is  something 
to  learn  in  this  business  before  success  is  attained,  unless  vital 
things  are  steadfastly  followed  in  the  growing  of  Hydrastis,  ruin 
will  be  the  result,  some  writers  seem  to  create  the  idea,  or  have  a 
tendency  to  leave  the  impression  that  the  cultivation  of  not  only 
Hydrastis,  but  of  other  drug  plants,  is  merely  a  haphazard,  "  happy 
go  lucky  "  kind  of  a  game,  where  one  may  with  little  effort  scatter 
a  few  seeds  upon  earth's  floor,  and  later  reap  a  bountiful  harvest, 
but  I  say  unto  all  concerned,  if  treasures  are  to  be  reaped  from  the 
golden  gathering,  long  earnest  and  persistent  effort  will  be  required 
before  the  reward  of  merit  is  obtained ;  to  be  sure  a  crop  of  golden 
seal  can  be  grown  in  about  one  half  the  time  it  takes  to  produce  a 
crop  of  ginseng,  yet  the  grower  has  to  know  how  to  grow  it  to 
be  successful. 
Regarding  quantity,  a  goodly  number  of  acres  will  be  required 
before  the  supply  will  overstock  the  market ;  the  time  will  never 
be  again,  I  dare  say,  when  the  cultivated  root  will  be  in  quantity 
what  the  wild  produced.   There  will  always  be,  I  predict,  a  sale  and 
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