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diff --git a/34570.txt b/34570.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..776269c --- /dev/null +++ b/34570.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9290 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants, by +A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants + A Book of Valuable Information for Growers as Well as + Collectors of Medicinal Roots, Barks, Leaves, Etc. + +Author: A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding + +Release Date: December 5, 2010 [EBook #34570] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GINSENG AND OTHER MEDICINAL PLANTS *** + + + + +Produced by Linda M. Everhart, Blairstown, Missouri (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + +Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants + + [Frontispiece: Delights in His Ginseng Garden.] + +GINSENG AND OTHER +MEDICINAL PLANTS + +A Book of Valuable Information for +Growers as Well as Collectors +of Medicinal Roots, Barks, +Leaves, Etc. + +BY +A. R. HARDING + +Published by +A. R. Harding Publishing Co. +Columbus, Ohio + +Copyright 1908 +By A. R. Harding Pub. Co. + + + +CONTENTS + + I. Plants as a Source of Revenue + II. List of Plants Having Medicinal Value + III. Cultivation of Wild Plants + IV. The Story of Ginseng + V. Ginseng Habits + VI. Cultivation + VII. Shading and Blight + VIII. Diseases of Ginseng + IX. Marketing and Prices + X. Letters from Growers + XI. General Information + XII. Medicinal Qualities + XIII. Ginseng in China + XIV. Ginseng--Government Description, Etc. + XV. Michigan Mint Farm + XVI. Miscellaneous Information + XVII. Golden Seal Cultivation + XVIII. Golden Seal History, Etc. + XIX. Growers' Letters + XX. Golden Seal--Government Description, Etc. + XXI. Cohosh--Black and Blue + XXII. Snakeroot--Canada and Virginia + XXIII. Pokeweed + XXIV. Mayapple + XXV. Seneca Snakeroot + XXVI. Lady's Slipper + XXVII. Forest Roots + XXVIII. Forest Plants + XXIX. Thicket Plants + XXX. Swamp Plants + XXXI. Field Plants + XXXII. Dry Soil Plants + XXXIII. Rich Soil Plants + XXXIV. Medicinal Herbs + XXXV. Medicinal Shrubs + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + Delights in His Ginseng Garden + Seneca Snake Root (Cultivated) in Blossom + Indian Turnip (Wild) + Canadian Snake Root (Cultivated) + Blood Root (Cultivated) + Sarsaparilla Plant (Wild) + Ginseng Plants and Roots + Garden Grown Ginseng Plants + Northern Ginseng Plant in Bloom--June + Plan for Ginseng Garden 24 x 40 Feet--Ground Plan One Line, + Overhead Dotted + A Lath Panel + One, Two and Three Year Old Ginseng Roots + Ginseng Plants Coming Up + Bed of 10,000 Young Ginseng Plants in Forest + One Year's Growth of Ginseng Under Lattice Shade + A Healthy Looking Ginseng Garden + Diseased Ginseng Plants + Broken--"Stem Rot" + End Root Rot of Seedlings + The Beginning of Soft Rot + Dug and Dried--Ready for Market + A Three Year Old Cultivated Root + Bed of Mature Ginseng Plants Under Lattice + Some Thrifty Plants--An Ohio Garden + New York Grower's Garden + Forest Bed of Young "Seng" These Plants However Are Too Thick + A Healthy Looking "Garden"--"Yard" + Root Resembling Human Body + Wild Ginseng Roots + Pennsylvania Grower's Garden + Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolium) + Lady Slipper + Young Golden Seal Plant in Bloom + Golden Seal Plants + Thrifty Golden Seal Plant + Golden Seal in an Upland Grove + Locust Grove Seal Garden + Golden Seal (Hydrastis Canadensis) Flowering Plant and Fruit + Golden Seal Rootstock + Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga Racemosa), Leaves, Flowering Spikes and + Rootstock + Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum Thalictroides) + Canada Snakeroot (Asarum Canadense) + Virginia Serpentaria (Aristolochia Serpentaria) + Pokeweed (Phytolacca Decandra), Flowering and Fruiting Branch + Pokeweed Root + May-Apple (Podophyllum Pellatum), Upper Portion of Plant with + Flower, and Rootstock + Seneca Snakeroot (Polygala Senega), Flowering Plant with Root + Large Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium Hirsutum) + Bethroot (Trillium Erectum) + Culver's Root (Veronica Virginica) Flowering Top and Rootstock + Stoneroot (Collinsonia Canadensis) + Crawley-Root (Corallorhiza Odontorhiza) + Marginal-Fruited Shield-Fern (Dryopteris Marginalis) + Goldthread (Coptis Trifolia) + Twinleaf (Jeffersonia Diphylla) Plant and Seed Capsule + Canada Moonseed (Menispermum Canadense) + Wild Turnip (Arisaema Triphyllum) + Black Indian Hemp (Apocynum Cannabinum), Flowering Portion, Pods, + and Rootstock + Chamaelirium (Chamaelirium Luteum) + Wild Yam (Dioscorea Villosa) + Skunk-Cabbage (Spathyema Foetida) + American Hellebore (Veratrum Viride) + Water-Eryngo (Eryngium Yuccifolium) + Yellow Jasmine (Gelsensium Sempervirens) + Sweet Flag (Acorus Calamus) + Blue Flag (Iris Versicolor) + Crane's-bill (Geranium Maculatum), Flowering Plant, Showing also + Seed Pods and Rootstock + Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) + Soapwort (Saponaria Officinalis) + Burdock (Arctium Lappa), Flowering branch and Root + Yellow Dock (Rumex Crispus), First Year's Growth + Broad-Leaved Dock (Rumex Obtusifolius), Leaf, Fruiting Spike and + Root + Stillingia (Stillingia Sylvatica), Upper Portion of Plant and Part + of Spike Showing Male Plant + American Colombo (Frasera Carolinensis), Leaves, Flowers, and Seed + Pods + Couch-Grass (Agropyron Repens) + Echinacea (Brauneria Augustifolia) + Aletris (Aletris Farinosa) + Wild Indigo (Baptisia Tinctoria), Branch Showing Flowers and Seed + Pods + Pleurisy Root (Asclepias Tuberosa) + Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis), Flowering Plant with Rootstock + Pinkroot (Spigelia Marilandica) + Indian Physic (Porteranthus Trifoliatus) + Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia Nudicaulis) + American Angelica (Angelica Atropurpurea) + Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) + Elecampane (Inula Helenium) + Queen-of-the-Meadow (Eupatorium Purpureum) + Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens) + Oregon Grape (Berberis Aquifolium) + + [Illustration: A. R. Harding] + + + +INTRODUCTION + +When the price of Ginseng advanced some years ago hundreds engaged in +the business who knew little or nothing of farming, plant raising and +horticulture. That they largely failed is not to be wondered at. +Later many began in a small way and succeeded. Many of these were +farmers and gardeners. Others were men who had hunted, trapped and +gathered "seng" from boyhood. They therefore knew something of the +peculiarities of Ginseng. + +It is from the experience of these men that this work is largely made +up--writings of those who are in the business. + +Golden seal is also attracting considerable attention owing to the +rapid increase in price during the early years of the present +century. The growing of this plant is given careful attention also. + +Many other plants are destined to soon become valuable. A work gotten +out by the government--American root drugs--contains a great deal of +value in regard habits, range, description, common names, price, +uses, etc., etc., so that some of the information contained in this +book is taken therefrom. The prices named in the government bulletin +which was issued in 1907 were those prevailing at that time--they +will vary, in the future, largely according to the supply and demand. + +The greatest revenue derived from plants for medicinal purposes is +derived from the roots, yet there are certain ones where the leaves +and bark are used. Therefore to be complete some space is given to +these plants. The digging of the roots, of course, destroys the plant +as well as does the peeling of the bark, while leaves secured is +clear gain--in other words, if gathered when matured the plant or +shrub is not injured and will produce leaves each year. + +The amount of root drugs used for medicinal purposes will increase as +the medical profession is using of them more and more. Again the +number of people in the world is rapidly increasing while the forests +(the natural home of root drugs) are becoming less each year. This +shows that growers of medicinal roots will find a larger market in +the future than in the past. + +Those who know something of medicinal plants--"Root Drugs"--can +safely embark in their cultivation, for while prices may ease off--go +lower--at times, it is reasonably certain that the general trend will +be upward as the supply growing wild is rapidly becoming less each +year. + + A. R. Harding. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +PLANTS AS A SOURCE OF REVENUE. + +With the single exception of ginseng, the hundred of plants whose +roots are used for medical purposes, America is the main market and +user. Ginseng is used mainly by the Chinese. The thickly inhabited +Chinese Empire is where the American ginseng is principally used. To +what uses it is put may be briefly stated, as a superstitious +beverage. The roots with certain shapes are carried about the person +for charms. The roots resembling the human form being the most +valuable. + +The most valuable drugs which grow in America are ginseng and golden +seal, but there are hundreds of others as well whose leaves, barks, +seeds, flowers, etc., have a market value and which could be +cultivated or gathered with profit. In this connection an article +which appeared in the Hunter-Trader-Trapper, Columbus, Ohio, under +the title which heads this chapter is given in full: + +To many unacquainted with the nature of the various wild plants which +surround them in farm and out-o'-door life, it will be a revelation +to learn that the world's supply of crude, botanical (vegetable) +drugs are to a large extent gotten from this class of material. There +are more than one thousand different kinds in use which are +indigenous or naturalized in the United States. Some of these are +very valuable and have, since their medicinal properties were +discovered, come into use in all parts of the world; others now +collected in this country have been brought here and, much like the +English sparrow, become in their propagation a nuisance and pest +wherever found. + +The impression prevails among many that the work of collecting the +proper kind, curing and preparing for the market is an occupation to +be undertaken only by those having experience and a wide knowledge of +their species, uses, etc. It is a fact, though, that everyone, +however little he may know of the medicinal value of such things, may +easily become familiar enough with this business to successfully +collect and prepare for the market many different kinds from the +start. + +There are very large firms throughout the country whose sole business +is for this line of merchandise, and who are at all times anxious to +make contracts with parties in the country who will give the work +business-like attention, such as would attend the production of other +farm articles, and which is so necessary to the success of the work. + +If one could visit the buyers of such firms and ask how reliable they +have found their sources of supply for the various kinds required, it +would provoke much laughter. It is quite true that not more than one +in one hundred who write these firms to get an order for some one or +more kinds they might supply, ever give it sufficient attention to +enable a first shipment to be made. Repeated experiences of this kind +have made the average buyer very promptly commit to the nearest waste +basket all letters received from those who have not been doing this +work in the past, recognizing the utter waste of time in +corresponding with those who so far have shown no interest in the +work. + +The time is ripe for those who are willing to take up this work, +seriously giving some time and brains to solving the comparatively +easy problems of doing this work at a small cost of time and money +and successfully compete for this business, which in many cases is +forced to draw supplies from Europe, South America, Africa, and all +parts of the world. + +From the writer's observation, more of these goods are not collected +in this country on account of the false ideas those investigating it +have of the amount of money to be made from the work, than from any +other reason; they are led to believe that untold wealth lies easily +within their reach, requiring only a small effort on their part to +obtain it. Many cases may be cited of ones who have laboriously +collected, possibly 50 to 100 pounds of an article, and when it was +discovered that from one to two dollars per pound was not immediately +forthcoming, pronounced the dealer a thief and never again considered +the work. + +In these days when all crude materials are being bought, manufactured +and sold on the closest margins of profit possible, the crude drug +business has not escaped, it is therefore only possible to make a +reasonable profit in marketing the products of the now useless weeds +which confront the farmer as a serious problem at every turn. To the +one putting thought, economy and perseverance in this work, will come +profit which is now merely thrown away. + +Many herbs, leaves, barks, seeds, roots, berries and flowers are +bought in very large quantities, it being the custom of the larger +houses to merely place an order with the collector for all he can +collect, without restriction. For example, the barks used from the +sassafras roots, from the wild cherry tree, white pine tree, elm +tree, tansy herb, jimson weed, etc., run into the hundreds of +thousand pounds annually, forming very often the basis of many +remedies you buy from your druggist. + +The idea prevalent with many, who have at any time considered this +occupation, that it is necessary to be familiar with the botanical +and Latin names of these weeds, must be abolished. When one of the +firms referred to receives a letter asking for the price of Rattle +Top Root, they at once know that Cimicifuga Racemosa is meant; or if +it be Shonny Haw, they readily understand it to mean Viburnum +Prunifolium; Jimson Weed as Stramonium Dotura; Indian Tobacco as +Lobelia Inflata; Star Roots as Helonias Roots, and so on throughout +the entire list of items. + +Should an occasion arise when the name by which an article is locally +known cannot be understood, a sample sent by mail will soon be the +means of making plain to the buyer what is meant. + +Among the many items which it is now necessary to import from +Germany, Russia, France, Austria and other foreign countries, which +might be produced by this country, the more important are: Dandelion +Roots, Burdock Roots, Angelica Roots, Asparagus Roots, Red Clover +Heads, or blossoms. Corn Silk, Doggrass, Elder Flowers, Horehound +Herb, Motherwort Herb, Parsley Root, Parsley Seed, Sage Leaves, +Stramonium Leaves or Jamestown Leaves, Yellow Dock Root, together +with many others. + +Dandelion Roots have at times become so scarce in the markets as to +reach a price of 50c per pound as the cost to import it is small +there was great profit somewhere. + +These items just enumerated would not be worthy of mention were they +of small importance. It is true, though, that with one or two +exceptions, the amounts annually imported are from one hundred to +five hundred thousand pounds or more. + +As plentiful as are Red Clover Flowers, this item last fall brought +very close to 20c per pound when being purchased in two to ten-ton +lots for the Winter's consumption. + +For five years past values for all Crude Drugs have advanced in many +instances beyond a proportionate advance in the cost of labor, and +they bid fair to maintain such a position permanently. It is safe to +estimate the average enhancement of values to be at least 100% over +this period; those not reaching such an increased price fully made up +for by others which have many times doubled in value. + +It is beyond the bounds of possibility to pursue in detail all of the +facts which might prove interesting regarding this business, but it +is important that, to an extent at least, the matter of fluctuations +in values be explained before this subject can be ever in a measure +complete. + +All items embraced in the list of readily marketable items are at +times very high in price and other times very low; this is brought +about principally by the supply. It is usually the case that an +article gradually declines in price, when it has once started, until +the price ceases to make its production profitable. + +It is then neglected by those formerly gathering it, leaving the +natural demand nothing to draw upon except stocks which have +accumulated in the hands of dealers. It is more often the case that +such stocks are consumed before any one has become aware of the fact +that none has been collected for some time, and that nowhere can any +be found ready for the market. + +Dealers then begin to make inquiry, they urge its collection by those +who formerly did it, insisting still upon paying only the old price. +The situation becomes acute; the small lots held are not released +until a fabulous price may be realized, thus establishing a very much +higher market. Very soon the advanced prices reach the collector, +offers are rapidly made him at higher and higher prices, until +finally every one in the district is attracted by the high and +profitable figures being offered. It is right here that every careful +person concerned needs to be doubly careful else, in the inevitable +drop in prices caused by the over-production which as a matter of +course follows, he will lose money. It will probably take two to five +years then for this operation to repeat itself with these items, +which have after this declined even to lower figures than before. + +In the meantime attention is directed to others undergoing the same +experience. A thorough understanding of these circumstances and +proper heed given to them, will save much for the collector and make +him win in the majority of cases. + +Books and other information can be had by writing to the +manufacturers and dealers whose advertisements may be found in this +and other papers. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +LIST OF PLANTS HAVING MEDICINAL VALUE. + +The list of American Weeds and Plants as published under above +heading having medicinal value and the parts used will be of especial +value to the beginner, whether as a grower, collector or dealer. + +The supply and demand of medicinal plants changes, but the following +have been in constant demand for years. The name or names in +parenthesis are also applied to the root, bark, berry, plant, vines, +etc., as mentioned: + + Balm Gilead (Balsam Poplar)--The Buds. + Bayberry (Wax-Myrtle)--The Bark of Root. + Black Cohosh (Black Snake Root)--The Root with Rootlets. + Black Haw (Viburnum. Sloe.)--The Bark of Root. The Bark of Tree. + Black Indian Hemp (Canadian Hemp)--The Root. + Blood Root--The Root with Fibre. The Root with no Fibre. + Blue Cohosh (Papoose Root. Squaw Root)--The Root. + Blue Flag (Larger Blue Flag)--The Root. + Burdock--The Root. The Seed. + Cascara Sagrada (Chittem Bark)--Bark of Tree. + Clover, Red--The Blossoms. + Corn Silk + Cotton Root--The Bark of Root. + Cramp Root (Cranberry Tree. High Bush Cranberry)--The Bark of Tree. + Culver's Root (Black Root)--The Root. + Dandelion--The Root. + Deer Tongue--The Leaves. + Elder--The Dried Ripe Berries. The Flowers. + Elecampane--The Root, cut into slices. + Elm (Slippery Elm)--The Bark, deprived of the brown, outside layer. + Fringe Tree--The Bark of Root. + Gelsemium (Yellow Jasmine) (Carolina Jasmine)--The Root. + Ginseng--The Root. + Golden Seal (Yellow Root. Yellow Puccoon. Orange Root. Indian Dye. + Indian Turmeric)--The Root. + Gold Thread (Three-leaved Gold Thread)--The Herb. + Hops--These should be collected and packed in such a manner as to + retain all of the yellow powder (lupulin.) + Hydrangea--The Root. + Indian Hemp, Black (See Black Indian Hemp) + Lady Slipper (Moccasin-Flower. Large Yellow Lady Slipper. American + Valerian)--The Root, with Rootlets. + Lobelia (Indian Tobacco)--The Herb. The Seed. + Mandrake (May-apple)--The Root. + Nettle--The Herb. + Passion Flower--The Herb. + Pipsissewa (Prince's Pine)--The Vine. + Poke--The Berries. The Root. + Prickly Ash (Toothache Tree. Angelica Tree. Suterberry. Pepper + Wood. Tea Ash)--The Bark. The Berry. + Sassafras--The Bark of the Root. The Pith. + Saw Palmetto--The Berries. + Scullcap--The Herb. + + [Illustration: Senega Snake Root (Cultivated) in Blossom.] + + Snake Root, Virginia (Birthwort-Serpentaria)--The Root. + Snake Root, Canada (Asarabacca. Wild Ginger. So-called Coltfoot + Root)--The Root. + Spruce Gum--Clean Gum only. + Squaw Vine (Partridge Berry)--The Herb. + Star Root (See Unicorn False) + Star Grass (See Unicorn True) + Stillingia (Queen's Delight)--The Root. + Stramonium (Jamestown-weed. Jimson-weed. Thorn-apple)--The Leaves. + The Seed. + Unicorn True (Star Grass. Blazing Star. Mealy Starwort. Colic + Root)--The Root. + Unicorn False (Star Root. Starwort)--The Root. + Wahoo (Strawberry Tree. Indian Arrow. Burning Bush. Spindle Tree. + Pegwood. Bitter Ash)--The Bark of Root. The Bark of Tree. + White Pine (Deal Pine. Soft Deal Pine)--The Bark of Tree, Rossed. + Wild Cherry--The thin Green Bark, and thick Bark Rossed. The dried + Cherries. + Wild Indigo (Horsefly Weed. Rattle-bush. Indigo Weed. Yellow + Indigo. Clover Broom)--The Root. + Wormseed, American (Stinking Weed. Jesuit Tea. Jerusalem Tea. + Jerusalem Oak)--The Seed. + Wild Yam (Colic Root. China Root. Devil's Bones)--The Root. + Yellow Dock (Sour Dock. Narrow Dock. Curled Dock)--The Root. + +The following are used in limited quantities only: + + Arbor Vitae (White Cedar)--The Leafy Tips. + Balmony (Turtle-head. Snakehead)--The Herb, free from large Stalks. + Beth Root (Trillium Erectum. Wake Robin. Birth-root)--The Root. + Birch Bark (Cherry Birch. Sweet Birch. Black Birch. Black Root (see + culvers root)--The Bark of Tree. + Blackberry (High Blackberry)--The Bark of Root. + Black Willow--The Bark. The Buds. + Boneset (Thoroughwort)--The Herb, free from large Stems. + Broom Corn--The Seed. + Broom Top (Scotch Broom)--The Flowering Tops. + Bugle Weed (Water Horehound) The Herb, free from large Stems. + Butternut--Bark of Root. + Catnip--The Herb. + Chestnut--The Leaves, collected in September or October while still + green. + Chicory (Succory)--The Root, cut into slices (Cross section.) + Corn Ergot (Corn Smut)--The Fungus, replacing the grains of corn. + False Bittersweet (Shrubby Bittersweet. Climbing Bittersweet. + Wax-wort. Staff-tree)--The Bark of Tree. + Garden Lettuce--The Leaves. + Geranium (Cranesbill)--The Root of the wild Herb. + Gravel Plant (May Flower. Ground Laurel. Trailing Arbutus)--The + Leaves. + Great Celandine (Garden Celandine)--Entire plant. + Hellebore, False (Adonis Vernalis)--The Root. + Hemlock--The Bark. The Gum. + Horse Nettle--The Berries. The Root. + Huckleberry--The Dried Berry. + Life Everlasting (Common Everlasting. Cudweed)--The Herb. + Life Root Plant (Rag-wort)--The Herb. + Lovage--The Root. + Maiden Hair--The Fern. + Milkweed (Pleurisy Root)--The Root cut into Sections lengthwise. + Motherwort--The Herb. + Mountain Ash (Mountain Laurel (See Sheep Laurel)--The Bark of Tree. + Mullein (Common Mullein)--The Leaves. + Pennyroyal--The Herb. + Peppermint The Leaves.--The Herb. + Pitcher Plant (Side-Saddle Plant. Fly Trap. Huntsman Cup. Water + Cup)--The Plant. + Plantain (Rib-grass. Rib-wort. Ripple-grass)--The Leaves. + Poison Oak (Poison Ivy)--The Leaves. + Pumpkin--The Seed. + Queen of the Meadow (Joe-Pye-Weed. Trumpet-Weed)--The Root. + Ragweed (Wild Red Raspberry)--The Leaves. + Rosinweed (Polar plant. Compass plant)--The Root. + Rue--The Herb. + Sage--The Leaves. + Scouring Rush (Horsetail)--The Herb. + Sheep Laurel (Laurel. Mountain Laurel. Broad-leafed Laurel. Calico + Bush. Spoon Wood)--The Leaves. + Sheep Sorrel (Field Sorrel)--The Leaves. + Shepherd's Purse--The Herb. + Skunk Cabbage--The Root. + Spikenard--The Root. + Stone Root--The Root. + Tag Alder--The Bark. + Tansy (Trailing Arbutus. See Gravel Plant)--The Herb. + Veratrum Viride (Green Hellebore. American Hellebore)--The Root. + Vervain (Blue Vervain)--The Herb. + Virginia Stone Crop (Dutch Stone Crop) + Wafer Ash (Hop Tree. Swamp Dogwood. Stinking Ash. Scrubby Trefoil. + Ague Bark)--The Bark of Root. + Water Avens (Throat Root. Cure All. Evan's Root. Indian Chocolate. + Chocolate Root. Bennett Root)--The Root. + Water Eryngo (Button Snake Root. Corn Snake Root. Rattle Snake's + Weed)--The Root. + Water Hemlock (Spotted Parsley. Spotted Hemlock. Poison Parsley. + Poison Hemlock. Poison Snake Weed. Beaver Poison)--The Herb. + Watermelon--The Seed. + Water Pepper (Smart Weed. Arsmart)--The Herb. + Water Ash--The Bark of Tree. + White Oak (Tanners Bark)--The Bark of Tree, Rossed. + White Ash--The Bark of Tree. + White Poplar (Trembling Poplar. Aspen. Quaking Asp)--The Bark of + Tree. + Wild Lettuce (Wild Opium Lettuce. Snake Weed. Trumpet Weed)--The + Leaves. + + [Illustration: Indian Turnip (Wild).] + + Wild Turnip (Indian Turnip. Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Pepper Turnip. + Swamp Turnip)--The Root, sliced. + Wintergreen (Checkerberry. Partridge Berry. Teaberry. + Deerberry)--The Leaves. + Witch Hazel (Striped Alder. Spotted Alder. Hazelnut)--The Bark. The + Leaves. + Yarrow (Milfoil. Thousand Leaf)--The Herb. + Yellow Parilla (Moon Seed. Texas Sarsaparilla)--The Root. + Yerba Santa (Mountain Balm. Gum Plant. Tar Weed)--The Leaves. + + + +CHAPTER III. + +CULTIVATION OF WILD PLANTS. + +The leading botanical roots in demand by the drug trade are the +following, to-wit: Ginseng, Golden Seal, Senega or Seneca Snake Root, +Serpentaria or Virginia Snake Root, Wild Ginger or Canada Snake Root, +Mandrake or Mayapple, Pink Root, Blood Root, Lady Slipper, Black +Root, Poke Root and the Docks. Most of these are found in abundance +in their natural habitat, and the prices paid for the crude drugs +will not, as yet, tempt many persons to gather the roots, wash, cure, +and market them, much less attempt their culture. But Ginseng, Golden +Seal, Senega, Serpentaria and Wild Ginger are becoming very scarce, +and the prices paid for these roots will induce persons interested in +them to study their several natures, manner of growth, natural +habitat, methods of propagation, cultivation, etc. + +This opens up a new field of industry to persons having the natural +aptitude for such work. Of course, the soil and environment must be +congenial to the plant grown. A field that would raise an abundance +of corn, cotton, or wheat would not raise Ginseng or Golden Seal at +all. Yet these plants grown as their natures demand, and by one who +"knows," will yield a thousand times more value per acre than corn, +cotton or wheat. A very small Ginseng garden is worth quite an +acreage of wheat. I have not as yet marketed any cultivated Ginseng. +It is too precious and of too much value as a yielder of seeds to dig +for the market. + +Some years ago I dug and marketed, writes a West Virginia party, the +Golden Seal growing in a small plot, ten feet wide by thirty feet +long, as a test, to see if the cultivation of this plant would pay. I +found that it paid extremely well, although I made this test at a +great loss. This bed had been set three years. In setting I used +about three times as much ground as was needed, as the plants were +set in rows eighteen inches apart and about one foot apart in the +rows. The rows should have been one foot apart, and the plants about +six inches apart in the rows, or less. I dug the plants in the fall +about the time the tops were drying down, washed them clean, dried +them carefully in the shade and sold them to a man in the city of +Huntington, W Va. He paid me $1.00 per pound and the patch brought me +$11.60, or at the rate of $1,684.32 per acre, by actual measure and +test. + + [Illustration: Canadian Snake Root (Cultivated).] + +This experiment opened my eyes very wide. The patch had cost me +practically nothing, and taking this view only, had paid "extremely +well." But, I said, "I made this test at a great loss," which is +true, taking the proper view of the case. Suppose I had cut those +roots up into pieces for propagation, and stratified them in boxes of +sandy loam through the winter, and when the buds formed on them +carefully set them in well prepared beds. I would now have a little +growing gold mine. The price has been $1.75 for such stock, or 75% +more than when I sold, making an acre of such stuff worth $2,948.56. +The $11.60 worth of stock would have set an acre, or nearly so. So my +experiment was a great loss, taking this view of it. + +I am raising, in a small way, Ginseng, Lady Slipper, Wild Ginger and +Virginia Snake Root, and am having very good success with all of it. +I am also experimenting with some flowering plants, such as Sweet +Harbinger, Hepatica, Blood Root, and Blue Bell. I am trying to +propagate and grow some shrubs and trees to be used as yard and +cemetery trees. Of these my most interesting one is the American +Christmas Holly. I have not made much headway with it yet, but I am +not discouraged. I know more about it than when I began, and think I +shall succeed. There is good demand for Holly at Christmas time, and +I can find ready sale for all I can get. I think the plants should +sell well, as it makes a beautiful shrub. I think the time has come +when the Ginseng and Golden Seal of commerce and medicine will +practically all come from the gardens of the cultivators of these +plants. I do not see any danger of overproduction. The demand is +great and is increasing year by year. Of course, like the rising of a +river, the price may ebb and flow, somewhat, but it is constantly +going up. + + [Illustration: Blood Root (Cultivated).] + +The information contained in the following pages about the habits, +range, description and price of scores of root drugs will help +hundreds to distinguish the valuable plants from the worthless. In +most instances a good photo of the plant and root is given. As +Ginseng and Golden Seal are the most valuable, instructions for the +cultivation and marketing of same is given in detail. Any root can be +successfully grown if the would-be grower will only give close +attention to the kind of soil, shade, etc., under which the plant +flourishes in its native state. + + [Illustration: Sarsaparilla Plant (Wild).] + +Detailed methods of growing Ginseng and Golden Seal are given from +which it will be learned that the most successful ones are those who +are cultivating these plants under conditions as near those as +possible which the plants enjoy when growing wild in the forests. +Note carefully the nature of the soil, how much sunlight gets to the +plants, how much leaf mould and other mulch at the various seasons of +the year. + +It has been proven that Ginseng and Golden Seal do best when +cultivated as near to nature as possible. It is therefore reasonable +to assume that all other roots which grow wild and have a cash value, +for medicinal and other purposes, will do best when "cultivated" or +handled as near as possible under conditions which they thrived when +wild in the forests. + +Many "root drugs" which at this time are not very valuable--bringing +only a few cents a pound--will advance in price and those who wish to +engage in the medicinal root growing business can do so with +reasonable assurance that prices will advance for the supply growing +wild is dwindling smaller and smaller each year. Look at the prices +paid for Ginseng and Golden Seal in 1908 and compare with ten years +prior or 1898. Who knows but that in the near future an advance of +hundreds of per cent. will have been scored on wild turnip, lady's +slipper, crawley root, Canada snakeroot, serpentaria (known also as +Virginia and Texas snakeroot), yellow dock, black cohosh, Oregon +grape, blue cohosh, twinleaf, mayapple, Canada moonseed, blood-root, +hydrangea, crane's bill, seneca snakeroot, wild sarsaparilla, +pinkroot, black Indian hemp, pleurisy-root, culvers root, dandelion, +etc., etc.? + +Of course it will be best to grow only the more valuable roots, but +at the same time a small patch of one or more of those mentioned +above may prove a profitable investment. None of these are apt to +command the high price of Ginseng, but the grower must remember that +it takes Ginseng some years to produce roots of marketable size, +while many other plants produce marketable roots in a year. + +There are thousands of land owners in all parts of America that can +make money by gathering the roots, plants and barks now growing on +their premises. If care is taken to only dig and collect the best +specimens an income for years can be had. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE STORY OF GINSENG. + +History and science have their romances as vivid and as fascinating +as any in the realms of fiction. No story ever told has surpassed in +interest the history of this mysterious plant Ginseng; the root that +for nearly 200 years has been an important article of export to +China. + +Until a few years ago not one in a hundred intelligent Americans +living in cities and towns, ever heard of the plant, and those in the +wilder parts of the country who dug and sold the roots could tell +nothing of its history and use. Their forefathers had dug and sold +Ginseng. They merely followed the old custom. + +The natural range of Ginseng growing wild in the United States is +north to the Canadian line, embracing all the states of Maine, New +Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, +Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, West +Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky +and Tennessee. It is also found in a greater part of the following +states: Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Georgia +and Alabama. Until recently the plant was found growing wild in the +above states in abundance, especially those states touched by the +Allegheny mountains. The plant is also found in Ontario and Quebec, +Canada, but has become scarce there also, owing to persistent +hunting. It also grows sparingly in the states west of and bordering +on the Mississippi river. + +Ginseng in the United States was not considered of any medical value +until about 1905, but in China it is and has been highly prized for +medical purposes and large quantities of the root are exported to +that country. It is indeed doubtful if the root has much if any +medical value, and the fact that the Chinese prefer roots that +resemble, somewhat, the human body, only goes to prove that their use +of the root is rather from superstition than real value. + +Of late years Ginseng is being cultivated by the Chinese in that +country, but the root does not attain the size that it does in +America, and the plant from this side will, no doubt, continue to be +exported in large quantities. + +New York and San Francisco are the two leading cities from which +exports are made to China, and in each of these places are many large +dealers who annually collect hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth. +The most valuable Ginseng grows in New York, the New England states +and northern Pennsylvania. The root from southern sections sells at +from fifty cents to one dollar per pound less. + +Ginseng in the wild or natural state grows largely in beech, sugar +and poplar forests and prefers a damp soil. The appearance of Ginseng +when young resembles somewhat newly sprouted beans; the plant only +grows a few inches the first year. In the fall the stem dies and in +the spring the stalk grows up again. The height of the full grown +stalk is from eighteen to twenty inches, altho they sometimes grow +higher. The berries and seed are crimson (scarlet) color when ripe in +the fall. For three or four years the wild plants are small, and +unless one has a practical eye will escape notice, but professional +diggers have so persistently scoured the hills that in sections where +a few years ago it was abundant, it is now extinct. + +While the palmy days of digging were on, it was a novel occupation +and the "seng diggers," as they are commonly called, go into the +woods armed with a small mattock and sack, and the search for the +valuable plant begins. Ginseng usually grows in patches and these +spots are well known to the mountain residents. Often scores of +pounds of root are taken from one patch, and the occupation is a very +profitable one. The women as well as the men hunt Ginseng, and the +stalk is well known to all mountain lads and lassies. Ginseng grows +in a rich, black soil, and is more commonly found on the hillsides +than in the lowlands. + + [Illustration: Ginseng Plant and Roots.] + +Few are the mountain residents who do not devote some of their time +to hunting this valuable plant, and in the mountain farm houses there +are now many hundred pounds of the article laid away waiting the +market. While the fall is the favorite time for Ginseng hunting, it +is carried on all summer. When a patch of the root is found the +hunter loses no time in digging it. To leave it until the fall would +be to lose it, for undoubtedly some other hunter would find the patch +and dig it. + +How this odd commerce with China arose is in itself remarkable. Many, +many years ago a Catholic priest, one who had long served in China, +came as a missionary to the wilds of Canada. Here in the forest he +noted a plant bearing close resemblance to one much valued as a +medicine by the Chinese. A few roots were gathered and sent as a +sample to China, and many months afterwards the ships brought back +the welcome news that the Chinamen would buy the roots. + +Early in its history the value of Ginseng as a cultivated crop was +recognized, and repeated efforts made for its propagation. Each +attempt ended in failure. It became an accepted fact with the people +that Ginseng could not be grown. Now these experimenters were not +botanists, and consequently they failed to note some very simple yet +essential requirements of the plant. About 1890 experiments were +renewed. This time by skilled and competent men who quickly learned +that the plant would thrive only under its native forest conditions, +ample shade, and a loose, mellow soil, rich in humus, or decayed +vegetable matter. As has since been shown by the success of the +growers. Ginseng is easily grown, and responds readily to proper care +and attention. Under right conditions the cultivated roots are much +larger and finer, and grow more quickly than the wild ones. + +It may be stated in passing, that Chinese Ginseng is not quite the +same thing as that found in America, but is a variety called Panax +Ginseng, while ours is Panax Quinquefolia. The chemists say, however, +that so far as analysis shows, both have practically the same +properties. It was originally distributed over a wide area, being +found everywhere in the eastern part of the United States and Canada +where soil and locality were favorable. + +Ginseng has an annual stalk and perennial root. The first year the +foliage does not closely resemble the mature plant, having only three +leaves. It is usually in its third year that it assumes the +characteristic leaves of maturity and becomes a seed-bearer. The +photos which accompany give a more accurate idea of the plant's +appearance than is possible from a written description. The plants +bloom very quickly after sprouting and the berries mature in August +and September in most localities. When ripe, the berries are a rich +deep crimson and contain usually two seeds each. + +The seeds are peculiar in that it usually takes them about eighteen +months to germinate and if allowed to become dry in the meantime, the +vitality will be destroyed. + +Western authorities have heretofore placed little value on Ginseng as +a curative agent, but a number of recent investigations seem to +reverse this opinion. The Chinese, however, have always placed the +highest value upon it and millions have used and esteemed it for +untold centuries. Its preparation and uses have never been fully +understood by western people. + +Our Consuls in China have at various times furnished our government +with very full reports of its high value and universal use in the +"Flowery Kingdom." From these we learn that "Imperial Ginseng," the +highest grade grown in the royal parks and gardens, is jealously +watched and is worth from $40.00 to $200.00 per pound. Of course its +use is limited to the upper circle of China's four hundred. The next +quality comes from Korea and is valued at $15.00 to $35.00 per pound. +Its use is also limited to the lucky few. The third grade includes +American Ginseng and is the great staple kind. It is used by every +one of China's swarming millions who can possibly raise the price. +The fourth grade is Japanese Ginseng and is used by those who can do +no better. + +Mr. Wildman, of Hong Kong, says: "The market for a good article is +practically unlimited. There are four hundred million Chinese and all +to some extent use Ginseng. If they can once become satisfied with +the results obtained from the tea made from American Ginseng, the +yearly demand will run up into the millions of dollars worth." +Another curious fact is that the Chinese highly prize certain +peculiar shapes among these roots especially those resembling the +human form. For such they gladly pay fabulous prices, sometimes six +hundred times its weight in silver. The rare shapes are not used as +medicine but kept as a charm, very much as some Americans keep a +rabbit's foot for luck. + +Sir Edwin Arnold, that famous writer and student of Eastern peoples, +says of its medicinal values: "According to the Chinaman, Ginseng is +the best and most potent of cordials, of stimulants, of tonics, of +stomachics, cardiacs, febrifuges, and, above all, will best renovate +and reinvigorate failing forces. It fills the heart with hilarity +while its occasional use will, it is said, add a decade of years to +the ordinary human life. Can all these millions of Orientals, all +those many generations of men, who have boiled Ginseng in silver +kettles and have praised heaven for its many benefits, have been +totally deceived? Was the world ever quite mistaken when half of it +believed in something never puffed, nowhere advertised and not yet +fallen to the fate of a Trust, a Combine or a Corner?" + +It has been asked why the Chinese do not grow their own Ginseng. In +reply it may be said that America supplies but a very small part +indeed of the Ginseng used in China. The bulk comes from Korea and +Manchuria, two provinces belonging to China, or at least which did +belong to her until the recent Eastern troubles. + +Again, Ginseng requires practically a virgin soil, and as China +proper has been the home of teeming millions for thousands of years, +one readily sees that necessary conditions for the plant hardly exist +in that old and crowded country. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +GINSENG HABITS. + +A few years ago Ginseng could be found in nearly every woods and +thicket in the country. Today conditions are quite different. Ginseng +has become a scarce article. The decrease in the annual crop of the +wild root will undoubtedly be very rapid from this on. The continued +search for the root in every nook and corner in the country, coupled +with the decrease in the forest and thicket area of the country, must +in a few years exterminate the wild root entirely. + +To what extent the cultivated article in the meantime can supplant +the decrease in the production of the wild root, is yet to be +demonstrated. The most important points in domesticating the root, to +my opinion, is providing shade, a necessary condition for the growth +of Ginseng, and to find a fertilizer suitable for the root to produce +a rapid growth. If these two conditions can be complied with, proper +shade and proper fertilizing, the cultivation of the root is +simplified. Now the larger wild roots are found in clay soil and not +in rich loam. It seems reasonably certain that the suitable elements +for the growth of the root is found in clay soil. + +The "seng" digger often finds many roots close to the growing stalk, +which had not sent up a shoot that year. For how many years the root +may lie dormant is not known, nor is it known whether this is caused +by lack of cultivation. I have noticed that the cultivated plant did +not fail to sprout for five consecutive years. Whether it will fail +the sixth year or the tenth is yet unknown. The seed of Ginseng does +not sprout or germinate until the second year, when a slender stalk +with two or three leaves puts in an appearance. Then as the stalk +increases in size from year to year, it finally becomes quite a +sizable shrub of one main stalk, from which branch three, four, or +even more prongs; the three and four prongs being more common. A +stalk of "seng" with eight well arranged prongs, four of which were +vertically placed over four others, was found in this section +(Southern Ohio) some years ago. This was quite an oddity in the +general arrangement of the plant. + +Ginseng is a plant found growing wild in the deep shaded forests and +on the hillsides thruout the United States and Canada. Less than a +score of years ago Ginseng was looked upon as a plant that could not +be cultivated, but today we find it is successfully grown in many +states. It is surprising what rapid improvements have been made in +this valuable root under cultivation. The average cultivated root now +of three or four years of age, will outweigh the average wild root of +thirty or forty years. + +When my brother and I embarked in the enterprise, writes one of the +pioneers in the business, of raising Ginseng, we thought it would +take twenty years to mature a crop instead of three or four as we are +doing today. At that time we knew of no other person growing it and +from then until the present time we have continually experimented, +turning failures to success. We have worked from darkness to light, +so to speak. + +In the forests of Central New York, the plant is most abundant on +hillsides sloping north and east, and in limestone soils where +basswood or butternut predominate. Like all root crops, Ginseng +delights in a light, loose soil, with a porous subsoil. + +If a cultivated plant from some of our oldest grown seed and a wild +one be set side by side without shading, the cultivated one will +stand three times as long as the wild one before succumbing to +excessive sunlight. If a germinated seed from a cultivated plant were +placed side by side under our best mode of cultivation, the plant of +the cultivated seed at the end of five years, would not only be +heavier in the root but would also produce more seed. + +In choosing a location for a Ginseng garden, remember the most +favorable conditions for the plant or seed bed are a rich loamy soil, +as you will notice in the home of the wild plant. You will not find +it on low, wet ground or where the Water stands any length of time, +it won't grow with wet feet; it wants well drained soil. A +first-class location is on land that slopes to the east or north, and +on ground that is level and good. Other slopes are all right, but not +as good as the first mentioned. It does not do so well under trees, +as the roots and fibers from them draw the moisture from the plant +and retard its growth. + + [Illustration: Garden Grown Ginseng Plant.] + +The variety of soil is so much different in the United States that it +is a hard matter to give instructions that would be correct for all +places. The best is land of a sandy loam, as I have mentioned before. +Clay land can be used and will make good gardens by mixing leaf mold, +rotten wood and leaves and some lighter soil, pulverize and work it +thru thoroughly. Pick out all sticks and stones that would interfere +with the plants. + +Ginseng is a most peculiar plant. It has held a place of high esteem +among the Chinese from time immemorial. It hides away from man with +seeming intelligence. It is shy of cultivation, the seed germinating +in eighteen months as a rule, from the time of ripening and planting. +If the seeds become dry they lose, to a certain extent, their +germinating power. + +The young plant is very weak and of remarkably slow growth. It +thrives only in virgin soil, and is very choice in its selection of a +place to grow. Remove the soil to another place or cultivate it in +any way and it loses its charm for producing this most fastidious +plant. + +It has a record upon which it keeps its age, or years of its growth, +for it passes a great many years in the ground, dormant. I have +counted the age upon the record stem of small roots and found their +age to be from 30 to 60 years. No plant with which I am acquainted +grows as slowly as Ginseng. + +A great many superstitious notions are held by the people, generally, +in regard to Ginseng. I think it is these natural peculiarities of +the plant, together with the fancied resemblance of the root to man, +and, also probably its aromatic odor that gives it its charm and +value. Destroy it from the earth and the Materia Medica of +civilization would lose nothing. + +I notice that the cultivated root is not so high in price by some two +dollars as the wild root. If the root is grown in natural environment +and by natural cultivation, i. e., just let it grow, no Chinaman can +tell it from the wild root. + +We have at present, writes a grower, in our Ginseng patch about 3,500 +plants and will this year get quite a lot of excellent seed. Our +Ginseng garden is on a flat or bench on a north hillside near the +top, that was never cleared. The soil is a sandy loam and in exposure +and quality naturally adapted to the growth of this plant. The +natural growth of timber is walnut, both black and white, oak, red +bud, dogwood, sugar, maple, lin, poplar and some other varieties. + +We cultivate by letting the leaves from the trees drop down upon the +bed in the fall as a mulch and then in the early spring we burn the +leaves off the bed. Our plants seem to like this treatment very well. +They are of that good Ginseng color which all Ginseng diggers +recognize as indicative of good sized, healthy roots. + + [Illustration: Northern Ginseng Plant in Bloom--June.] + +I have had much experience in hunting the wild Ginseng roots, says +another, and have been a close observer of its habits, conditions, +etc. High shade is best with about one-half sun. The root is found +mostly where there is good ventilation and drainage. A sandy porous +loam produces best roots. Plants in dense shade fail to produce seed +in proportion to the density of the shade. In high one-half shade +they produce heavy crops of seed. Coarse leaves that hold water will +cause disease in rainy seasons. No leaves or mulch make stalks too +low and stunted. + +Ginseng is very wise and knows its own age. This age the plant shows +in two ways. First, by the style of the foliage which changes each +year until it is four years old. Second, the age can be determined by +counting the scars on the neck of the bud-stem. Each year the stalk +which carries the leaves and berries, goes down, leaving a scar on +the neck or perennial root from which it grew. A new bud forms +opposite and a little above the old one each year. Counting these +stalk scars will give the age of the plant. + +I have seen some very old roots and have been told that roots with +fifty scars have been dug. The leaf on a seedling is formed of three +small parts on a stem, growing directly out of a perennial root and +during the first year it remains that shape. The second year the stem +forks at the top and each fork bears two leaves, each being formed of +five parts. The third year the stem forks three ways and bears three +leaves, each formed of five parts, much like the Virginia creeper. + +Now the plant begins to show signs of bearing seed and a small +button-shaped cluster of green berries can be seen growing in the +forks of the stalk at the base of the leaf stem. The fourth year the +perennial stalk grows as large around as an ordinary lead pencil and +from one foot to twenty inches high. It branches four ways, and has +four beautiful five-pointed leaves, with a large well-formed cluster +of berries in the center. After the middle of June a pale green +blossom forms on the top of each berry. The berries grow as large as +a cherry pit and contain two or three flat hard seeds. In September +they turn a beautiful red and are very attractive to birds and +squirrels. They may be gathered each day as they ripen and should be +planted directly in a bed, or put in a box of damp, clean sand and +safely stored. If put directly in the ground they will sprout the +first year, which advantage would be lost if stored dry. + +A word to trappers about wild roots. When you find a plant gather the +seed, and unless you want to plant them in your garden, bury them in +the berry about an inch or inch and a half deep in some good, rich, +shady place, one berry in each spot. Thus you will have plants to dig +in later years, you and those who come after you. Look for it in the +autumn after it has had time to mature its berries. Do not take up +the little plants which have not yet become seed bearers. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +CULTIVATION. + +The forest is the home of the Ginseng plant and the closer we follow +nature the better results we get. I am growing it now under +artificial shade; also in the forest with natural shade, says an Ohio +party. A good shade is made by setting posts in the ground, nail +cross-pieces on these, then cover with brush. You must keep out the +sun and let in the rain and this will do both. Another good shade is +made by nailing laths across, allowing them to be one-half inch +apart. This will allow the rain to pass thru and will keep the sun +out. Always when using lath for shade allow them to run east and +west, then the sun can't shine between them. + +In selecting ground for location of a Ginseng garden, the north side +of a hill is best, altho where the ground is level it will grow well. +Don't select a low marshy piece of ground nor a piece too high, all +you want is ground with a good drainage and moisture. It is the +opinion of some people that in a few years the market will be glutted +by those growing it for sale. I will venture to say that I don't +think we can grow enough in fifty years to over-run the market. The +demand is so great and the supply so scarce it will be a long time +before the market will be affected by the cultivated root. + +The market has been kept up entirely in the past by the wild root, +but it has been so carelessly gathered that it is almost entirely +exhausted, so in order to supply this demand we must cultivate this +crop. I prepare my beds five feet wide and as long as convenient. I +commence by covering ground with a layer of good, rich, loose dirt +from the woods or well-rotted manure. Then I spade it up, turning +under the rich dirt. Then I cover with another layer of the same kind +of dirt in which I plant my seed and roots. + +After I have them planted I cover the beds over with a layer of +leaves or straw to hold the moisture, which I leave on all winter to +protect them from the cold. In the spring I remove a part of the +leaves (not all), they will come up thru the leaves as they do in +their wild forest. + +All the attention Ginseng needs after planting is to keep the weeds +out of the beds. Never work the soil after planting or you will +disturb the roots. It is a wild plant and we must follow nature as +near as possible. + +Ginseng can be profitably grown on small plots if it is cared for +properly. There are three things influencing its growth. They are +soil, shade and treatment. In its wild state the plant is found +growing in rich leaf mold of a shady wood. So in cultivation one must +conform to many of the same conditions in which the plant is found +growing wild. + +In starting a bed of Ginseng the first thing to be considered is the +selection of soil. Tho your soil be very rich it is a good plan to +cover it with three or four inches of leaf mold and spade about ten +inches deep so that the two soils will be well mixed. Artificial +shade is preferable at all times because trees take nearly all the +moisture and strength out of the soil. + +When the bed is well fitted, seed may be sown or plants may be set +out. The latter is the quicker way to obtain results. If seeds are +sown the young grower is apt to become discouraged before he sees any +signs of growth, as it requires eighteen months for their +germination. The cheapest way to get plants is to learn to recognize +them at sight, then go to the woods and try to find them. With a +little practice you will be able to tell them at some distance. Much +care should be taken in removing the plant from the soil. The fewer +fibers you break from the root, the more likely it will be to grow. +Care should also be taken not to break the bud on top of the root. It +is the stalk of the plant starting for the next year, and is very +noticeable after June 1st. If it be broken or harmed the root will +have no stalk the next season. + +It is best to start a Ginseng garden on a well drained piece of land, +says a Dodge County, Wisconsin, grower. Run the beds the way the hill +slopes. Beds should only be four to five feet wide so that they can +be reached, for walking on the beds is objectionable. Make your walks +about from four to six inches below the beds, for an undrained bed +will produce "root rot." The ground should be very rich and "mulchy." +Use well rotted horse manure in preparing the beds, for fresh manure +will heat and hurt the plants. Use plenty of woods dirt, but very +little manure of any kind. + +Set plants about six inches each way, and if you want to increase the +size of the root, pinch off the seed bulb. In the fall when the tops +have died down, cover the beds about two inches deep with dead leaves +from the woods. We make our shades out of one-inch strips three +inches wide and common lath. The north and west fence should be more +tight to keep cold winds out. Eastern and southern side tight, two +feet from the ground. From the two feet to top you may use ordinary +staves from salt barrels or so nailed one inch apart. Have your +Ginseng garden close to the house, for Ginseng thieves become +numerous. + +I was raised in the country on a farm and as near to nature as it is +possible to get, and have known a great deal of Ginseng from my youth +up. Twenty-five years ago it was 75 cents a pound, and now it is +worth ten times as much. Every one with any experience in such +matters knows that if radishes or turnips are planted in rich, old +soil that has been highly fertilized they will grow large and will be +strong, hot, pithy and unpalatable. If planted in rich, new soil, +they will be firm, crisp, juicy and sweet. This fact holds good with +Ginseng. + +If planted in old ground that is highly fertilized, the roots will +grow large, but the flavor is altogether different from that of the +wild root, and no doubt specimens of large sizes are spongy and +unpalatable to the Celestials compared to that of the wild root. + +If planted in rich, new ground and no strong fertilizer used, +depending entirely upon the rich woods soil for enriching the beds, +the flavor is bound to be exactly as that of the wild root. When the +growers wake up to this fact, and dig their roots before they become +too large, prices will be very satisfactory and the business will be +on a sound basis. + + * * * + +We will begin in a systematic way, with the location, planting and +preparing of the ground for the Ginseng garden, writes a successful +grower--C. H. Peterson--of Blue Earth County, Minn. + +In choosing a location for a Ginseng garden, select one having a +well-drained soil. Ginseng thrives best in wood loam soil that is +cool and mellow, although any good vegetable garden soil will do very +well. A southern slope should be avoided, as the ground gets too warm +in summer and it also requires more shade than level or northern +slope does. It is also apt to sprout too early in the spring, and +there is some danger of its getting frosted, as the flower stem +freezes very easily and no seed is the result. + +Then again if you locate your garden on too low ground the roots are +apt to rot and the freezing and thawing of wet ground is hard on +Ginseng. Laying out a garden nothing is more important than a good +system both for looks, convenience and the growth of your roots later +on. Do your work well as there is good money in raising Ginseng, and +for your time you will be well repaid. Don't make one bed here and +another there and a path where you happen to step, but follow some +plan for them. I have found by experience that the wider the beds +are, the better, providing that their width does not exceed the +distance that you can reach from each path to center of bed to weed. +For general purposes for beds 6 1/2 ft. is used for paths 1 1/2 ft. A +bed 6 1/2 ft. wide gives you 3 1/4 ft. to reach from each path to +center of bed without getting on the beds, which would not be +advisable. An 18 in. path is none too wide after a few years' growth, +as the plants nearly cover this with foliage. This size beds and +paths are just the right width for the system of lath shading I am +using, making the combined distance across bed and path 8 ft., or 16 +ft. for two beds and two paths, just right to use a 1x4 rough 16 ft. +fencing board to run across top of posts described later on. + + [Illustration: Plan for Ginseng Garden 24x40 Feet--Ground Plan one + line, overhead dotted.] + +Now we will lay out the garden by setting a row of posts 8 ft. apart +the length you desire to make your garden. Then set another row 8 ft. +from first row running parallel with first row, and so on until +desired width of your garden has been reached. Be sure to have post +line up both ways and start even at ends. Be sure to measure +correctly. After all posts are set run a 1x4 in. rough fence board +across garden so top edge is even at top of post and nail to post. +The post should be about 8 ft. long so when set would be a trifle +over 6 ft. above ground. This enables a person to walk under shading +when completed. It is also cooler for your plants. In setting the +posts do not set them too firm, so they can be moved at top enough to +make them line up both ways. After the 1x4 in. fence board is put on +we will nail on double pieces. + +Take a 1x6 rough fence board 16 ft. long and rip it so as to make two +strips, one 3 1/2 and the other 2 1/2 inches wide, lay the 3 1/2 in. +flat and set the 2 1/2 in. strip on edge in middle of other strip and +nail together. This had better be done on the ground so it can be +turned over to nail. Then start at one side and run this double piece +lengthwise of your garden or crosswise of the 1x4 in. fence board +nailed along top of post and nail down into same. It may be necessary +to nail a small piece of board on side of the 1x4 in. board where the +joints come. Then lay another piece similar to this parallel with +first one, leaving about 49 1/2 in. between the two. This space is +for the lath panel to rest on the bottom piece of the double piece. +Do not put double pieces so close that you will have to crowd the +lath panels to get them in, but leave a little room at end of panel. +You will gain about 1 1/2 in. for every double piece used in running +across the garden. This has to be made up by extending over one side +or the other a piece of 1x4 board nailed to end of 1x4 board nailed +at top posts. Let this come over the side you need the shade most. +Begin from the side you need the shade least and let it extend over +the other side. + +It is advisable to run paths on outside of garden and extend the +shading out over them. On sides lath can be used unless otherwise +shaded by trees or vines. It will not be necessary to shade the north +side if shading extends out over end of beds several feet. Give your +plants all the air you can. In this system of shading I am using I +have figured a whole lot to get the most convenient shading as well +as a strong, substantial one without the use of needless lumber, +which means money in most places. It has given good satisfaction for +lath shade so far. Being easily built and handy to put on in spring +and take off in fall. + +Now don't think I am using all lath shade, as I am not. In one part +of garden I am using lath and in another part I am using some good +elm trees. I think, however, that the roots make more rapid growth +under the lath shade, but the trees are the cheaper as they do not +rot and have to be replaced. They also put on their own shade. The +leaves when the proper time comes also removes it when the time comes +in the fall and also mulches the beds at the same time. + +We will now plan out the beds and paths. Use 1x4 in. rough 16 ft. +fence boards on outside row of posts next to ground, nail these to +posts, continue and do likewise on next row of posts, and so on until +all posts have boards nailed on same side of them as first one, the +post being just on inside edge of your beds. Then measure 6 1/2 ft. +toward next board, drive a row of stakes and nail a board of same +width to same the length of your garden that will make 18 in. between +last row of boards and boards on next row nailed to post for the +path. + +These boards answer several purposes, viz., keep people from walking +on beds, elevates beds above paths, holds your mulching of leaves and +adds to the appearance of your garden. After beds are made by placing +the boards spade the ground about a foot deep all over the bed so as +to work it up in good shape. After this is done fork it over with a +six-tine fork. If bed is made in summer for fall or spring planting +it is well to work it over several times during the summer, as the +ground cannot be too mellow. This will also help kill the weeds. Then +just before planting rake it down level. + +In case beds are made in woods cut, or better, grub out all trees not +needed for shade, and if tree roots are not too large cut out all +next to the surface running inside of boards in beds, and work the +same as other beds. Lay out your beds same as for lath shade with +paths between them. Don't try to plant Ginseng in the woods before +making it into beds, as you will find it unsatisfactory. + +We will now make the lath panel before mentioned. + + [Illustration: A Lath Panel.] + +Place three laths so that when the laths are laid crosswise one of +the laths will be in the middle and the other two, one at each end +two inches from end. Can be placed at the end, but will rot sooner. +Then begin at end of the three laths and nail lath on, placing them +1/2 in. apart until other end is reached, and if lath is green put +closer together to allow for shrinkage. If you have many panels to +make, make a table out of boards and lay strips of iron fastened to +table where the three lath comes, so as to clinch nails when they +strike the iron strips, which will save a lot of work. Gauges can +also be placed on side of table to lay lath so they will be even at +ends of panels when finished. Then lay panels in your double pieces +on your garden, and if garden is not located in too windy a locality +they will not blow out without nailing, and a wire drawn tight from +end to end of garden on top of panels will prevent this, and is all +that is necessary to hold them in place. + +In Central New York, under favorable conditions, Ginseng plants +should be coming up the last of April and early May, and should be in +the ground by or before April 1st, to give best results. Healthy +roots, taken up last of March or early April will be found covered +with numerous fine hair-like rootlets. These are the feeders and have +all grown from the roots during the spring. They should be well +established in the soil before plants appear. Fifteen minutes +exposure to the sun or wind will seriously injure and possibly +destroy these fine feeders, forcing the roots to throw out a second +crop of feeders. + +Considering these conditions and frequent late seasons, our advice to +beginners is, wait until fall for transplanting roots. But we are not +considering southern conditions. Southern growers must be governed by +their own experience and climatic conditions. It may be a matter of +convenience sometimes for a northern grower to take up one or two +year seedlings and transplant to permanent beds in spring. If +conditions are favorable so the work can be done in March or early +April, it may be allowable. Have ground ready before roots are taken +up. Only take up a few at a time, protect from sun and wind, +transplant immediately. + +Spring sowing of old seed. By this we mean seed that should have been +sowed the fall before when one year old, but has been kept over for +spring sowing. + + [Illustration: One, Two and Three Year Old Ginseng Roots.] + +There is other work that can be done quite early in the Ginseng +gardens. All weeds that have lived thru the winter should be pulled +as soon as frost is out of ground. They can be pulled easier then +than any other time and more certain of getting the weed root out. +Mulching should be looked to. When coarse material like straw or +leaves has been used, it should be loosened up so air can get to the +soil and the plants can come up thru the mulch. If very heavy, +perhaps a portion of the mulch may need to be removed, but don't! +don't! take mulch all off from beds of set roots. Seed beds sown last +fall will need to be removed about time plants are starting up. But +seed beds should have been mulched with coarse leaf loam, or fine +vegetable mulch, and well rotted horse manure (half and half), +thoroughly mixed together, this mulch should have been put on as soon +as seeds were sown and covered with mulch one inch deep. If this was +not done last fall it should be put on this spring as soon as snow is +off beds. + + [Illustration: Ginseng plants "coming up."] + +There is another point that needs careful attention when plants are +coming up. On heavy soil plants are liable to be earth bound; this is +quite likely to occur on old beds that have not been mulched and +especially in dry seasons. As the Ginseng stalk comes out of the +ground doubled (like an inverted U) the plant end is liable to be +held fast by the hard soil, causing injury and often loss of plants. +A little experience and careful observation will enable one to detect +earth bound plants. The remedy is to loosen soil around the plant. A +broken fork tine about eight inches long (straightened) and drive +small end in a piece of broom handle about four inches long for a +handle, flatten large end of tine like a screwdriver; this makes a +handy tool for this work. Force it into soil near plant, give a +little prying movement, at same time gently pull on plant end of +stalk until you feel it loosen, do not try to pull it out, it will +take care of itself when loosened. There is not likely to be any +trouble, if leaves appear at the surface of soil. This little spud +will be very useful to assist in pulling weed roots, such as +dandelion, dock, etc. + +Where movable or open shades are used, they need not be put on or +closed till plants are well up; about the time leaves are out on +trees is the general rule. But one must be governed to some extent by +weather and local conditions. If warm and dry, with much sun, get +them on early. If wet and cool, keep them off as long as practicable, +but be ready to get them on as soon as needed. + +I would advise a would-be grower of Ginseng to visit, if possible, +some gardens of other growers and learn all they can by inquiry and +observation. + +In selecting a place for your garden, be sure it has good drainage, +as this one feature may save you a good deal of trouble and loss from +"damping off," "wilt," and other fungus diseases which originate from +too damp soil. + +A light, rich soil is best. My opinion is to get soil from the +forest, heap up somewhere for a while thru the summer, then sift thru +sand sieve or something similar, and put about two inches on top of +beds you have previously prepared by spading and raking. If the soil +is a little heavy some old sawdust may be mixed with it to lighten +it. The woods dirt is O. K. without using any commercial fertilizers. +The use of strong fertilizers and improper drying is responsible for +the poor demand for cultivated root. The Chinese must have the +"quality" he desires and if flavor of root is poor, will not buy. + + * * * + +I wonder how many readers know that Ginseng can be grown in the +house? writes a New York dealer. + +Take a box about 5 inches deep and any size you wish. Fill it with +woods dirt or any light, rich soil. Plant roots in fall and set in +cellar thru the winter. They will begin to come up about April 1st, +and should then be brought out of cellar. I have tried this two +seasons. Last year I kept them by a window on the north side so as to +be out of the sunshine. Window was raised about one inch to give +ventilation. Two plants of medium size gave me about 100 seeds. + +This season I have several boxes, and plants are looking well and +most of them have seed heads with berries from one-third to +three-fourths grown. They have been greatly admired, and I believe I +was the first in this section to try growing Ginseng as a house +plant. + + * * * + +As to the location for a Ginseng garden, I have for the past two +years been an enthusiast for cultivation in the natural forest, +writes L. C. Ingram, M. D., of Minnesota. It is true that the largest +and finest roots I have seen were grown in gardens under lattice, and +maintaining such a garden must be taken into account when balancing +your accounts for the purpose of determining the net profits, for it +is really the profits we are looking for. + +The soil I have found to be the best, is a rich black, having a good +drain, that is somewhat rolling. As to the direction of this slope I +am not particular so long as there is a rich soil, plenty of shade +and mulch covering the beds. + +The selection of seed and roots for planting is the most important +item confronting the beginner. Considerable has been said in the past +concerning the distribution among growers of Japanese seed by +unscrupulous seed venders. It is a fact that Japanese Ginseng seed +have been started in a number of gardens, and unless successfully +stamped out before any quantity finds its way into the Chinese +market, the Ginseng industry in America, stands in peril of being +completely destroyed. Should they find our root mixed, their +confidence would be lost and our market lost. Every one growing +Ginseng must be interested in this vital point, and if they are +suspicious of any of their roots being Japanese, have them passed +upon by an expert, and if Japanese, every one dug. + + [Illustration: Bed of 10,000 Young Ginseng Plants in Forest.] + +It is a fact that neighboring gardens are in danger of being mixed, +as the bees are able to do this in carrying the mixing pollen. The +safest way to make a start is by procuring seed and roots from the +woods wild in your own locality. If this cannot be done then the seed +and roots for a start should be procured from a reliable party near +you who can positively guarantee the seed and roots to be genuine +American Ginseng. We should not be too impatient and hasty to extend +the garden or launch out in a great way. Learn first, then increase +as the growth of new seed will permit. + +The next essential thing is the proper preparation of the soil for +the planting of the seeds and roots. The soil must be dug deep and +worked perfectly loose same as any bed in a vegetable garden. The +beds are made four or five feet wide and raised four to six inches +above the paths, which are left one and a half to two feet wide. I +have had seed sown on the ground and covered with dirt growing beside +seed planted in well made beds and the contrast in size and the +thriftiness of roots are so great when seen, never to be forgotten. +The seedlings growing in the hard ground were the size of oat +kernels, those in the beds beside them three to nine inches long and +weighing from four to ten times as much per root. + +In planting the seed all that is necessary is to scatter the +stratified seed on top of the prepared bed so they will be one or two +inches apart, then cover with loose dirt from the next bed then level +with back of garden rake. They should be one-half to one inch +covered. Sawdust or leaves should next be put on one to two inches +for a top dressing to preserve moisture, regulate heat, and prevent +the rains from packing the soil. + +The best time to do all planting is in the spring. This gives the +most thrifty plants with the least number missing. When the plants +are two years old they must be transplanted into permanent beds. +These are prepared in the same manner as they were for the seed. A +board six inches wide is thrown across the bed, you step on this and +with a spade throw out a ditch along the edge of the board. In this +the roots are set on a slant of 45 degrees and so the bud will be +from one to two inches beneath the surface. The furrow is then filled +and the board moved its width. By putting the roots six inches apart +in the row and using a six-inch board your plants will be six inches +each way, which with most growers have given best results. When the +roots have grown three years in the transplanted beds they should be +ready to dig and dry for market. They should average two ounces each +at this time if the soil was rich in plant food and properly prepared +and cared for. + +The plants require considerable care and attention thru each summer. +Moles must be caught, blight and other diseases treated and the weeds +pulled, especially from among the younger plants. As soon as the +plants are up in the spring the seed buds should be clipped from all +the plants except those finest and healthiest plants you may save for +your seed to maintain your garden. The clipping of the seed buds is +very essential, because we want the very largest and best flavored +root in the shortest time for the market. Then if we grow bushels of +seed to the expense of the root, it is only a short time when many +thousands of pounds of root must compete with our own for the market +and lower the price. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SHADING AND BLIGHT. + +In several years experience growing Ginseng, says a well known +grower, I have had no trouble from blight when I shade and mulch +enough to keep the soil properly cool, or below 65 degrees, as you +will find the temperature in the forests, where the wild plants grow +best, even during summer days. + +Some years ago I allowed the soil to get too warm, reaching 70 +degrees or more. The blight attacked many plants then. This proved to +me that growing the plants under the proper temperature has much to +do with blight. + +When fungus diseases get upon wild plants, that is plants growing in +the forest, in most cases it can be traced to openings, forest fires +and the woodman's ax. This allows too much sun to strike the plants +and ground in which they are growing. If those engaged, or about to +engage, in Ginseng growing will study closely the conditions under +which the wild plants flourish best, they can learn much that they +will only find out after years of experimenting. + +Mr. L. E. Turner in a recent issue of "Special Crops" says: We cannot +depend on shade alone to keep the temperature of the soil below 65 +degrees--the shade would have to be almost total. In order to allow +sufficient light and yet keep the temperature down, we must cover the +ground with a little mulch. The more thoroughly the light is diffused +the better for the plants. Now, when we combine sufficient light with +say one-half inch of clean mulch, we are supplying to the plants +their natural environment, made more perfect in that it is everywhere +alike. + +The mulch is as essential to the healthy growth of the Ginseng plant +as clothing is to the comfort and welfare of man; it can thrive +without it no more than corn will grow well with it. These are plants +of opposite nature. Use the mulch and reduce the shade to the proper +density. The mulch is of the first importance, for the plants will do +much better with the mulch and little shade than without mulch and +with plenty of shade. + +Ginseng is truly and wholly a savage. We can no more tame it than we +can the partridge. We can lay out a preserve and stock it with +Ginseng as we would with partridges, but who would stock a city park +with partridges and expect them to remain there? We cannot make a +proper Ginseng preserve under conditions halfway between a potato +patch and a wild forest, but this is exactly the trouble with a large +share of Ginseng gardens. They are just a little too much like the +potato patch to be exactly suited to the nature of Ginseng. The plant +cannot thrive and remain perfectly healthy under these conditions; we +may apply emulsions and physic, but we will find it to be just like a +person with an undermined constitution, it will linger along for a +time subject to every disease that is in the air and at last some new +and more subtle malady will, in spite of our efforts, close its +earthly career. + +Kind readers, I am in a position to know thoroughly whereof I write, +for I have been intimate for many years with the wild plants and with +every shade of condition under which they manage to exist. I have +found them in the valley and at the hilltop, in the tall timber and +the brambled "slashing," but in each place were the necessary +conditions of shade and mulch. The experienced Ginseng hunter comes +to know by a kind of instinct just where he will find the plant and +he does not waste time searching in unprofitable places. It is +because he understands its environment. It is the environment he +seeks--the Ginseng is then already found. The happy medium of +condition under which it thrives best in the wild state form the +process of healthy culture. + + [Illustration: One Year's Growth of Ginseng Under Lattice Shade.] + +Mr. Wm E. Mowrer, of Missouri, is evidently not in favor of the cloth +shading. I think if he had thoroughly water-proofed the cloth it +would have withstood the action of the weather much better. It would +have admitted considerably less light and if he had given enough +mulch to keep the soil properly cool and allowed space enough for +ventilation, he would not have found the method so disastrous. We +will not liken his trial to the potato patch, but to the field where +tobacco is started under canvas. A tent is a cool place if it is open +at the sides and has openings in the top and the larger the tent the +cooler it will be. Ginseng does splendidly under a tent if the tent +is built expressly with regard to the requirements of Ginseng. + +In point of cheapness a vine shading is yet ahead of the cloth +system. The wild cucumber vine is best for this purpose, for it is +exactly suited by nature to the conditions in a Ginseng garden. It is +a native of moist, shady places, starts early, climbs high and +rapidly. The seeds may be planted five or six in a "hill" in the +middle of the beds, if preferred, at intervals of six or seven feet, +and the vines may be trained up a small pole to the arbor frame. +Wires, strings or boughs may be laid over the arbor frame for the +vines to spread over. If the shade becomes too dense some of the +vines may be clipped off and will soon wither away. Another advantage +of the wild cucumber is that it is very succulent, taking an +abundance of moisture and to a great extent guards against excessive +dampness in the garden. The vines take almost no strength from the +soil. The exceeding cheapness of this method is the great point in +its favor. It is better to plant a few too many seeds than not +enough, for it is easy to reduce the shade if too dense, but +difficult to increase it in the summer if too light. + + * * * + +This disease threatens seriously to handicap us in the raising of +Ginseng, says a writer in "Special Crops." It does down, but is +giving us trouble all over the country. No section seems to be immune +from it, tho all seem to be spraying more or less. I know of several +good growers whose gardens have gone down during the last season and +this, and they state that they began early and sprayed late, but to +no decided benefit. What are we to do? Some claim to have perfect +success with spraying as their supposed prevention. + +Three years ago I began to reason on this subject and in my rambles +in the woods, I have watched carefully for this disease, as well as +others on the wild plant, and while I have now and then noted a wild +plant that was not entirely healthy, I have never seen any evidence +of blight or other real serious disease. The wild plant usually +appears ideally healthy, and while they are smaller than we grow in +our gardens, they are generally strikingly healthful in color and +general appearance. Why is this so? And why do we have such a reverse +of things among our gardens? + +I will offer my ideas on the subject and give my theories of the +causes of the various diseases and believe that they are correct and +time will prove it. At least I hope these efforts of mine will be the +means of helping some who are having so much trouble in the +cultivation of Ginseng. The old saw that the "proof of the pudding is +in chewing the bag," may be amply verified by a visit to my gardens +to show how well my theories have worked so far. I will show you +Ginseng growing in its highest state of perfection and not a +scintilla of blight or any species of alternaria in either of them, +while around me I scarcely know of another healthy garden. + +To begin with, moisture is our greatest enemy; heat next; the two +combined at the same time forming the chief cause for most diseases +of the plant. + +If the soil in our gardens could be kept only slightly moist, as it +is in the woods, and properly shaded, ventilated and mulched, I am +sure such a thing as blight and kindred diseases would never be +known. The reason for this lies in the fact that soil temperature is +kept low and dry. The roots, as is well known, go away down in the +soil, because the temperature lower down is cooler than at the +surface. + +Here is where mulch plays so important a part because it protects the +roots from so much heat that finds its way between the plants to the +top of the beds. The mulch acts as a blanket in keeping the heat out +and protecting the roots thereby. If any one doubts this, just try to +raise the plants without mulch, and note how some disease will make +its appearance. The plant will stand considerable sun, however, with +heavy enough mulch. And the more sun it can take without harm, the +better the root growth will be. Too much shade will show in a +spindling top and slender leaves, and invariable smallness of root +growth, for, let it be borne in mind always, that the plant must +derive more or less food from the top, and it is here that the fungi +in numerous forms proceed to attack. + +The plant will not grow in any other atmosphere but one surcharged +with all kinds of fungi. This is the natural environment of the plant +and the only reason why the plants do not all become diseased lies in +the plain fact that its vitality is of such a high character that it +can resist the disease, hence the main thing in fighting disease is +to obtain for the plant the best possible hygienic surroundings and +feed it with the best possible food and thus nourish it to the +highest vitality. + +I am a firm believer in spraying of the proper kind, but spraying +will not keep a plant free from disease with other important +conditions lacking. Spraying, if heavily applied, is known as a +positive injury to the plant, despite the fact that many claim it is +not, and the pity is we should have to resort to it in self-defense. +The pores of the leaflets are clogged up to a greater or less extent +with the deposited solution and the plant is dependent to this extent +of its power to breathe. + +Coat a few plants very heavily with spray early in the season and +keep it on and note how the plants struggle thru the middle of a hot +day to get their breath. Note that they have a sluggish appearance +and are inclined to wilt. These plants are weakened to a great extent +and if an excess of moisture and heat can get to them, they will +perhaps die down. Another thing: Take a plant that is having a hard +time to get along and disturb the root to some extent and in a day or +two notice spots come upon it and the leaves begin to show a wilting. +Vitality disturbed again. + + [Illustration: A Healthy Looking Ginseng Garden.] + +The finest plants I have ever found in the woods were growing about +old logs and stumps, where the soil was heavily enriched with +decaying wood. A good cool spot, generally, and more or less mulch, +and if not too much shade present. Where the shade was too dense the +roots were always small. I have in some instances found some very +fine roots growing in the midst of an old stump with no other soil +save the partially rotted stump dirt, showing thus that Ginseng likes +decaying wood matter. Upon learning this, I obtained several loads of +old rotten sawdust, preferably white oak or hickory and my bed in my +gardens is covered at least two inches with it under the leaf mulch. +This acts as a mulch and natural food at one and the same time. The +leaves decay next to the soil and thus we supply leaf mold. + +This leaf mold is a natural requirement of the plant and feeds it +also constantly. A few more leaves added each fall keep up the +process and in this way we are keeping the plant wild, which we must +do to succeed with it, for Ginseng can not be greatly changed from +its nature without suffering the consequences. This is what is the +matter now with so many of us. Let's go back to nature and stay +there, and disease will not give us so much trouble again. + +One more chief item I forgot to mention was the crowding of the +plants together. The smaller plants get down under the larger and +more vigorous and have a hard struggle for existence. The roots do +not make much progress under these conditions, and these plants might +as well not be left in the beds. And also note that under those +conditions the beds are badly ventilated and if any plants are found +to be sickly they will be these kind. I shall plant all my roots +henceforth at least ten inches apart each way and give them more room +for ventilation and nourishment. They get more chance to grow and +will undoubtedly make firm root development and pay largely better in +the end. Corn cannot be successfully cultivated in rows much narrower +than four feet apart and about two stalks to the hill. All farmers +know if the hills are closer and more stalks to the hill the yield +will be much less. + +At this point I would digress to call attention to the smallness of +root development in the woods, either wild or cultivated, because the +trees and tree roots sap so much substance from the soil and other +weeds and plants help to do the same thing. The shade is not of the +right sort, too dense or too sparse in places, and the plants do not +make quick growth enough to justify the growing under such +conditions, and while supposed to be better for health of plants, +does not always prove to be the case. I have seen some gardens under +forest shade that blighted as badly as any gardens. + +So many speak of removing the leaves and mulch in the spring from the +beds. Now, this is absolutely wrong, because the mulch and leaves +keep the ground from becoming packed by rains, preserves an even +moisture thru the dry part of the season and equalizes the +temperature. Temperature is as important as shade and the plants will +do better with plenty of mulch and leaves on the beds and +considerable sun than with no mulch, dry hard beds and the ideal +shade. Roots make but little growth in dry, hard ground. Pull your +weeds out by hand and protect your garden from the seng digger thru +the summer and that will be your cultivation until September or +October when you must transplant your young roots into permanent +beds, dig and dry the mature roots. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +DISEASES OF GINSENG. + +The following is from an article on "The Alternaria Blight of +Ginseng" by H. H. Whetzel, of Cornell University, showing that the +author is familiar with the subject: + +Susceptibility of Ginseng to Disease. + +The pioneer growers of Ginseng thought they had struck a "bonanza." +Here was a plant that seemed easily grown, required little attention +after it was once planted, was apparently free from all diseases to +which cultivated plants are heir and was, besides, extremely +valuable. Their first few crops bore out this supposition. No wonder +that a "Ginseng craze" broke out and that men sat up nights to figure +out on paper the vast fortunes that were bound to accrue to those who +planted a few hundred seeds at three cents each and sold the roots in +five years at $12.00 a pound. + +Like many other grow-wealthy-while-you-wait schemes, nature herself +imposed a veto. Diseases began to appear. The prospective fortune +shrunk, frequently dried up and blew away or rotted and disappeared +in the earth. Several factors contributed to this result: + +1. The removal of a wild plant from its natural habitat to an +entirely artificial one. + +2. The encouragement by the application of manures and cultivation of +a rapidity of growth to which the plant was by inheritance an entire +stranger, thus weakening its constitution and depriving it of its +natural ability to withstand disease. Cultivated roots in three years +from the seed attain greater size than they often would in twenty +years in the woods. + +3. The failure in many cases to provide conditions in any degree +approximating the natural habitat, as, for example, the failure to +supply proper drainage that is in nature provided by the forest trees +whose roots constantly remove the excess of rainfall. + + [Illustration: Diseased Ginseng Plants.] + +4. The crowding of a large number of plants into a small area. This, +in itself, is more responsible for disease epidemics than perhaps any +other factor. + +Of all the twelve or fifteen, now more or less known, diseases of +this plant one in particular stands out as _the disease_ of Ginseng. +Altho one of the latest to make its appearance, it has in three or +four years spread to nearly every garden in this state and its +ravages have been most severe. This disease is the well known +Alternaria Blight. + +The Most Common and Destructive Disease of Ginseng. + +The disease manifests itself in such a variety of ways, depending +upon the parts of the plant attacked, that it is difficult to give a +description by which it may always be identified. It is usually the +spotting of the foliage that first attracts the grower's attention. +If examined early in the morning the diseased spots are of a darker +green color and watery as if scalded. They dry rapidly, becoming +papery and of a light brown color, definite in outline and very +brittle. With the return of moist conditions at night the disease +spreads from the margin of the spot into the healthy tissue. The +disease progresses rapidly so that in a very few days the entire leaf +succumbs, wilts and hangs limp from the stalk. If the weather is wet, +the progress of the disease is often astonishing, an entire garden +going down in a day or two. Under such conditions the leaves may show +few or no spots becoming thruout of a dark watery green and drooping +as if dashed with scalding water. All parts of the top may be +affected. The disease never reaches the roots, affecting them only +indirectly. + +Cause of the Disease. + +The disease is the result of the growth of a parasitic fungus in the +tissues of the Ginseng. This fungus is an Alternaria (species not yet +determined) as is at once evident from an examination of its spores. +These are in size and form much like those of the early Blight +Alternaria of Potato. These spores falling upon any part of the plant +above the ground will, if moisture be present, germinate very +quickly, sending out germ tubes which pierce the epidermis of the +host. These mycelium threads ramify thru the tissues of the leaf or +stem as the case may be, causing death of the cells. From the +mycelium that lies near or on the surface arise clusters or short +brown stalks or conidiophores on the apex of which the spores are +borne in short chains. The spores mature quickly and are scattered to +healthy plants, resulting in new infections. Only one form of spores, +the conidial, is at present known. + +That the Alternaria is a true parasite and the cause of the disease +there can be no doubt. The fungus is constantly associated with the +disease. Inoculation experiments carried on in the botanical +laboratory this summer show conclusively that the germ tube of the +spore can penetrate the epidermis of healthy Ginseng leaves and stems +and by its growth in such healthy tissue cause the characteristic +spots of the disease. This is of special interest as it adds another +to the list of parasitic species of genus long supposed to contain +only saprophytes. + +Upon the general appearance of so destructive a disease, one of the +first questions of the growers was "where did it come from?" +Believing that it was a natural enemy of the wild plant, now grown +over powerful under conditions highly unnatural to Ginseng, I +undertook to find proof of my theory. I visited a wooded hillside +where wild Ginseng was still known to exist. After half a day's +diligent search I obtained seventeen plants of different ages, one of +which showed spots of the Blight. Examination with the microscope +showed mycelium and spores of the Alternaria. Unfortunately I did not +get pure cultures of the fungus from this plant and so could not by +cross inoculations demonstrate absolutely the identity of the +Alternaria on the wild plant with that of the cultivated. So far, +however, as character of the spots on the leaves, size and form of +the spores are concerned, they are the same. This, I believe, answers +the question of the source of the disease. Introduced into gardens on +wild plants brought from the woods, it has spread rapidly under +conditions most favorable to its development; namely, those pointed +out in the earlier part of this paper. + +The wind, I believe, is chiefly responsible for the dissemination of +the spores which are very small and light. Not only does the wind +carry the spores from plant to plant thruout the garden, but no doubt +frequently carries them for longer distances to gardens near by. The +spores are produced most abundantly under conditions favorable to +such dissemination. During moist, cloudy weather the energies of the +fungus are devoted to vegetative growth, the spreading of the +mycelium in the host tissues. With the advent of bright sunny days +and dry weather mycelium growth is checked and spore formation goes +on rapidly. These spores are distributed when dry and retain their +vitality for a long period. Spores from dried specimens in the +laboratory have been found to germinate after several months when +placed in water. The disease might also be very readily carried by +spores clinging to the roots or seeds, or possibly even by the +mycelium in the seeds themselves. The fungus very probably winters in +the old leaves and stems or in the mulch, living as a saprophyte and +producing early in the spring a crop of spores from which the first +infections occur. + +Summer History of the Disease. + +Altho it is on the foliage that the disease first attracts the +attention of the grower, it is not here that it really makes its +first appearance in the spring. The stem is the first part of the +plant to come thru the soil and it is the stem that is first +affected. The disease begins to show on the stems very shortly after +they are thru the soil, evident first as a rusty, yellow spot usually +a short distance above the surface of the soil or mulch. The spot +rapidly increases in size, becomes brown and finally nearly black +from the multitude of spores produced on its surface. The tissue of +the stem at the point of attack is killed and shrinks, making a +canker or rotten strip up the side of the stem. Such stems show well +developed leaves and blossom heads giving no evidence of the disease +beneath. Occasionally, however, the fungus weakens the stem so that +it breaks over. Growers have occasionally observed this "stem rot" +but have never connected it with the disease on the leaves later in +the season. + + [Illustration: Broken--"Stem Rot."] + +It is from the spores produced on these cankers on the stem that the +leaves become infected. The disease begins to appear on the leaves +some time in July and by the middle of August there is usually little +foliage alive. Infection frequently occurs at the point where the +five leaflets are attached to the common petiole. The short leaf +stems are killed causing the otherwise healthy leaflets to droop and +wilt. This manifestation of the disease has not generally been +attributed to the Alternaria. The seedlings are frequently affected +in the same way causing what is sometimes known as the "top blight of +seedlings." + +From the diseased leaves and stems the spores of the fungus find +their way to the seed heads which at this time are rapidly filling +out by the growth of the berries. The compact seed heads readily +retain moisture, furnishing most favorable conditions for the +germination of any spores that find their way into the center of the +head. That this is the usual course of seed head infection is shown +by the fact that it is the base of the berry on which the spots +start. These spots, of a rusty yellow color, gradually spread all +over the seed which finally becomes shriveled and of a dark brown or +black color. Spores in abundance are formed on the diseased berries. +Affected berries "shell" from the head at the slightest touch. This +manifestation of the disease has long been known as "seed blast." If +the berries have begun to color the injury from the disease will +probably be very slight. The "blasting" of the green berries, +however, will undoubtedly reduce or destroy the vitality of the seed. +There is a strong probability that the fungus may be carried over in +or on the seed. + + [Illustration: End Root Rot of Seedlings.] + +The roots are only indirectly affected by this disease. The fungus +never penetrates to them. Roots from diseased tops will grow +perfectly normal and healthy plants the following season. It is in +the leaves of the plant that practically all of the substance of the +root is made. The bulk of this substance is starch. The destruction +of the foliage, the manufacturing part of the plant, long before it +would normally die means of course some reduction in the growth and +starch content of the root. However, it seems probable that the +greater portion of root growth is made before the blight attacks the +foliage. This seems borne out by the fact that even blighted +seedlings usually show nearly as good growth and bud development as +those not blighted. In the case of older plants this is probably much +more true as the latter part of the season is devoted largely to +growing and maturing the berries. The Alternaria blight is dreaded +chiefly because of its destructive effects on the seed crop. + +Preventive. + +The first experimental work on the control of this disease so far as +I know, was carried out by Dr. I. C. Curtis of Fulton, N. Y. Having +suffered the total loss of foliage and seed crop during the season of +1904, Dr. Curtis determined to test the efficacy of the Bordeaux +mixture the following season as a preventive of the blight. The +success of his work, together with this method of making and applying +the mixture is given by him in Special Crops for January, 1906. + +Extensive experiments in spraying were carried out during the past +season by the Ginseng Company at Rose Hill, N. Y., under the +direction of the writer. During 1905 their entire seed crop was +completely destroyed by the blight. Losses from the same disease the +previous season had been very heavy. During 1905 they had succeeded +in saving a very large proportion of their seedlings by spraying them +with the Bordeaux mixture. Encouraged by this they began spraying +early in the spring of 1906, just when the plant began to come thru +the ground. This was repeated nearly every week during the season, +the entire ten acres being sprayed each time. On account of poor +equipment the earlier sprayings were not as thoroughly done as they +should have been, and some disease appeared on the stalks here and +there thruout the gardens. A new pump and nozzles were soon installed +and all parts of the plant completely covered. Practically no blight +ever appeared on the foliage. There was some loss from "blast of seed +heads" due to a failure to spray the seed heads thoroughly while they +were filling out. The seed heads Were doubtless infected from the +diseased stalks that had not been removed from the garden. A very +large seed crop was harvested. The formula of the Bordeaux used at +Rose Hill was about 4-6-40, to each one hundred gallons of which was +added a "sticker" made as follows: + + Two pounds resin. + One pound sal soda (Crystals). + One gallon water. + +Boiled together in an iron kettle until of a clear brown color. It is +probable that more applications of Bordeaux were given than was +necessary, especially during the middle part of the season when +little new growth was being made. + +From these experiments it is evident that the problem of the control +of the Alternaria Blight of Ginseng has been solved. Thorough +spraying with Bordeaux mixture begun when the plants first come thru +the ground and repeated often enough to keep all new growths covered, +will insure immunity from the blight. Thoroughness is the chief +factor in the success of this treatment. It is, however, useless to +begin spraying after the disease has begun to appear on the foliage. + + * * * + +_To the President and Members of the Missouri State Ginseng Growers' +Association._ + +Gentlemen--In response to a request from your secretary, I was sent +early in August to investigate your Ginseng gardens, and, if +possible, to give some help in checking a destructive disease which +had recently appeared and had in a short time ruined much of the +crop. Thru the aid of some of your association, at the time of my +visit to Houston, and since that time, I have been furnished with +valuable data and specimens of diseased plants. + +The summer of 1904 was marked by a very abundant rainfall. The shade +of the arbors kept the soil beneath them moist, if not wet, for +several weeks at a time. This moist soil, rich in humus and other +organic substances, formed an exceedingly favorable place for the +growth of fungi. Gardens under dense shade with poor drainage, +suffered the greatest loss. All ages of plants were attacked and +seemed to suffer alike, if the conditions were favorable for the +growth of fungi. + +Symptoms of Disease and Nature of the Injury. + +Between the first and the fifteenth of May black spots having the +appearance of scars appeared on the stems of the Ginseng plants. All +ages of plants were attacked. The scars increased in number and grew +in size, sometimes encircling the stem. + +The first indication of injury was seen when one leaflet after +another turned brown; from them the disease spread down the petiole +to the main stalk. Other stalks were attacked so badly that they +broke off and fell over before the upper portions had even become +withered. After the loss of the top from this disease the crown of +the root was liable to be attacked by fungi or bacteria, causing +decay. I found little of this in the gardens at Houston. The greatest +loss caused by this disease lies in the destruction of the seed crop. + +I have succeeded in isolating and studying the fungus which causes +this disease. The fungus belongs to the genus Vermicularia and occurs +on a number of our common herbaceous plants. I found it near Columbia +this autumn on the Indian turnip. The fungus lives beneath the +epidermis of the Ginseng plant; breaking the epidermis to form the +black scars in which the spores, or reproductive bodies, are +produced. The spores when ripe are capable of germinating and +infecting other plants. + +Treatment. + +Fortunately this disease can be effectually checked by the use of +Bordeaux spraying mixture. + +Damping-off Disease. + +Another source of loss was in the damping-off of young plants. The +fungus which causes this disease lives in the surface layer of the +soil and girdles the plants at the surface layer of the ground, +causing them to wilt and fall over. The trouble can be largely +avoided by proper drainage and stirring the surface layer, thus +aerating and drying the soil. + +The Wilt Disease. + +By far the most destructive and dangerous disease remains to be +described. It made its appearance about the first week in July, +causing the leaves to turn yellow and dry up; the seed stem and +berries also dried up and died before reaching maturity. This was the +disease which caused the greatest loss; whole plantations often being +destroyed in a week. Neither the Bordeaux spraying mixture nor lime +dust seemed to check its ravages. + +I have succeeded in isolating the fungus which is the cause of this +destructive disease and have grown it in the laboratory in pure +cultures for nearly five months. Cultures were made by scraping the +dark spots on diseased stems with a sterile needle and inoculating +sterilized bean pods or plugs of potato with the spores scraped from +the stem. In two or three days a white, fluffy growth appears on the +bean pod which rapidly spreads until it is covered with a growth +which resembles a luxuriant mould. I have also isolated this fungus +and made cultures from the soil taken from diseased beds. + +The fungus belongs to the genus Fusarium and is probably identical +with the fungus which is so destructive in causing the wilt of +cotton, watermelon and cowpeas, and which has been carefully studied +by Smith and Orton of the United States Department of Agriculture. + +Treatment. + +It will be seen from this brief description of the fungus that it is +an exceedingly difficult disease to combat. Living from year to year +in the soil it enters the plants thru the roots and spreads upward +thru the water-conducting channels. It does not once appear on the +surface until the plant is beyond recovery. Obviously we cannot apply +any substance to kill the fungus without first killing the plant it +infests. + +There is but one conclusion to be drawn, viz.: That application of +fungicides will not prevent the wilt disease. + +There are, however, two methods of procedure in combating the +disease: First, the use of precautions against allowing the fungus to +get started; second, the selection and breeding of varieties which +will withstand the disease. + +From the very first the arbor should be kept free from all possible +infection by the wilt fungus. + +Gardens should be small and located some little distance apart, then +if one becomes infected with the disease it can be taken up before +the disease infests a larger territory. If the roots have reached +merchantable size they had best be dried and sold, since they are +likely to carry the disease when transplanted. If they are +transplanted they should be carefully cleaned and reset without +bruising. + +Proper drainage is very necessary for a successful Ginseng garden. It +is advisable to locate the garden on a gentle slope if possible. In +all cases the ground should be well drained. + +The belief of many that the death of the Ginseng was due to the wet +season was without foundation, because the fungus develops best in +soil which is continually moist and shady. This also accounts for the +well-known fact that all rots, mildews and rusts are worse in a rainy +season than in a dry one. + + [Illustration: The Beginning of Soft Rot.] + +Ample ventilation must also be provided in building the arbor. Many +arbors are enclosed at the sides too tightly. + +The material used for mulching should be of a sort which will not +contaminate the garden with disease. Some fungi will be killed if the +ground is allowed to freeze before putting on the mulch. + +The second and, to my mind, most promising mode of procedure lies in +propagating a variety of Ginseng which will be resistant to the wilt +disease. In every garden, no matter how badly diseased, there are +certain plants which live thru the attacks of the disease and ripen +seeds. These seeds should be saved and planted separately, the +hardiest of their offspring should be used to propagate seeds for +future planting. By thus selecting the hardiest individuals year +after year it will be possible in time to originate a variety of +parasitic fungi. There seems to me to be more hope in developing such +a resistant variety of Ginseng than in discovering some fungicide to +keep the disease in check. + +Bordeaux Mixture. + +It is surprising that any considerable number of farmers, +horticulturists, Ginseng growers, etc., are ignorant of a preparation +so necessary as Bordeaux for profitable cultivation of many crops. +The following is taken from Bulletin 194 of the New Jersey +Agricultural Experiment Station. The advice given in this paper +recently by Professor Craig is repeated and emphasized. Every farmer +should have the bulletins issued by the experiment station of his own +state and have them within easy reach at all times. + +Bordeaux mixture derives its name from the place of its discovery, +Bordeaux, France. It consists of copper sulfate, which is commonly +called blue vitriol or bluestone, fresh lime and water. + +Formulas used--Several strengths of the mixture are used under +different conditions: + + 1. (2:4:50) Copper Sulfate 2 lbs. + Quick Lime 4 " + Water 50 gals. + + 2. (3:6:50) Copper Sulfate 3 lbs. + Quick Lime 6 " + Water 50 gals. + + 3. (4:4:50) Copper Sulfate 4 lbs. + Quick Lime 4 " + Water 50 gals. + + 4. (6:6:50) Copper Sulfate 6 lbs. + Quick Lime 6 " + Water 50 gals. + +Formula 1 is used for very tender foliage, as peach, plum, greenhouse +plants, tender seedlings, etc. + +Formula 2 which is a half stronger than the preceding has about the +same use but for slightly less tender leaves. + +Formula 3 is the formula for general use on apples, pears, asparagus, +grapes, tomatoes, melons, strawberries, etc. + +Formula 4 is the strongest formula that is often used. It is +considered best for potatoes and cranberries. It may be used on +grapes, on apples and pears before blossoming and sometimes on other +crops. It was once more commonly used, but, except as here quoted, it +is generally being displaced by Formula 3. + + * * * + + Normal or 1.6 per cent. Bordeaux mixture: + + Copper-sulfate (Blue Vitriol) 6 pounds + Quick-lime (Good stone lime) 4 " + Water 50 gallons + +Six pounds of sulfate of copper dissolved in fifty gallons of water, +when applied at the proper time, will prevent the growth of fungi. +However, if applied in this form, the solution will burn the foliage. +Four pounds of quick-lime to six pounds of copper will neutralize the +caustic action. When sulfate of copper and lime are added in this +proportion, the compound is Bordeaux mixture. + +Weighing of copper and lime at time of mixing is very inconvenient. +Bordeaux mixture is best when used within a few hours after being +mixed. Therefore a stock mixture of Bordeaux is impracticable. It is, +however, practicable to have stock preparation of sulfate of copper +and of lime ready for mixing when required. + +The lime should be fresh quick-lime and when slaked must always be +covered with water to exclude the air. In this manner a "stock" +mixture of lime can be kept all summer unimpaired. + +Sulfate of copper can be dissolved in water and held in solution +until needed. One gallon of water will hold in solution two pounds of +copper sulfate. To accomplish this the sulfate should be suspended at +the surface of the water in a bag. The water most loaded with copper +will sink to the bottom and the water least loaded will rise to the +surface. If fifty pounds of sulfate are suspended in twenty-five +gallons of water on an evening, each gallon of water will, when +stirred the next morning, hold two pounds of sulfate. This will form +the stock solution of copper sulfate. + +If three gallons of this solution are put in the spray barrel, it is +equivalent to six pounds of copper. Now fill the spray barrel half +full of water before adding any lime. This is important for if the +lime is added to so strong a solution of sulfate of copper, a +curdling process will follow. Stir the water in the lime barrel so as +to make a dilute milk of lime, but never allow it to be dense enough +to be of a creamy thickness. If of the latter condition, lumps of +lime will clog the spray nozzle. Continue to add to the mixture this +milk of lime so long as drops of ferrocyanide of potassium (yellow +prussiate of potash) applied to the Bordeaux mixture continue to +change from yellow to brown color. When no change of color is shown, +add another pail of milk of lime to make the necessary amount of lime +a sure thing. A considerable excess of lime does no harm. The barrel +can now be filled with water and the Bordeaux mixture is ready for +use. + +The preparation of ferrocyanide of potassium for this test may be +explained. As bought at the drug store, it is a yellow crystal and is +easily soluble in water. Ten cents worth will do for a season's +spraying of an average orchard. It should be a full saturation; that +is, use only enough water to dissolve all the crystals. The cork +should be notched or a quill inserted so that the contents will come +out in drops. A drop will give as reliable a test as a spoonful. The +bottle should be marked "Poison." Dip out a little of the Bordeaux +mixture in a cup or saucer and drop the ferrocyanide on it. So long +as the drops turn yellow or brown on striking the mixture, the +mixture has not received enough lime. + +"Process" Lime for Bordeaux Mixture. + +The so-called "new process," or prepared limes, now offered on the +market, are of two classes. One consists of the quick-lime that has +been ground to a powder. The other is the dry water-slaked lime made +by using only enough water to slake the quick-lime, but not enough to +leave it wet. Practically all of the process lime on the market is +the ground quick-lime. + +When the hard "stone" lime becomes air-slaked it is evident to the +eye from the change to a loose powdery mass. Should one of these +prepared limes be to any considerable degree air-slaked, its +appearance would be no indication of its real condition. + +A simple test for the presence of much carbonate of lime in these +prepared limes, can be easily performed, a small amount of lime--1/4 +teaspoonful--dropped on a little hot vinegar, will effervesce or +"sizzle" if it contain the carbonate of lime, acting about the same +as soda. + +A sample of a new process lime analyzed at this Station showed 30 per +cent, magnesia. This came from burning a dolomitic limestone, that +is, one containing carbonate of magnesia with the carbonate of lime. +The magnesia does not slake with water like the lime and hence is +useless in the Bordeaux mixture. There is no easy way outside a +chemical laboratory of telling the presence of magnesia. + +As a general rule more "process" lime is required to neutralize the +copper sulfate than good stone lime. It is always well to make +Bordeaux mixture by using the ferrocyanide of potassium test--Cornell +University. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MARKETING AND PRICES. + +Preparing Dry Root for Market--There are more growers of Ginseng, I +believe, according to Special Crops, who are not fully posted on +handling Ginseng root after it is harvested than there are who fail +at any point in growing it, unless it may be in the matter of +spraying. + +There are still many growers who have never dried any roots, and of +course know nothing more than has been told them. Stanton, Crossley +and others of the pioneers state freely in their writings that three +pounds of green root (fall dug) would make one pound of dry. + +The market does not want a light, corky, spongy root, neither does it +want a root that, when dried, will weigh like a stone. Root when +offered to a dealer should be absolutely dry, not even any moisture +in the center of the root. Root that is absolutely dry will, in warm, +damp weather, collect moisture enough so it will have to be given a +day's sun bath or subjected to artificial heat. A root should be so +dry that it will not bend. A root the size of a lead pencil should +break short like a piece of glass. You ask why this special care to +have Ginseng root dry to the last particle of moisture more than any +other root. The answer is that Ginseng has to cross the ocean and to +insure against its getting musty when sealed up to keep it from the +air, it must be perfectly dry. + +We know a great many growers have felt hurt because a dealer docked +them for moisture, but they should put themselves in the dealer's +place. When he disposes of the root it must be perfectly dry. At from +$5.00 to $10.00 per pound moisture is rather expensive. The grower +should see to it that his root is dry and then instruct the man he +ships to that you will stand no cutting. + + [Illustration: Dug and Dried--Ready for Market.] + +One other cause of trouble between grower and dealer is fiber root. +This light, fine stuff is almost universally bought and sold at $1.00 +per pound. This seems to be the only stationary thing about Ginseng. +It would seem that the fine root could be used in this country for +Ginseng tincture, but it is not so strong as the regular root, and +our chemists prefer the large cultivated root at $5.00 to $7.00 a +pound. Now, when your Ginseng root is "dry as a bone," stir it around +or handle it over two or three times, and in doing so you will knock +off all the little, fine roots. This is what goes in the market as +fiber root and should be gathered and put in a separate package. As I +said before this fiber root is worth $1.00 per pound and usually +passes right along year after year at that same price. + +Now as to color. It is impossible to tell just now what color the +market will demand. We advise medium. We do not think the extreme +dark will be as much sought for as formerly; neither do we think the +snow white will be in demand. Now, you can give your Ginseng any +color you desire. If you want to dry it white, wash it thoroughly as +soon as you dig it. This does not mean two or three hours after being +dug, but wash it at once. If you want a very dark root, dig it and +spread on some floor and leave it as long as you can without the +fiber roots breaking. This will usually be from three to five days. + +In washing we prefer to put it on the floor and turn a hose on it, +and if you have a good pressure you will not need to touch the root +with the hands. In any case do not scrub and scour the root. Just get +the dirt off and stop. About one day after digging the root should be +washed if a medium colored root is desired. + +After your root is washed ready to dry there is still a half dozen +ways of drying. Many prefer an upper room in the house for small +lots. Spread the root on a table or bench about as high as the window +stool. Then give it lots of air. Another good method is to subject it +to a moderate artificial heat--from 60 to 90 degrees. We have seen +some very nice samples of dry root where the drying was all done on +the roof of some building, where it was exposed to the sun and dew, +but was protected from rain. The slower the drying the darker the +root. + +Many suppose it is a difficult task to properly dry the Ginseng root, +but it is not. The one essential is time. The operation cannot be +fully and properly completed in much less than one month's time. Of +course it should be dried fast enough so it will not sour, rot or +mould. If you take a look at the root every day you can readily see +if it is going too slow and, if you find it is, at once use +artificial heat for a few hours or days if need be. No diseased or +unsound root should ever be dried. After the root is once dry it +should be stored in dry place. Early fall generally is a poor time to +sell as the Chinese exporters usually crowd the price down at that +time. + +In the Southern States artificial heat is seldom needed as the +weather is usually warm enough to cure the roots about as they should +be. In the Northern States, such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, +New York and New England States, cold and frosty nights and chilly +days usually come in October, and sometimes in September, so that +artificial heat is generally required to properly dry fall dug roots. + +The statistics as published were compiled by Belt, Butler Co., buyers +of Ginseng, 140 Greene St., New York: + + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1886, $1.90 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1887, $2.10 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1888, $2.30 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1889, $2.85 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1890, $3.40 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1891, $3.40 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1892, $3.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1893, $3.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1894, $3.50 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1895, $3.25 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1896, $4.10 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1897, $3.25 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1898, $4.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1899, $6.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1900, $5.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1901, $5.50 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1902, $5.10 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1903, $6.20 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1904, $7.40 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1905, $7.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1906, $7.00 + Average prices for wild Ginseng, Sept. 1st, 1907, $7.00 + +The prices as published, it will be noticed, were average prices paid +for wild Ginseng September 1 of each year. Wild Ginseng has usually +sold higher in the season, say October and November. Late in the +season of 1904 it sold for $8.50 for good Northern root, which we +believe was the top notch for average lots. + +From 1860 to 1865, Ginseng ranged from 66c to 85c per lb., and from +that period until 1899 it gradually increased in price until in +September of that year it brought from $3.50 to $6.50 per lb., +according to price and quality. In 1900 prices ruled from $3.00 to +$5.75 per lb., but this was due to the war then existing in China +which completely demoralized the market. + + In 1901 prices ranged from $3.75 to $7.25 + 1902 prices ranged from 3.50 to 6.25 + 1903 prices ranged from 4.75 to 7.50 + 1904 prices ranged from 5.50 to 8.00 + 1905 prices ranged from 5.50 to 7.50 + 1906 prices ranged from 5.75 to 7.50 + 1907 prices ranged from 5.75 to 7.25 + +These prices cover the range from Southern to best Northern root. + +The above information was furnished from the files of Samuel Wells & +Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, the firm which has been in the "seng" business +for more than half a century. + + * * * + + U. S. GOVERNMENT REPORTS. + + Year Pounds Average price + exported. per lb. + 1858 366,055 $ .52 + 1868 370,066 1.02 + 1878 421,395 1.17 + 1888 308,365 2.13 + 1898 174,063 3.66 + 1901 149,069 5.30 + + * * * + +Export of Ginseng for ten months ending April, 1908, was 144,533 +pounds, valued at $1,049,736, against 92,650, valued at $634,523, for +ten months ending April, 1907, and 151,188 pounds, valued at +$1,106,544 for ten months ending April, 1906. + +Since 1858 Ginseng has advanced from 52 cents a pound to $8.00 in +1907 for choice lots, an advance of 1400%. + +In September, 1831, Ginseng was quoted to the collector at 15 to 16 +cents per pound. + +In the first place, practically all the Ginseng grown or collected +from the woods in this country is exported, nearly all of it going to +China, where it is used for medicinal purposes. The following figures +are taken from the advanced sheets of the Monthly Summary of Commerce +and Finance issued by the United States Department of Commerce and +Labor. In the advanced sheets for June, 1906, we find under exports +of Domestic Merchandise the following item: + + Twelve Months Ending June. + + Ginseng lbs. + 1904 131,882 $851,820 + 1905 146,586 $1,069,849 + 1906 160,959 $1,175,844 + +From these figures it is clear that the Ginseng crop is of +considerable proportions and steadily increasing. It is classed with +chemicals, drugs, dyes and medicines and is in its class equaled or +exceeded in value by only three things: copper sulphate, acetate of +lime and patent medicines. These figures include, of course, both the +wild and cultivated root. A little investigation, however, will soon +convince any one that the genuine wild root has formed but a small +portion of that exported in the last three years. This is for the +very good reason that there is practically no wild root to be found. +It has been all but exterminated by the "seng digger," who has +carefully searched every wooded hillside and ravine to meet the +demand of the last few years for green roots for planting. +Practically all of the Ginseng now exported will of necessity be +cultivated. Of all the Ginseng exported from this country, New York +State very probably supplies the greater part. It was in that state +that the cultivation of the plant originated and it is there that the +culture has become most extensive and perfected. The largest garden +in this country, so far as known, is that of the Consolidated Ginseng +Company of New York State. Here about ten acres are under shade, all +devoted to the growing of Ginseng. The crop is certainly a special +one, to be successfully grown only by those who can bring to their +work an abundance of time and intelligent effort. For those who are +willing to run the risks of loss from diseases and who can afford to +wait for returns on their investment, this crop offers relatively +large profits. + + [Illustration: A Three Year Old Cultivated Root.] + +It is very simple to prepare a few wild roots for market. Wash them +thoroughly, this I do with a tooth or nail brush, Writes a Northern +grower, as they will remove the dirt from the creases without injury. +Only a few roots should be put in the water at once as it does not +benefit them to soak. + +I have usually dried wild roots in the sun, which is the best way, +but never put roots in the hot sun before the outside is dry, as they +are apt to rot. + +The cultivated root is more difficult to handle. They are cleaned the +same as wild roots. On account of size and quality they have to be +dried differently. My first cultivated roots were dried around the +cook stove, which will answer for a few roots, providing the "lady of +the house" is good natured. + +Last year I dried about 500 pounds of green roots and so had to find +something different. I made a drier similar to Mr. Stanton's plan, i. +e., a box any size to suit the amount of roots you wish to dry. The +one I made is about two feet by two and a half feet and two and +one-half feet high, with one side open for the drawers to be taken +out. The drawers are made with screen wire for bottom. + +They should be at least two inches deep and two and one-half inches +would be better. I bored a three-fourth-inch hole in the top a little +ways from each corner and five in the center in about ten inches +square, but now I have taken the top off, as I find they dry better. + +I started this on the cook stove, but did not like it as I could not +control the heat. As I had two Blue Flame oil stoves I tried it over +one of them and it worked fine. + +They were three-hole stoves, so I laid a board across each end for +the drier to rest on. The drier has a large nail driven in each +corner of the bottom so that it was four inches above the stove. Then +I fixed a piece of galvanized iron about 10x20 inches so that it was +about two inches above top of stove, for the heat to strike against +and not burn the roots. + +At first I left out two of the lower drawers for fear of burning +them. I only used the middle burner--and that turned quite low. I +tried the flame with my hand between the stove and roots so as not to +get it too high. + +In this way I could get a slow heat and no danger of burning, which +is the main trouble with drying by stove. It would take from two to +four days to dry them, according to size. As soon as they were dried +they were put in open boxes so if there was any moisture it could dry +out and not mould, which they will do if closed up tight. + +In using an oil stove one should be used that will not smoke. Never +set the roots over when the stove is first lighted and they should be +removed before turning the flame out, as they are apt to get smoked. +Do not set stove in a draft. + +In packing the dry root in boxes I break off the fine fiber, then +they are ready for market. + +Some time prior to 1907, or since cultivated Ginseng has been upon +the market, its value has been from $1.00 to $2.00 per pound less +than the wild and not in as active demand, even at that difference, +as the wild. Today the value is much nearer equal. At first those +engaged in the cultivation of Ginseng made the soil too rich by +fertilizing and growth of the roots was so rapid that they did not +contain the peculiar scent or odor of the genuine or wild. Of late +years growers have learned to provide their plants with soil and +surroundings as near like nature as possible. To this can largely be +attributed the change. + +Preparing the Roots for Market. + +The roots are dug in the autumn, after the tops have died. Great care +is taken not to bruise or injure them. They are then washed in rain +water, the soil from all crevices and cracks being carefully cleaned +away by a soft brush. Then they are wiped on a soft absorbent cloth, +and are ready to be dried for market. The roots should never be split +in washing or drying. It is of great importance, too, that the little +neck or bud-stem should be unbroken, for if missing the root loses +two-thirds of its value in Chinese eyes. The roots may be dried in +the sun or in a warm, dry room, but never over a stove or fire. Some +growers have a special drier and use hot air very much on the +principle of an evaporator. This does the work quickly and +satisfactorily. As soon as the little fibrous roots are dry enough, +they arc either clipped off or rubbed away by hand, and the root +returned to the drier to be finished. The more quickly the roots are +dried the better, if not too much heated. Much of the value of the +product depends on the manner in which it is cured. This method is +the one usually employed in America, but the Chinese prepare the root +in various ways not as yet very well understood in the United States. +Their preparation undoubtedly adds to the value of the product with +the consumer. + +Importance of Taste and Flavor. + +Soils and fertilizers have a marked influence on products where taste +and flavor is important, as with tobacco, coffee, tea, certain +fruits, etc. This is true of Ginseng in a very marked degree. To +preserve the flavor which marks the best grade of Ginseng, by which +the Chinese judge it, it is essential that the soil in the beds +should be as near like the original native forest as possible. Woods +earth and leaf mold should be used in liberal quantities. Hardwood +ashes and some little bone meal may be added, but other fertilizers +are best avoided to be on the safe side. + +When the chief facts of Ginseng culture had been ascertained, it +naturally followed that some growers attempted to grow the biggest, +heaviest roots possible in the shortest time, and hence fertilized +their beds with strong, forcing manures, entirely overlooking the +question of taste or flavor. When these roots were placed on the +market the Chinese buyers promptly rejected them or took them at very +low prices on account of defective quality. This question of flavor +was a new problem to American buyers, for the reason stated and one +which they were not prepared to meet at a moment's notice. Hence +there has been a tendency with some exporters to be shy of all +cultivated roots (fearing to get some of these "off quality" lots) +until they were in position to test for flavor or taste by expert +testers, as is done with wines, teas, coffees, tobaccos and other +products where flavor is essential. + +This mistake led to the belief with some that the cultivated root is +less valuable than the wild, but the very reverse is true. It has +been proven by the fact that until these "off quality" lots appeared +to disturb the market and shake confidence for the time being, +cultivated roots have always commanded a much better price per pound +than uncultivated. The grower who freely uses soil from the forest +and lets forcing fertilizers severely alone, has nothing to fear from +defective quality, and will always command a good price for his +product. + +Ginseng should only be dug for the market late in the fall. In the +spring and summer the plant is growing and the root is taxed to +supply the required nutriment. After the plant stops growing for the +season the root becomes firm and will not dry out as much as earlier +in the season. It takes four to five pounds of the green root early +in the season to make one of dry; later three green will make one of +dry. + +In the Ginseng, like many other trades, there are tricks. In some +sections they practice hollowing out roots while green and filling +the cavity with lead or iron. When Ginseng is worth four or five +dollars per pound and lead or iron only a few cents, the profit from +this nefarious business can be seen. The buyers have "got on to" the +practice, however, and any large roots that appear too heavy are +examined. The filling of roots with lead, etc., has about had its +day. + +Seng should be dug and washed clean before it wilts or shrinks; it +should then be dried in the shade where the dust and dirt cannot +reach it and should not be strung on strings. The roots should be +handled carefully so as not to break them up, the more fiber the less +the value, as well as size which helps to determine the value. + +The collecting of the root for the market by the local dealer has its +charm; at least one would think so, to see how eagerly it is sought +after by the collector, who often finds when he has enough for a +shipment that he faces a loss instead of a profit. The continual +decrease in the annual output of the root should produce a steadily +advancing market. The price does advance from year to year, but the +variation in the price of silver and the scheming of the Chinamen +produces crazy spurts in the price of the root. + +Present prices are rather above average, but little can be predicted +about future conditions. Chinese conservatism, however, leads us to +believe present prices will continue. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LETTERS FROM GROWERS. + +The culture of Ginseng has a pioneer or two located in this part of +the country (N. Ohio), and having one-fourth of an acre under +cultivation myself, it was with interest that I visited some of these +growers and the fabulous reports we have been reading have not been +much exaggerated, in my estimation, but let me say right here they +are not succeeding with their acres as they did with their little +patch in the garden. One party gathered 25 pounds of seed from a bed +40x50 feet last season, and has contracted 30 pounds of the seed at +$36 per pound, which he intends to gather from this bed this season. +He then intends to dig it, and I will try to get the facts for this +magazine. + +Now, to my own experience. I planted three hundred roots in the fall +of '99. The following season from the lack of sufficient shade they +failed to produce any seed; I should have had two or three thousand +seed. Understand, these were wild roots just as they were gathered +from the forest. + +In 1901 I gathered about one pound or 8,000 seed, in 1902 three +pounds and am expecting 30,000 seed from these 300 plants this +season. Last season I gathered 160 seed from one of these plants and +200 seed bunches are not uncommon for cultivated roots to produce at +their best. I have dug no roots for market yet, as there has been too +great a demand for the seed. My one-fourth acre was mostly planted +last season, and is looking very favorable at the present time. It is +planted in beds 130 feet long and 5 feet wide; the beds are ridged up +with a path and ditch 2 feet across from plant to plant, making the +beds, including the paths, 7 feet wide. Beds arranged in this manner +with the posts that support the shade set in the middle of the beds +are very convenient to work in, as you do not have to walk in the +beds, all the work being done from the paths. + +My soil is a clay loam and it was necessary for me to place a row of +tile directly under one bed; this bed contains 1,000 plants and has +been planted two years, and I find the tile a protection against +either dry or wet weather; I shall treat all beds in a like manner +hereafter. + +If you are thinking of going into the Ginseng business and your soil +is sand or gravel, your chances for success are good; if your soil is +clay, build your beds near large trees on dry ground or tile them and +you will come out all right. In regard to the over-production of this +article, would say that dry Ginseng root is not perishable, it will +keep indefinitely and the producers of this article will not be +liable to furnish it to the Chinaman only as he wants it at a fair +market price. + + W. C. Sorter, Lake County, Ohio. + + * * * + +Even in this thickly settled country, I have been able to make more +money digging Ginseng than by trapping, and I believe that most +trappers could do the same if they became experts at detecting the +wild plant in its native haunts. + +I have enjoyed hunting and trapping ever since I could carry a +firearm with any degree of safety to myself, and have tramped thru +woods full of Ginseng and Golden Seal for twenty years, without +knowing it. Three years ago last summer I saw an advertisement +concerning Ginseng Culture. I sent and got the literature on the +subject and studied up all I could. Then I visited a garden where a +few cultivated plants were grown, and so learned to know the plant. I +had been told that it grew in the heavy timber lands along Rock +River, so I thought I would start a small garden of some 100 or 200 +roots. + +The first half day I found 6 plants, and no doubt tramped on twice +that many, for I afterward found them thick where I had hunted. The +next time I got 26 roots; then 80, so I became more adept in +"spotting" the plants, the size of my "bag" grew until in September I +got 343 roots in one day. That fall, 1904, I gathered 5,500 roots and +2,000 or 3,000 seed. These roots and seed I set out in the garden in +beds 5 feet wide and 40 feet long, putting the roots in 3 or 5 inches +apart anyway, and the seeds broadcast and in rows. I mulched with +chip manure, leaf mold and horse manure. Covered with leaves in the +fall, and built my fence. + +The next spring the plants were uncovered and they came well. I +believe nearly every one came up. They were too thick, but I left +them. The mice had run all thru the seed bed and no doubt eaten a lot +of the seed. That spring I bought 5,000 seed of a "seng" digger and +got "soaked." The fall of 1905 I dug 500 more roots and harvested +15,000 seeds from my beds. The roots were planted in an addition and +seed put down cellar. Last fall I gathered 5,500 more roots from the +woods, grew about 3,000 seedlings in the garden and harvested 75,000 +seeds. I dug a few of the older roots and sold them. + +The worst enemy I find to Ginseng culture is Alternaria, of a form of +fungus growth on the leaf of the plant. This disease started in my +beds last year, but I sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture and checked it. I +have not as yet been troubled with "damping off" of seedlings. I +shall try Bordeaux if it occurs. + +My garden is now 100 feet by 50 feet, on both sides of a row of apple +trees, in good rich ground which had once been a berry patch. I used +any old boards I could get for the side fence, not making it too +tight. For shade I have tried everything I could think of. I used +burlap tacked on frames, but it rotted in one season. I used willow +and pine brush and throwed corn stalks and sedge grass on them. For +all I could see, the plants grew as well under such shade as under +lath, although the appearance of the yard is not so good. I also ran +wild cucumbers over the brush and like them very well. They run about +15 feet, so they do not reach the center of the garden until late in +the season. I planted them only around the edge of the garden. + + [Illustration: Bed of Mature Ginseng Plants Under Lattice.] + +In preparing my soil, I mixed some sand with the garden soil to make +it lighter; also, woods earth, leaf mold, chip manure and barnyard +manure, leaving it mostly on top. I take down the shade each fall and +cover beds with leaves and brush. This industry is not the gold mine +it was cracked up to be. The price is going down, lumber for yard and +shade is going up. The older the garden, the more one has to guard +against diseases, so one may not expect more than average returns for +his time and work. Still I enjoy the culture, and the work is not so +hard, and it is very interesting to see this shy wild plant growing +in its new home. + +In order to keep up the demand for Ginseng, we must furnish the +quality the Chinese desire, and to do this, I believe we must get +back to the woods and rotten oak and maple wood, leaf mold and the +humid atmosphere of the deep woodlands. I have learned much during +the short time I have been growing the plant, but have only given a +few general statements. + + John Hooper, Jefferson Co., Wis. + + * * * + +I believe most any one that lives where Ginseng will grow could make +up a small bed or two in their garden and by planting large roots and +shading it properly, could make it a nice picture. Then if they could +sell their seed at a good price might make it profitable, but when it +comes down to growing Ginseng for market I believe the only place +that one could make a success would be in the forest or in new ground +that still has woods earth in it and then have it properly shaded. + +The finest garden I ever saw is shaded with strips split from +chestnut cuts or logs. There are thousands of young "seng" in this +garden from seedlings up to four years old this fall, and several +beds of roots all sizes that were dug from the woods wild and are +used as seeders. These plants have a spreading habit and have a dark +green healthy look that won't rub off. It is enough to give "seng" +diggers fits to see them. + +I have my Ginseng garden in a grove handy to the house, where it does +fairly well, only it gets a little too much sun. I have a few hundred +in the forest, where it gets sufficient shade and there is a vast +difference in the color and thriftiness of the two. + +The seed crop will be a little short this fall in this section, owing +to heavy frosts in May which blighted the blossom buds on the first +seng that came up. My seed crop last fall was ten quarts of berries +which are buried now in sand boxes. My plan for planting them this +fall is to stick the seeds in beds about 4x4 inches. + +I see where some few think that the mulch should be taken off in the +spring, which I think is all wrong. I have been experimenting for +seven years with Ginseng and am convinced that the right way is to +keep it mulched with leaves. The leaves keep the ground cool, moist +and mellow and the weeds are not half so hard to keep down. It is +surely the natural way to raise Ginseng. + +My worst trouble in raising Ginseng is the damping off of the +seedlings. My worst pest is chickweed, which grows under the mulch +and seems to grow all winter. It seeds early and is brittle and hard +to get the roots when pulling. Plantain is bad sometimes, the roots +go to the bottom of the bed. Gladd weed is also troublesome. I think +one should be very careful when they gather the mulch for it is an +easy matter to gather up a lot of bad weed seed. + +I see in the H-T-T where some use chip manure on their "seng" beds. I +tried that myself, but will not use it again on seed beds any way. I +found it full of slugs and worms which preyed on the seedlings. +Sometimes cut worms cut off a good many for me. Grub worms eat a root +now and then. Leaf rollers are bad some years, but the worst enemy of +all is wood mice. If one does not watch carefully they will destroy +hundreds of seed in a few nights. + +I find the best way to destroy them is to set little spring traps +where they can run over them. There was a new pest in this locality +this year which destroyed a big lot of seed. It was a green cricket +something like a katydid. They were hard to catch, too. + + Thos. G. Fulcomer, Indiana Co., Pa. + + [Illustration: Some Thrifty Plants--An Ohio Garden.] + +The notions of the Chinese seem as difficult to change as the law of +the Medes and Persians, and his notion that the cultivated article is +no good, if once established, will always be established. This will +be a sad predicament for the thousands who may be duped by the +reckless Ginseng promoter. One principle of success in my business is +to please the purchaser or consumer. This is the biggest factor in +Ginseng culture. + +The Chinaman wants a certain quality of flavor, shape, color, etc., +in his Ginseng, and as soon as the cultivators learn and observe his +wishes so soon will they be on the right road to success. Ginseng has +been brought under cultivation and by doing this it has been removed +from its natural environments and subjected to new conditions, which +are making a change in the root. The object of the Ginseng has been +lost sight of and the only principle really observed has been to grow +the root, disregarding entirely the notions of the consumer. + +Thousands have been induced by the flattering advertisements to +invest their money and begin the culture of Ginseng. Not one-half of +these people are familiar with the plant in its wild state and have +any idea of its natural environments. They are absolutely unfit to +grow and prepare Ginseng for the Chinese market. Thousands of roots +have been spoiled in the growing or in the drying by this class of +Ginseng growers. Many roots have been scorched with too much heat, +many soured with not the right conditions of heat, many more have +been spoiled in flavor by growing in manured beds and from certain +fertilizers. All these damaged roots have gone to the Chinese as +cultivated root and who could blame him for refusing to buy and look +superstitious at such roots? + +Now as to profits. Not one-half the profits have been made as +represented. Not one-half of those growing Ginseng make as much as +many thousands of experienced gardeners and florists are making with +no more money invested and little if any more labor and no one thinks +or says anything about it. Many articles have appeared in the +journals of the past few years, and when you read one you will have +to read all, for in most part they have been from the over-stimulated +mind of parties seeking to get sales for so-called nursery stock. + +Probably the first man to successfully cultivate Ginseng was Mr. +Stanton, of New York State. His gardens were in the forest, from this +success many followed. Then the seed venders and wide publicity and +the garden cultivation under lattice shade. Then the refusal of the +Chinese to buy these inferior roots. + +Now, it is my opinion the growers must return to the forest and spare +no labor to see that the roots placed on the market are in accordance +with the particular notions of the consumer. Ginseng growers may then +hope to establish a better price and ready market for their root. + +The color required by the Chinese, so far as my experiments go, come +from certain qualities of soil. The yellow color in demand comes to +those roots growing in soil rich in iron. The particular aromatic +flavor comes from those growing in clay loam and abundant leaf mold +of the forest. I have found that by putting sulphate of iron +sparingly in beds and the roots growing about two years in this take +on the yellow color. + +I have three gardens used for my experiments, two in forest and one +in garden. They contain altogether about twenty-five thousand plants. +One garden is on a steep north hillside, heavily shaded by timber. +These plants have a yellowish color and good aromatic taste. They +have grown very slow here; about as much in three years as they grow +in one year in the garden. The other forest garden is in an upland +grove with moderate drain, clay loam and plenty of leaf mold; the +trees are thin and trimmed high. The beds are well made, the roots +are light yellow and good flavor, they grow large and thrifty like +the very best of wild. + +I am now planting the seed six inches apart and intend to leave them +in the bed without molesting until matured. The beds under the +lattice in the garden have grown large, thick, white and brittle, +having many rootlets branching from the ends of the roots, The soil +is of a black, sandy loam. They do not have the fine aromatic flavor +of those roots growing in the woods. + +The plants I have used in the most part were produced from the forest +here in Minnesota and purchased from some diggers in Wisconsin. I +have a few I procured from parties advertising seed and plants, but +find that the wild roots and seeds are just as good for the purpose +of setting if due care is exercised in sorting the roots. + +There has been considerable said in the past season by those desiring +to sell nursery stock condemning the commission houses and ignoring +or minimizing the seriousness of the condition which confronts the +Ginseng grower in a market for his root. Now, I believe the +commission men are desirous of aiding the Ginseng growers in a market +for his roots so long as the grower is careful in his efforts to +produce an article in demand by the consumer. + +In my opinion those who are desirous of entering an industry of this +kind will realize the most profits in the long run if they devote +attention to the study and cultivation of those medical plants used +in the therapy of the regular practice of medicine, such as +Hydrastis, Seneca, Sanguinaria, Lady Slipper, Mandrake, etc. They are +easily raised and have a ready market at any of our drug mills. I +have experimented with a number of these and find they thrive under +the care of cultivation and I believe in some instances the real +medical properties are improved, as Atropine in Belladonna and +Hydrastine in Hydrastis. + +I have several thousand Hydrastis plants under cultivation and intend +to make tests this season for the quantity of Hydrastine in a given +weight of Hydrastis and compare with the wild article. It is the +amount of Hydrastine or alkaloid in a fluid extract which by test +determines the standard of the official preparation and is the real +valuable part of the root. + +This drug has grown wonderfully in favor with the profession in +recent years and this increased demand with decrease of supply has +sent the price of the article soaring so that we are paying five +times as much for the drug in stock today as we paid only three or +four years ago. + +I trust that I have enlarged upon and presented some facts which may +be of interest and cause those readers who are interested in this +industry to have a serious regard for the betterment of present +conditions, to use more caution in supplying the market and not allow +venders to seriously damage the industry by their pipe dream in an +attempt to find sales for so-called nursery stock. + + L. C Ingram, M. D., Wabasha County, Minn. + + * * * + +It was in the year of 1901, in the month of June, that I first heard +of the wonderful Ginseng plant. Being a lover of nature and given to +strolling in the forests at various times, I soon came to know the +Ginseng plant in its wild state. + +Having next obtained some knowledge regarding the cultivation of this +plant from a grower several miles away, I set my first roots to the +number of 100 in rich, well-drained garden soil, over which I erected +a frame and covered it with brush to serve as shade. + +In the spring of 1902 nearly all the roots made their appearance and +from these I gathered a nice crop of seed later on in the season. +That summer I set out 2,200 more wild roots in common garden soil +using lath nailed to frames of scantling for shade. Lath was nailed +so as to make two-thirds of shade to one-third of sun. This kind of +shading I have since adopted for general use, because I find it the +most economical and for enduring all kinds of weather it cannot be +surpassed. + +During the season of 1903 I lost several hundred roots by rot, caused +by an excessive wet season and imperfect drainage. + +In the seasons of 1903 and 1904 I set about 2,000 wild roots in +common garden soil, mixed with sand and woods dirt and at this +writing (July 9th, 1905) some of these plants stand two feet high, +with four and five prongs on branches, thus showing the superiority +of this soil over the others I have previously tried. + + [Illustration: New York Grower's Garden.] + +During my five years of practical experience in the cultivation of +this plant I have learned the importance of well drained ground, with +porous open sub-soil for the cultivation of Ginseng. My experience +with clay hard-pan with improper drainage has been very +unsatisfactory, resulting from the loss of roots by rot. Clay +hard-pan sub-soil should be tile-drained. + +Experience and observation have taught me that Ginseng seed is +delicate stuff to handle and it is a hard matter to impress upon +people the importance of taking care of it. I have always distinctly +stated that it must not be allowed to get dry and must be kept in +condition to promote germination from the time it is gathered until +sown. Where a consider able quantity is to be cared for, the berries +should be packed in fine, dry sifted sand soon after they are +gathered, using three quarts of sand and two quarts of berries. The +moisture of the berries will dampen the sand sufficiently. But if +only a few are to be packed the sand should be damp. + +Place one-half inch sand in box and press smooth. On this place a +layer of berries; cover with sand, press, and repeat the operation +until box is full, leaving one-half inch of sand on top; on this +place wet cloth and cover with board. Place box in cellar or cool +shady place. The bottom of the box should not be tight. A few gimlet +holes with paper over them to keep the sand from sifting thru will be +all right. Any time after two or three months, during which time the +seeds have lost their pulp and nothing but the seed itself remains, +seed may be sifted out, washed, tested and repacked in damp sand +until ready to sow. + +Best Time to Sow Seed. + +Since it takes the seed eighteen months to germinate, seed that has +been kept over one season should be planted in August or September. I +like to get my old crop of seed out of the way before the new crop is +harvested, and also because my experience has been that early sowing +gives better results than late. + +One should be careful in building his Ginseng garden that he does not +get sides closed too tight and thus prevent a free circulation of air +going thru the garden, for if such is the case during a rainy period +the garden is liable to become infected with the leaf spot and fungus +diseases. + +The drop in price of cultivated root was caused chiefly thru high +manuring, hasty and improper drying of the root. In order to bring +back the cultivated root to its former standing among the Chinese, we +must cease high manuring and take more pains and time in drying the +root, and then we will have a steady market for American cultivated +root for years to come. + + J. V. Hardacre, Geauga County, Ohio. + + * * * + +In 1900 I went to the woods and secured about fifty plants of various +sizes and set them in the shade of some peach and plum trees in a +very fertile spot. They came up in 1901, that is, part of them did, +but the chickens had access to them and soon destroyed the most of +them, that is, the tops. + +In 1902 only a few bunches came up, and through neglect (for I never +gave them any care) the weeds choked them and they did no good. In +1903 the spirit of Ginseng growing was revived in me and I prepared +suitable beds, shade and soil, and went to work in earnest. I secured +several more plants and reset those that I had been trying to grow +without care. In 1904 my plants came up nicely. I also secured +several hundred more plants and set them in my garden. + +The plants grew well and I harvested about 1,000 seed in the fall. +Several Ginseng gardens were injured by a disease that seemed to +scald the leaves and then the stalk became affected. In a short time +the whole top of the plant died, but the root remained alive. My +Ginseng was not affected in this way, or at least I did not notice +it. + +In 1905 I had a nice lot of plants appear and they grew nicely for a +while, and as I was showing a neighbor thru the garden he pointed out +the appearance of the disease that had affected most of the gardens +in this county the previous year, and was killing the tops off of all +the Ginseng in them this year. I began at once to fight for the lives +of my plants by cutting off all affected parts and burning them. + +I also took a watering pot and sprinkled the plants with Bordeaux +Mixture. This seemed to help, and but few of the plants died +outright. + +I harvested several thousand seed. I placed the seed in a box of +moist sand and placed them in the cellar and about one-third of them +were germinated by the following spring, and there was not another +garden in this vicinity, to my knowledge, that secured any seed. This +fact caused me to think that spraying with Bordeaux Mixture would +check the disease. It was certain that if the disease could not be +prevented or quit of its own accord, Ginseng could not be grown in +this county. + +In 1906 my plants came up nicely and grew as in the previous season. +I noticed the disease on some of the plants about the last of May so +I began removing the affected parts, also to sprinkle with Bordeaux +Mixture with about the same results as the year before. In the fall I +harvested about twelve or fifteen thousand seed. + +I might say here that I sprinkled the plants about every two or three +weeks. I raised the only seed that was harvested in this vicinity, +and most all the large "seng" was dried and sold out of their +gardens. + +Early in 1907 I secured a compressed air sprayer, for I had come to +the conclusion that spraying would be lots better than sprinkling. On +the appearance of the first plants in the spring I began spraying and +sprayed every week or ten days until about the first of September. I +saved the life of most of my plants. + +For an experiment I left about five feet of one bed of two-year-old +plants unsprayed. It grew nicely until about the 10th of June, then +the disease struck it, and in about two or three weeks it was about +all dead, while the remainder that was sprayed lived thru till frost, +and many of them bore seed. I harvested about 20,000 seed in the +fall. + +I believe if I had not persisted in the spraying I would not have +harvested one fully matured seed, for none of my neighbors secured +any. In September, 1906, I dug one bed of large roots thinly set on a +bed 4x16 feet which netted me $8.49. + +In September, 1907, I dug a bed 4x20 feet which netted me $19.31. + +This is my experience. Of course I have omitted method of preparing +beds, shade, etc. + + A. C Herrin, Pulaski County, Ky. + + * * * + +Many inquiries are continually being received concerning Ginseng, +Some of the many questions propounded are as follows: Is Ginseng +growing profitable? Is it a difficult crop to grow? How many years +will it take to grow marketable roots? When is the best time to set +plants and sow the seed? What kind of soil is best adapted to the +crop? Does the crop need shade while growing? Do the tops of Ginseng +plants die annually? Must the roots be dried before marketable? What +time of year do you dig the roots? Does the cultivation of the plants +require much labor? What are the roots used for and where does one +find the best markets? About what are the dry roots worth per pound? +How are the roots dried? How many roots does it take to make a pound? +Have you sold any dry roots yet from your garden? How long does it +take the seed of Ginseng to germinate? + +Do you sow the seeds broadcast or plant in drills? How far apart +should the plants be set? Do you mulch beds in winter? Is it best to +reset seedlings the first year? How many plants does it require to +set an acre? What is generally used for shading? Has the plant or +root any enemies? When does the seed ripen? How wide do you make your +beds? Do you fertilize your soil? Will the plants bear seed the first +year? What price do plants and seed usually bring? What does the seed +look like? + +It will be almost impossible to answer all of the above questions, +but will try to give a few points regarding Ginseng and Ginseng +growing which may help some reader out. In the spring of 1899 I began +experimenting with a few Ginseng plants, writes an Indiana party, and +at present have thousands of plants coming along nicely from one to +seven years old. Last fall I planted about eight pounds of new seed. +The mature roots are very profitable at present prices. They are +easily grown if one knows how. It takes about five years to grow +marketable roots. + +The seed is planted in August and September; the plants set in +September and October. A rich, dark sandy loam is the most desirable +soil for the crop, which requires shade during growth. The plants are +perennial, dying down in the fall and reappearing in the spring. The +roots must be dried for market. They should be dug some time in +October. Cultivation of the crop is comparatively simple and easy. +The crop is practically exported from this country to China, where +the roots are largely used for medicinal purposes. The best prices +are paid in New York, Chicago, Cincinnati and San Francisco. Dry +roots usually bring $4.00 to $8.00 per pound as to quality. The +drying is accomplished the same way fruit is dried. The number of +roots in a pound depends on their age and size. + +The seed of Ginseng germinates in eighteen months. Sow the seed in +drill rows and set the plants about eight inches apart each way. +Mulch the beds with forest leaves in the fall. The seedlings should +be reset the first year. It requires about 100,000 plants to cover an +acre. The shade for the crop is usually furnished by the use of lath +or brush on a stationary frame built over the garden. + +Moles and mice are the only enemies of Ginseng and sometimes trouble +the roots, but are usually quite easily kept out. The seed of Ginseng +ripens in August. Seed beds are usually made four feet wide. The best +fertilizer is leaf mould from the woods. The plants will not bear +much seed the first year. The price of both seed and plants varies +considerably. The seed looks like those of tomatoes, but is about ten +times larger. + +Ginseng is usually found growing wild in the woods where beech, sugar +and poplar grow. The illustration shows a plant with seed. Early in +the season, say June and early July, there is no stem showing seed. +(See cover.) + +The plant usually has three prongs with three large leaves and has +small ones on each stem. Note the illustration closely. Sometimes +there are four prongs, but the number of leaves on each prong is +always five--three large and two small. + +The leading Ginseng states are West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. +It is also found in considerable quantities in Virginia, +Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and even +north into Southern Canada. It is also found in other Central and +Southern states. + +During the past few years the wild root has been dug very close, and +in states where two or three years ago Ginseng was fairly plentiful +is now considerably thinned out. In some sections "sengers" follow +the business of digging the wild root from June to October. They make +good wages quite often. It is these "sengers" that have destroyed the +wild crop and paved the way for the growers. The supply of wild root +will no doubt become less each year, unless prices go down so that +there will not be the profit in searching for it. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +GENERAL INFORMATION. + +Cultivated root being larger than wild takes more care in drying. +Improper drying will materially impair the root and lessen its value. + +It is those who study the soil and give attention to their fruit that +make a success of it. The same applies to growing Ginseng and other +medicinal plants. + +When buying plants or seeds to start a garden it will be well to +purchase from some one in about your latitude as those grown hundreds +of miles north or south are not apt to do so well. + +Ginseng culture is now carried on in nearly all states east of the +Mississippi River as well as a few west. The leading Ginseng growing +states, however, are New York, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and +Minnesota. + +Thruout the "Ginseng producing section" the plants are dug by +"sengers" from early spring until late fall. The roots are sold to +the country merchants for cash or exchanged for merchandise. The +professional digger usually keeps his "seng" until several pounds are +collected, when it is either shipped to some dealer or taken to the +county seat or some town where druggists and others make the buying +of roots part of their business. Here the digger could always get +cash for roots which was not always the case at the country store. + +Quite often we hear some one say that the Chinese will one of these +days quit using Ginseng and there will be no market for it. There is +no danger, or at least no more than of our people giving up the use +of tea and coffee. Ginseng has been in constant use in China for +hundreds of years and they are not apt to forsake it now. + +The majority of exporters of Ginseng to China are Chinamen who are +located in New York and one or two cities on the Pacific coast. There +is a prejudice in China against foreigners so that the Chinamen have +an advantage in exporting. Few dealers in New York or elsewhere +export--they sell to the Chinamen who export. + +The making of Bordeaux Mixture is not difficult. Put 8 pounds +bluestone in an old sack or basket and suspend it in a 50-gallon +barrel of water. In another barrel of same size, slack 8 pounds of +good stone lime and fill with water. This solution will keep. When +ready to use, stir briskly and take a pail full from each barrel and +pour them at the same time into a third barrel or tub. This is +"Bordeaux Mixture." If insects are to be destroyed at the same time, +add about 4 ounces of paris green to each 50 gallons of Bordeaux. +Keep the Bordeaux well stirred and put on with a good spray pump. +Half the value in spraying is in doing it thoroughly. + +It is our opinion that there will be a demand for Seneca and Ginseng +for years. The main thing for growers to keep in mind is that it is +the wild or natural flavor that is wanted. To attain this see that +the roots are treated similar to those growing wild. To do this, +prepare beds of soil from the woods where the plants grow, make shade +about as the trees in the forests shade the plants, and in the fall +see that the beds are covered with leaves. Study the nature of the +plant as it grows wild in the forest and make your "cultivated" +plants "wild" by giving them the same conditions as if they were +growing wild in the forest. As mentioned in a former number, an easy +way to grow roots is in the native forest. The one drawback is from +thieves. + +The above appeared as an editorial in the Hunter-Trader-Trapper, +August, 1905. + +Growing Ginseng and Golden Seal will eventually become quite an +industry, but as we have said before, those that make the greatest +success at the business, will follow as closely as possible the +conditions under which the plants grow in the forests, in their wild +state. Therein the secret lies. There is no class of people better +fitted to make a success at the business than hunters and trappers, +for they know something of its habits, especially those of the +Eastern, Central and Southern States, where the plants grow wild. +There is no better or cheaper way to engage in the business than to +start your "garden" in a forest where the plant has grown. Forests +where beech, sugar and poplar grow are usually good for Ginseng. The +natural forest shade is better than the artificial. + + [Illustration: Forest Bed of Young "Seng." These Plants, However, + Are too Thick.] + +This is a business that hunters and trappers can carry on to +advantage for the work on the "gardens" is principally done during +the "off" hunting and trapping season. + +The writer has repeatedly cautioned those entering the business of +Ginseng culture to be careful. The growing of Ginseng has not proven +the "gold mine" that some advertisers tried to make the public +believe, but at the same time those who went at the business in a +business-like manner have accomplished good results--have been well +paid for their time. In this connection notice that those that have +dug wild root for years are the most successful. Why? Because they +are the ones whose "gardens" are generally in the forests or at least +their plants are growing under conditions similar to their wild +state. Therein the secret lies. + +The majority of farmers, gardeners, etc., know that splendid sweet +potatoes are grown in the lands of the New Jersey meadows. The +potatoes are known thruout many states as "Jersey Sweets" and have a +ready sale. Suppose the same potato was grown in some swampy middle +state, would the same splendid "Jersey Sweet" be the result? Most +assuredly not. If the same kind of sandy soil which the sweet potato +thrives in in New Jersey is found the results will be nearer like the +Jersey. + +Again we say to the would-be grower of medicinal roots or plants to +observe closely the conditions under which the roots thrive in their +wild state and cultivate likewise, that is, grow in the same kind of +soil, same density of shade, same kind and amount of mulch (leaves, +etc.) as you observe the wild plant. + +The growing of medicinal plants may never be a successful industry +for the large land owner, for they are not apt to pay so much +attention to the plants as the person who owns a small place and is +engaged in fruit growing or poultry raising. The business is not one +where acres should be grown, in fact we doubt if any one will ever be +successful in growing large areas. The person who has acres of forest +land should be able to make a good income by simply starting his +"gardens in the woods." The shade is there, as well as proper mulch, +etc. In fact it is the forest where most of the valuable medicinal +plants grow of their own accord. The conditions of the soil are there +to produce the correct flavor. Some of the growers who are trying to +produce large roots quickly are having trouble in selling their +production. The dealers telling them that their roots have not the +wild natural flavor--but have indications of growing too quickly and +are probably cultivated. + +While plants can be successfully cultivated by growing under +conditions similar to the forest yet if there are forest lands near, +you had better make your "gardens" there. This will save shading. In +the north, say Canada, New England and states bordering on Canada, +shading need not be so thick as farther south. In those states, if on +high land, even a south slope may be used. + +In other states a northern or eastern slope is preferred, altho if +the shading is sufficiently heavy "gardens" thrive. Read what the +various growers say before you start in the business, for therein you +will find much of value. They have made mistakes and point these out +to others. + +From 1892 to 1897 the writer was on the road for a Zanesville, Ohio, +firm as buyer of raw furs, hides, pelts and tallow. The territory +covered was Southern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and +Northern Kentucky. During that time Ginseng was much more plentiful +than now. Once at Portsmouth a dealer from whom I occasionally bought +hides, had 21 sugar barrels full of dried seng--well on to 3,000 +pounds. It was no uncommon thing to see lots of 100 to 500 pounds. I +did not make a business of buying seng and other roots, as it was not +handled to any great extent by the house I traveled for, altho I did +buy a few lots ranging from 5 to 100 pounds, The five years that I +traveled the territory named I should say that I called upon dealers +who handled 100,000 pounds or 20,000 annually. This represented +probably one-fifth of the collection. These dealers of course had men +out. + +Just what the collection of Ginseng in that territory is now I am +unable to say as I have not traveled the territory since 1900, but +from what the dealers and others say am inclined to think the +collection is only about 10% what it was in the early '90s. + +This shows to what a remarkable extent the wild root has decreased. +The same decrease may not hold good in all sections, yet it has been +heavy and unless some method is devised the wild root will soon be a +thing of the past. + +Diggers should spare the young plants. These have small roots and do +not add much in value to their collection. If the young plants were +passed by for a few years the production of the forest--the wild +plant--could be prolonged indefinitely. + +A root buyer for a Charleston, W. Va., firm, who has traveled a great +deal thru the wild Ginseng sections of West Virginia, Kentucky, +Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio says: The root is secured in greatest +quantities from the states in the order named. Golden seal is +probably secured in greatest quantities from the states as follows: +West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania. A great deal +is also secured from Western States and the North. + +The "sengers" start out about the middle of May, altho the root is +not at the best until August. At that time the bur is red and the +greatest strength is in the root. + +Many make it a business to dig seng during the summer. Some years ago +I saw one party of campers where the women (the entire family was +along) had simply cut holes thru calico for dresses, slipping same +over the head and tied around the waist--not a needle or stitch of +thread had been used in making these garments. + +Some of these "sengers" travel with horses and covered rig. These dig +most of the marketable roots. Others travel by foot carrying a bag to +put Ginseng in over one shoulder and over the other a bag in which +they have a piece of bacon and a few pounds of flour. Thus equipped +they stay out several days. The reason these men only dig Ginseng is +that the other roots are not so valuable and too heavy to carry. +Sometimes these men dig Golden Seal when near the market or about +ready to return for more supplies. + +Some years ago good wages were made at digging wild roots but for the +past few years digging has been so persistent that when a digger +makes from $1.00 to $2.00 per day he thinks it is good. + +Some say that the Ginseng growing business will soon be overdone and +the market over-supplied and prices will go to $1.00 per pound or +less for dried root. If all who engage in the business were able to +successfully grow the plant such might be the case. Note the many +that have failed. Several complain that their beds in the forests are +infested with many ups and downs from such causes as damp blight, +root rot, animals and insect pests. A few growers report that mice +did considerable damage in the older beds by eating the neck and buds +from the roots. + +There seems to be a mistaken idea in regard to "gardens in the +forest." Many prepare their beds in the forests, plant and cultivate +much the same as the grower under artificial shade. While this is an +improvement over the artificial shade, fertilized and thickly planted +bed, it is not the way that will bring best and lasting results. + +Why? Because plants crowded together will contract diseases much +sooner than when scattered. One reason of many failures is that the +plants were too thick. Those that can "grow" in the forests are going +to be the ones that make the greatest success. Farmers, +horticulturists, gardeners, trappers, hunters, guides, fishermen who +have access to forest land should carefully investigate the +possibilities of medicinal root culture. + +Those who have read of the fortune to be made at growing Ginseng and +other medicinal roots in their backyard on a small plat (say a rod or +two) had best not swallow the bait. Such statements were probably +written by ignorant growers who knew no better or possibly they had +seed and plants for sale. Ginseng growing, at best, should be done by +persons who know something of plants, their habits, etc, as well as +being familiar with soil and the preparation of same for growing +crops. + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MEDICINAL QUALITIES. + +In reply to E. T. Flanegan and others who wish to know how to use +Ginseng as a medicine, I will suggest this way for a general home +made use, says a writer in Special Crops. Take very dry root, break +it up with a hammer and grind it thru a coffee mill three or four +times till reduced to a fine powder. Then take three ounces of powder +and one ounce of milk sugar. To the milk sugar add sixty drops of oil +of wintergreen and mix all the powders by rubbing them together and +bottle. Dose one teaspoonful, put into a small teacupful of boiling +water. Let it stay a little short of boiling point ten minutes. Then +cool and drink it all, hot as can be borne, before each meal. It may +be filtered and the tea served with cream and sugar with the meal. +Made as directed this is a high grade and a most pleasant aromatic +tea and has a good effect on the stomach, brain and nervous system. +To those who have chronic constipation, I would advise one fourth +grain of aloin, taken every night, or just enough to control the +constipation, while taking the Ginseng tea. If the evening dose of +Ginseng be much larger it is a good safe hypnotic, producing good +natural sleep. + +The writer prefers the above treatment to all the whiskey and patent +medicine made. To those who are damaged or made nervous by drinking +coffee or tea, quit the coffee or tea and take Ginseng tea as above +directed. It is most pleasant tasted and a good medicine for your +stomach. I do not know just how the Chinese prepare it into medicine, +but I suppose much of it is used in a tea form as well as a tincture. +As it is so valuable a medicine their mode of administration has been +kept a secret for thousands of years. There must be some medical +value about it of great power or the Chinese could not pay the price +for it. It has been thought heretofore that the Chinese were a +superstitious people and Used Ginseng thru ignorance, but as we get +more light on the medical value of the plant the plainer it gets that +it is us fellows--the Americans--that have been and are yet in the +"shade" and in a dark shade, too. We think the time not far off when +it will be recognized as a medical plant and a good one, too, and its +great medical value be made known to the world. + +For several years past I have been experimenting with Ginseng as a +medical agent and of late I have prescribed, or rather added it, to +the treatment of some cases of rheumatism. I remember one instance in +particular of a middle-aged man who had gone the rounds of the +neighborhood doctors and failed of relief, when he employed me. After +treating him for several weeks and failing to entirely relieve him, +more especially the distress in bowels and back, I concluded to add +Ginseng to his treatment. After using the medicine he returned, +saying the last bottle had served him so well that he wanted it +filled with the same medicine as before. I attribute the curative +properties of Ginseng in rheumatism to stimulating to healthy action +of the gastric juices; causing a healthy flow of the digestive fluids +of the stomach, thereby neutralizing the extra secretion of acid that +is carried to the nervous membranes of the body and joints, causing +the inflammatory condition incident to rheumatism. + +Ginseng combined with the juices of a good ripe pineapple is par +excellent as a treatment for indigestion. It stimulates the healthy +secretion of pepsin, thereby insuring good digestion without +incurring the habit of taking pepsin or after-dinner pills to relieve +the fullness and distress so common to the American people. The above +compound prepared with good wine in the proper way will relieve many +aches and pains of a rebellious stomach; and if I should advise or +prescribe a treatment for the old "sang digger" who is troubled with +dyspepsia or foul stomach, I would tell him to take some of your own +medicine and don't be selling all to the Chinamen. + + [Illustration: A Healthy Looking "Garden"--"Yard."] + +I want to repeat here what I have often said to "sengers" of my +acquaintance, especially those "get-rich-quick" fellows who have been +dumping their half-grown and poorly cured Ginseng on the market, +thereby killing the good-will of the celestial for a market and +destroying the sale of those who cultivate clean and matured roots; +they had much better give their roots time to mature in their gardens +and if the market price is not what it ought to be to compensate for +the labor, they had better hold over another season before selling. I +have all the product of last season in Ginseng and Golden Seal in my +possession, for the reason that the price did not suit me. Drug +manufacturers ask $7.00 per pound for Fluid Extract Golden Seal +wholesale. When they can make from one-half pound dried root one +pound Fluid Extract Golden Seal costing them 75 cents, that's a +pretty good profit for maceration and labeling. + +Ginseng has been used to some extent as a domestic medicine in the +United States for many years. As far as I can learn, the home use is +along the line of tonic and stimulant to the digestive and the +nervous system. Many people have great faith in the power of the +Ginseng root to increase the general strength and appetite as well as +to relieve eructations from the stomach. As long ago as Bigelow's +time, some wonderful effects are recorded of the use of half a root +in the increase of the general strength and the removal of fatigue. +Only the other day a young farmer told me that Ginseng tea was a good +thing to break up an acute cold and I think you will find it used for +rheumatism and skin diseases. It undoubtedly has some effect on the +circulation, perhaps thru its action on the nervous system and to +this action is probably due its ascribed anti-spasmodic properties. + +The use of Ginseng has largely increased within the last few years +and several favorable reports have been published in the medical +journals. One physician, whose name and medium of publication I +cannot now recall, speaks highly of its anti-spasmodic action in +relieving certain forms of hiccough. If this is true, it places it at +once among the important and powerful anti-spasmodics and suggests +its use in other spasmodic and reflex nervous diseases as whooping +cough, asthma, etc. + +I have practiced medicine for eight years. I sold my practice one +year ago and since have devoted my entire attention to the +cultivation of Ginseng and experimenting with Ginseng in diseases and +am satisfied that it is all that the Chinese claim for it; and, if +the people of the United States were educated as to its use, our +supply would be consumed in our own country and it would be a hard +blow to the medical profession. + +It would make too long an article for me to enumerate the cases that +I have cured; but, I think it will suffice to say that I have cured +every case where I have used it with one exception and that was a +case of consumption in its last stages; but the lady and her husband +both told me that it was the only medicine that she took during her +illness that did her any good. The good it did her was by loosening +her cough; she could give one cough and expectorate from the lungs +without any exertion. I believe it is the best medicine for +consumption in its first stages and will probably cure. + +I wish the readers of Special Crops to try it in their own +families--no difference what the disease is. Make a tea of it. A good +way is to grate it in a nutmeg grater. Grate what would make about 15 +grains, or about one-fourth to one-half teaspoonful and add half a +pint or less of boiling water. The dose to be taken at meal times and +between meals. In a cold on the lungs it will cure in two or three +days, if care is taken and the patient is not exposed. + +My theory is that disease comes from indigestion directly or +indirectly. Ginseng is the medicine that will regulate the digestion +and cure the disease no difference by what name it is called; if the +disease can be cured. Ginseng will cure it where no other drug will. + +I will cite one case; a neighbor lady had been treated by two +different physicians for a year for a chronic cough. I gave her some +Ginseng and told her to make a tea of it and take it at meal times +and between meals; in two weeks I saw her and she told me that she +was cured and that she never took any medicine that did her so much +good, saying that it acted as a mild cathartic and made her feel +good. She keeps Ginseng in her house now all the time and takes a +dose or two when she does not feel well. + +I am satisfied that wonderful cures can be made with Ginseng and am +making them myself, curing patients that doctors have given up; and +if handled properly our supply will not equal the demand at home in +course of five or six years, thus increasing the price. + + * * * + +At the last annual meeting of the Michigan Ginseng Association, Dr. +H. S. McMaster of Cass Co. presented a paper on the uses of this +plant, which appeared in the Michigan Farmer. He spoke in part as +follows: + +"Ginseng is a mild, non-poisonous plant, well adapted to domestic as +well as professional uses. In this respect it may be classed with +such herbs as boneset, oxbalm, rhubarb and dandelion. The medicinal +qualities are known to be a mild tonic, stimulant, nervine and +stomachic. It is especially a remedy for ills incident to old age. + +"Two well-known preparations made--or said to be--from Ginseng root +are on the market. One of these, called "Seng," has been for many +years on druggists' shelves. It is sometimes used for stomach +troubles and with good results. I think it is now listed by the +leading drug houses. + +"Another called 'Ginseng Tone' is a more recent preparation, and is +highly spoken of as a remedy. But for home or domestic use we would +suggest the following methods of preparing this drug: + +"1st. The simplest preparation and one formerly used to some extent +by the pioneers of our forest lands, is to dig, wash and eat the +green root, or to pluck and chew the green leaves. Ginseng, like +boneset, aconite and lobelia, has medicinal qualities in the leaf. + +"To get the best effect, like any other medicine it should be taken +regularly from three to six times a day and in medicinal quantities. +In using the green root we would suggest as a dose a piece not larger +than one to two inches of a lead pencil, and of green leaves one to +three leaflets. These, however, would be pleasanter and better taken +in infusion with a little milk and sweetened and used as a warm drink +as other teas are. + +"2nd. The next simplest form of use is the dried root carried in the +pocket, and a portion as large as a kernel of corn, well chewed, may +be taken every two or three hours. Good results come from this mode +of using, and it is well known that the Chinese use much of the root +in this way. + +"3d. Make a tincture of the dried root, or leaves. The dried root +should be grated fine, then the root, fiber or leaves, separately or +together, may be put into a fruit jar and barely covered with equal +parts of alcohol and water. If the Ginseng swells, add a little more +alcohol and water to keep it covered. Screw top on to keep from +evaporating. Macerate in this way 10 to 14 days, strain off and press +all fluid out, and you have a tincture of Ginseng. The dose would be +10 to 15 drops for adults. + +"Put an ounce of this tincture in a six-ounce vial, fill the vial +with a simple elixir obtained at any drug store, and you have an +elixir of Ginseng, a pleasant medicine to take. The dose is one +teaspoonful three or four times a day. + +"The tincture may be combined with the extracted juice of a ripe +pineapple for digestion, or combined with other remedies for +rheumatism or other maladies. + +"4th. Lastly I will mention Ginseng tea, made from the dry leaves or +blossom umbels. After the berries are gathered, select the brightest, +cleanest leaves from mature plants. Dry them slowly about the kitchen +stove in thick bunches, turning and mixing them until quite dry, then +put away in paper sacks. + +"Tea from these leaves is steeped as you would ordinary teas, and may +be used with cream and sugar. It is excellent for nervous +indigestion. + +"These home preparations are efficacious in neuralgia, rheumatism, +gout, irritation of bronchi or lungs from cold, gastro-enteric +indigestion, weak heart, cerebro-spinal and other nervous affections, +and is especially adapted to the treatment of young children as well +as the aged. Ginseng is a hypnotic, producing sleep, an anodyne, +stimulant, nerve tonic and slightly laxative." + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +GINSENG IN CHINA. + +With the exception of tea, says the Paint, Oil and Drug Review, +Ginseng is the most celebrated plant in all the Orient. It may well +be called the "cure-all" as the Chinese have a wonderful faith in its +curative and strengthening properties, and it has been appropriately +called the "cinchona of China." It is considered to be a sovereign +cure for fevers and weaknesses of all kinds, and is, indeed, the +chief and most costly medicine of the Chinese Empire. + +Ginseng is found wild in the mountain forests of eastern Asia from +Nepa to Manchuria. It once grew in Fukien, Kaighan and Shansi, but +was supplanted by the Manchuria wild root. The root is carefully +hunted for by the Manchus, who boast that the weeds of their country +are the choice drugs of the Chinese, a boast which has much +foundation in fact. Of the thirty-seven ports in China where the +imperial maritime customs are established to import Ginseng, imports +during 1905 were as follows: Shanghai, 103,802 pounds; Wuhu, 2,374; +Kiuhiang, 2,800; Hankow, American clarified, 34,800; Wenchau 9,100; +Chungking, American clarified, 6,200; Chefoo, 80,408; Canton, 75,800, +and Foochow, 15,007. + +The total importation at these ports for the last four years were: +1902, 407,021 pounds; 1903, 404,000 pounds; 1904, 313,598 pounds, and +1905, 331,381 pounds. These figures, however, by no means cover all +the Ginseng entering China, as much of it comes thru the native +custom houses, which keep no tabulated data of exports and imports, +and great quantities of it are smuggled into the country, especially +over the Korean boundary line. Niuchwang is the one Chinese port +which exports native Ginseng. Its exports for the last four years +were, respectively, 228,000, 215,000, 57,000 and 160,900 pounds. + +To give an accurate price for Ginseng would be impossible, so greatly +does it differ from the variety of the root offered to consumers. +Some wild roots have been known to realize their weight in gold; +while the cultivated variety can be purchased from 5 cents a pound +up. Generally speaking, the present average prices are, for the best +Ginseng, $12.00 a pound; for fair quality, $6.50, and for the +ordinary, 50 cents to $1.00. Japan sends to China the cheapest +Ginseng, a great deal of which is used to adulterate the highest +quality from Korea. + +In values and quality of the root the four principal producing +countries rank as follows: Manchuria, Korea, America and Japan. +Prices often vary in accordance with the method used in clarifying +the root. Some Chinese provinces prefer it white, others reddish and +still others require it of a yellowish tinge. The Korean root is +reddish in color, due, some say, to the ferruginous soil on which it +grows, and, according to others, to a peculiar process of clarifying. +Most of the Korean product goes to southern China by way of Hongkong. + +Wild Ginseng, from whatever country, always commands a better price +than the cultivated article, chiefly because of Chinese superstition, +which prefers root resembling man or some grotesque creature to that +of the regular normal roots which cultivation naturally tends to +produce. Chinese druggists, when questioned as to the real difference +between the Manchuria wild and the American cultivated Ginseng root, +admit that the difference in quality is mostly imaginary, altho there +is a real difference in the appearance of the roots. + +But the Manchuria Ginseng comes from the Emperor's mother country and +from the same soil whence sprang the "god of heaven" and therefore +the Chinese regard it as infinitely more efficacious as a curative +agent than any other Ginseng could possibly be. Many assert that the +future demand for Ginseng will be a decreasing one, from the fact +that its imaginary properties of curing every disease on earth will +be dissipated in proportion to the advance of medical science. There +can be no doubt, however, that Ginseng does possess certain curative +properties and it can be safely asserted that it will require many +generations, perhaps centuries, to shake the Chinaman's faith in his +mysterious time-honored cure-all. + + [Illustration: Root Resembling Human Body.] + +American Ginseng, of which large quantities are annually exported to +China, is classed, as a rule, with hsiyang, that is, west ocean, +foreign or western country Ginseng. The imports of this article at +Niuchwang for 1905 amounted in value to $4,612 gold. The exports of +Manchurian Ginseng thru Niuchwang to Chinese ports for 1905 +aggregated in value $180,199 gold and for 1904, $205,431 gold. Wild +Manchuria Ginseng is rare, even in Manchuria, and its estimated +valuation ranges at present from $450 to $600 gold a pound. + +The total imports of Ginseng into China for 1904 aggregated 277 tons, +valued at $932,173.44 and for 1905 to 1,905 tons, valued at +$1,460,206.59. The increased valuation of the imports of last year +emphasizes the increased price of Ginseng in the Chinese market. + +Hsiyang, or American Ginseng, is marketed in China largely thru +Hongkong and Shanghai foreign commission houses. Importations of the +American product are increasing in bulk with each succeeding year, +and the business gives every indication of becoming a very large one +in a short time. + + * * * + +In most of the booklets and articles we have seen on Ginseng, the +writers quote exorbitant figures as to what the root sells for in +China. A good many of them quote from reports received from U. S. +Consuls, who, when they give prices, reckon on Mexican dollars which +are only about half the value of ours and some of them go so far as +to quote retail prices for very small quantities of extra quality +root. + +Some of the growers and dealers in this country, therefore, imagine +that they are not paid what they should be for their stock and that +there is an enormous profit for the men who ship to China. Such is an +entirely wrong idea and can be best proven by the fact that during +the past couple of years three of the leading export houses have gone +out of business, owing to there being no money in it. We do not know +of any business conducted on as small a percentage profit as Ginseng. +Frequently prices paid in this country are in excess of the market in +China. + +This not only means a direct loss to the exporter on his goods but +also the cost of making clean (removing fibres, siftings and stems) +shrinkage, insurance and freight. Business is also conducted on +different lines from years ago. Then the buyers in China bought +readily, prices were lower and more people could afford to use it. + +Today, prices are tripled and while the supply is smaller, the demand +is very much less and Chinese buyers make the exporters carry it +until they really need it, in a good many cases buying root and not +taking it for three or four months, and consequently keeping the +exporters without their money. The expense of carrying Ginseng is +also heavy owing to the high rate of interest, which is 8% and over. + +The folly of depending upon U. S. Consul reports is shown in the +great difference in the figures which they send. Many of these men +have but very little knowledge of business, most of them knowing more +about politics. It is not likely that this class of men will spend +very much time in investigating a subject of this character. + +The market here for wild root since June 1st has been the dullest we +have ever known and the same condition prevails in China. We are glad +to state that cultivated root is selling at much better prices than +last year. It is hard to account for the disfavor with which it was +regarded a year ago in China, and the prejudice against it has been +overcome more rapidly than we expected. At this time last year it was +almost unsalable and we were buying as low as $3.00 to $4.00 per +pound. Many houses declined to buy at all. + +Now that the prejudice against it has sort of worn off, we look for a +good market and consider the outlook very favorable and would advise +people not to give up their gardens in too great a hurry. We make a +specialty of cultivated root and will be pleased to give information +as to handling, drying, etc., to any reader who desires it. We have +been buying Ginseng for over thirty years. + + Belt, Butler Co. New York. + + * * * + +Consul-General Amos P. Wilder of Hongkong, in response to numerous +American inquiries as to the trade in Ginseng, with especial +reference to the cultivated root, prices and importations, reports as +follows: + +The Ginseng business is largely in the hands of the Chinese, the +firms at Hongkong and Canton having American connections. (The five +leading Hongkong Chinese firms in the Ginseng importing business are +named by Mr. Wilder, as also the leading "European" importing +concern, and all the addresses are obtainable from the Bureau of +Manufacturers). + +I am authorized to say that American growers may correspond with the +European concern direct relative to large direct shipments. They +receive goods only on consignment and have some forty years' standing +in this industry. This firm, as do the Chinese, buys in bulk and +distributes thru jobbers to the medicine shops, which abound in all +Chinese communities. The Cantonese have prestige in cleaning and +preparing the root for market. + +Last year the best quality of Ginseng brought from $2,000 to $2,300 +Mexican per picul (equal to 133 1/2 pounds), but selected roots have +brought $2,400 to $2,550. It is estimated here that growers should +net about $7.25 gold per pound. The buying price of Ginseng is +uncertain. There being no standard, no price can be fixed. The +American-Chinese shippers have the practice of withholding the +Ginseng to accord with the demand in China. Owing to failures among +Chinese merchants since the war and the confusion in San Francisco, +trade in this industry has been slack and prices have fallen off. If +the root is perfect and unbroken it is preferred. Much stress should +be laid on shipping clean, perfect and attractive roots. Size, weight +and appearance are factors in securing best prices, the larger and +heavier the root the better. + +When the shipment arrives the importer invites jobbers to inspect the +same. The roots are imported in air-tight casks in weight of about +100 pounds. It is certain that there are many different qualities of +Ginseng and the price is difficult to fix (except on inspection in +China). + +As to wild and cultivated roots, two or three years ago when +cultivated Ginseng was new, buyers made no distinction and the price +ruled the same; but having learned of the new industry, experts here +assure me the roots can readily be distinguished. They say that the +wild root is darker in color and rougher. The wild is preferred. +Experts now allege a prejudice against the cultivated root, affirming +that the wild root has a sweeter taste. The cultivated roots being +larger and heavier, they first earned large prices, but are now at a +disadvantage, altho marketable. + + [Illustration: Wild Ginseng Roots.] + +The cultivated is as yet but a small percentage of the entire +importations, but is increasing. Seventy-five per cent of all +importations are in the hands of the Chinese. Small growers in +America will do best to sell to the collecting buyers in New York, +Cincinnati and other cities. Hongkong annual importations are now +about 100,000 pounds. + +Too many misleading and conflicting articles have been published on +the subject of Ginseng culture in Korea, a true statement of the +facts may be of interest. We all know the Korean Ginseng always +commands a high price in China and I believe there must be a very +good reason for it. Either the Korean method of cultivation, curing +or marketing was superior to the American method or centuries of +experience in its cultivation had taught him a lesson and a secret we +had yet to learn. After considerable correspondence with parties in +Korea which gave me very little information and to set my mind at +rest on these questions, I went to Korea in 1903 for the sole purpose +of obtaining all the information possible on Ginseng culture +according to Korean methods and also if possible to secure enough +nursery stock to plant a Ginseng garden in America with the best +Korean stock. + +Strange to say, even after I reached the city of Seoul, the capital +of Korea, I could not obtain any more reliable information on Ginseng +than I already knew before I left America. They told me where the +great Ginseng district was located, that 40,000 cattys were packed +each year for export, etc., but as to the soil, planting, +cultivation, irrigation, shading, curing, packing, etc., they knew +nothing that was reliable. + +All the American people use sugar in one form or another, but how +many could tell a person seeking for reliable information concerning +the planting of the cane or sugar beet, of the character of the soil +necessary, of its cultivation and irrigation, the process of +refining, packing and marketing, etc. Comparatively few, indeed, and +so it is with the Koreans on the cultivation of Ginseng. They all use +it, but, like the Chinese, not one in several thousand ever saw a +Ginseng plant growing. After considerable delay I secured a competent +interpreter, a cook, and food supplies, and started from Seoul for +the great Ginseng district, traveling part of the way by rail, then +by sampan, and finally reached my destination on Korean ponies. +Arriving at the Ginseng center, I lived among the Ginseng growers +from the time the seed crop ripened until nearly all the +five-year-old roots, or older ones, were dug up and delivered to the +government at their drying grounds, which is about four acres in +extent. This compound is enclosed on three sides by buildings from +100 to 150 feet in length and a uniform width of twelve feet and the +rest of the compound with a high stone wall with a gate, which is +closely guarded by soldiers armed with guns. Near the center of this +compound is a well where the roots are washed as soon as they are +received. There is no entrance from the outside to any of these +buildings. Every one must pass the guards at the gate, for the +buildings, together with the wall, make a complete enclosure. + +The Ginseng gardens are scattered over considerable territory, most +of which is surrounded by a high stone wall about twenty or +twenty-five miles in circumference, similar to the great wall of +China, and which many years ago was the site of one of the ancient +capitals of Korea. + +Part of the growers make a specialty of raising one-year-old plants, +to supply those who have sufficient means to wait four years more for +the roots to mature. Generally, speaking, the grower that produces +the commercial root raises but little if any one-year roots. + +All Ginseng gardens are registered as required by law, stating how +many kan (a kan of Ginseng is the width of the bed, about 30 inches +and 5 1/2 feet long) are under cultivation, so the High Government +Official, specially appointed for the Ginseng district, always knows +how many roots should be available at harvest time and every grower +must sell his entire crop that is five years old or over to the +government and his responsibility does not cease until he has +delivered his crop at the government drying grounds. + +His roots are then carefully selected and all that do not come up to +a required size are rejected and delivered back to the grower and +these he can either dry for his own use or he can transplant them and +perhaps next year they will come up to the required standard. The +Koreans pay great attention to the selection of their Ginseng seed. +No plant is allowed to bear seed that is less than four years old and +very little seed is used from four-year plants. Nearly all the seed +comes from five-year-old plants and a little from six-year-old. Only +the best and strongest appearing plants are allowed to bear seed, and +even these very sparingly, as part of the seed head is picked off +while in the blossom and from which they make a highly prized tea. +The seed stem of all other plants are pinched off, forcing all the +strength, as well as medicinal properties, into the root. + +Many of the best growers never allow their plants to bear seed, and +only the required amount of seed is raised each year to supply the +demand. After the seed is gathered, it is graded by passing it thru a +screen of a certain size. This grader is made like an old-fashioned +flour sieve, only the bottom is made of a heavy oil paper with round +holes cut in it, and all seed that will pass thru these holes are +destroyed, so only the largest and best seed are kept for planting. +The soil which they use for their Ginseng garden is a very poor +disintegrate granite, to which has been added leaf mould mostly from +the chestnut oak, in the proportion of three-eighths leaf mould to +five-eighths granite. The leaves are gathered in the spring and +summer, dried in the sun, pulverized and sprinkled with water to help +decomposition. This is the only fertilizer used. The beds are raised +about eight inches above the level of the ground and are carefully +edged with slabs of slate. What is called a holing board is used to +mark the places for the seed. It is made of a board as long as the +beds are wide (about thirty inches) and has three rows of pegs +1/2-inch long and 1 1/2 inches apart each way. + +A seed is planted in each hole and covered by pressing the soil down +with the hands. About 1/4-inch of prepared soil is added to the bed +and smoothed over. No other mulch is used. The roots are transplanted +each year, setting them a little farther apart each time, until at +the third transplanting, or at four years old, they are 6x6 inches +apart, and at each transplanting the amount of leaf mould used in the +prepared soil is reduced. (Note the difference between this and the +American method of heavy fertilizing). Only germinated seed is +planted and the time for planting is regulated by the Korean Calendar +and not by the weather and if at that time it is at all cold, the +beds are immediately covered with one or two thickness of rice straw +thatch and as soon as the weather is suitable this thatch is removed +and the shade erected. Each bed is shaded separately by setting a row +of small posts in the ground 4 feet high and 5 1/2 feet or 1 kan +apart, on the north side of each bed and on the south side a similar +row, only about 1 foot high. Bamboo poles are securely lashed to +these posts and they in turn support the cross pieces on which rests +the roof covering, made of reeds woven together with a very small +straw rope. At the time of the summer solstice, the rainy season +comes on, so a thick covering of thatch is spread over the reed +covering, which sheds the rain into the walks, while the back and +front are enclosed with rush blinds, that on the north side being +raised or lowered according to the temperature. If it is a very hot +day the blinds are lowered from about 10 A. M. to 4 P. M., leaving +the beds in almost darkness. + +The beds are all protected from the rain and are irrigated by +sprinkling them when needed. At the close of the growing season, +after the roots have gone dormant, all that are not dug up are +covered with a layer of soil 7 or 8 inches thick. All the shade is +pulled down except the posts and spread over the soil and the garden +is left thus for the winter, and the grower selects another site to +which he can move his plants in the spring, and each year new soil is +prepared. From the time the roots are two years old there is another +added care. They are now worth stealing, consequently the garden has +to be watched day and night. A watch tower about 16 feet high is +erected and the hands take turn about, occupying it as a sentry. +Another man constantly patrols the garden during the night. + +The Koreans are the largest consumers of Ginseng in the world, in +proportion to their population, and they have carefully cultivated it +for centuries with the one particular object in view, "its medicinal +properties." For quality always, rather than quantity. They sacrifice +everything else for a powerful medicinal root, and they surely grow +it. I have seen some remarkable results from its use during my stay +in Korea. Say what we may about it, but it plays a very important +part in the life of both the Korean and the Chinese people. Do you +wonder now that the Korean Ginseng always commands a high price? If +the American growers had followed closer along the lines of the +Korean growers and aimed for a high grade of medicinal root, the +market for American Ginseng would not be where it is today. That is, +the cultivated Ginseng. The American growers have it in their own +hands to either make a success or failure of Ginseng culture, but one +thing is certain, heavy seed bearing, excessive fertilizing and rapid +drying will never produce a high standard of Ginseng. The principal +market of the world is ours if we only reach out for it with that +high standard and maintain it and especially so if we will unite +together and market our product thru one central agency controlled by +the producers. Mr. Chinaman may sometimes be mistaken as to whether +Ginseng is wild or cultivated. He may also be mistaken as to whether +it comes from Korea or China (I have seen him make this mistake), but +let him once sample a liberal dose of it, and he won't make any +mistake as to whether it is good, medium or bad. + + * * * + +The Ginseng Trade. + +The following article by Mr. Burnett appeared in the Minneapolis +Journal last February and shows what dealers think of the Ginseng +industry: + +I wish you would give room for what I have to say in regard to an +article in your Journal last fall by our ex-Consul, John Goodnow. +Some things he says are correct: That the demand is based entirely on +superstition; that the root has life-giving qualities; and that those +having the nearest resemblance to human beings are most valuable. +That is quite true. I have seen the Chinese exporters' eyes dance +when they saw such roots in a lot. + +Now for the errors in what he said. He says the trade is in the hands +of a syndicate and they only handle Korean Ginseng. Possibly this +syndicate tells the Chinese retail merchants that to keep them from +boycotting our American Ginseng. If so, why is it that the wild root +this fall has been at ready sale at $6.75 to $7.10 per pound? We, who +buy it, do not hold it and if we did not find a ready sale for it we +would soon cease to buy it. + +There has been marketed in Minneapolis probably $50,000 worth this +year and in the United States a million dollars' worth. So you see +his error: for, either directly or indirectly, it gets to China at +good prices. + +Chinese Superstitions. + +Now in regard to the cultivated root, to show your readers how the +value is based on superstition, we will cite one instance in our +experience. We sent our clerk to a laundry where there were a half +dozen "Celestials" to sell some nice cultivated root. Some roots were +manlike in shape. They tasted it, were delighted with it and bought +it readily and told him to bring them all he could get, as what they +did not need for their own use they would ship to their exporter in +San Francisco. + +Our man told them he would be around in one week. We sent him again +in just a week. He said on his return they "looked daggers" at him +and said, "We no wantee your cultivated root." This convinced us they +had shipped it to the agents of the syndicate at 'Frisco and received +their returns. Now, does this not show that the demand is all based +on superstition? It was very good until they were informed that it +was cultivated. + +Now your readers may say, how can they distinguish between the +cultivated and the wild? I will tell you; the cultivated is usually +much firmer and twice as heavy as the wild and generally much +cleaner. Then most of the cultivated has been raised from small, wild +roots dug from the forests and in transplanting they have not taken +pains to place the tap root straight in the earth. This causes it to +be clumpy--that is, not straight like most wild roots. This, with its +solidity and cleanliness makes it easy to tell from the wild roots. + + [Illustration: Pennsylvania Grower's Garden.] + +The Cultivated Plant. + +Now we have had a number of lots of cultivated that we got full +prices for. They were roots grown from seeds, symmetrical in shape, +not too large, not too clean and dug before they became very solid. +My idea is, if not allowed to grow more than as large as one's +fingers, when dry and dug immediately after the seeds are ripe, or +even before, if seeds are not needed, and not washed too clean, we +can find sale for such. At present the ordinary cultivated does not +bring quite half the price of the wild. There are some who buy that +for American use, several firms putting up Ginseng cures. Some +people, like the Chinese, believe it has merits, but as the demand is +limited the price is low. That the Chinese think that the root grown +by nature has life-giving qualities and that cultivated has no +virtues, is certain. The only way to do is to grow in natural woods +soil (manure of any kind must be avoided, as it causes a rank growth) +dig and wash it so they can't tell the difference. One thing is +certain, it's a hardy plant, altho slow to get started, and good +money can be made at $2.00 to $3.00 a pound. Instead of being hard to +grow, as many persons think, it is very hard to kill. + + * * * + +A belief among the Chinese people is that Ginseng roots, especially +if of peculiar shape, will cure practically all diseases of mind and +body. The Chinese are not given to sentiment; their emotional nature +is not highly developed; they are said to be a people who neither +"kiss nor cuss," and their physical sensibilities are so dull that a +Chinaman can lie down on his back across his wheelbarrow with feet +and head hanging to the ground, his mouth wide open and full of flies +and sleep blissfully for hours under the hottest July sun. There is +nothing about them, therefore, to suggest that they possess the +lively imagination to make them have faith in a remedy with purely +imaginary virtues. Nevertheless, among these people, a plant not +found by any medical scientist to possess any curative powers is used +almost universally, to cure every kind of ailment and has been so +used for generations. + +Intelligent Chinese resent the imputation of superstition to their +people. But the fact remains that the Ginseng roots are valued +according to the peculiarity of their shapes. The word Ginseng is +composed of two Chinese words which mean man and plant, and the more +nearly shaped like a man the roots are, the more they are valued. A +root which is bifurcated and otherwise shaped like a man, may be sold +as high as $10.00 an ounce; a recent secretary of the Chinese +Legation explains this on the ground of being valued as a curio; but +the curio is finally made into a decoction and swallowed, and the +swallower evidently hopes that the fantastic shape of the root will +make the medicine more potent. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +GINSENG--GOVERNMENT DESCRIPTION, ETC. + +The following is from a bulletin issued by the U. S. Department of +Agriculture--Bureau of Plant Industry--and edited by Alice Henkel: + +Panax Quinquefolium L. + +Other Common Names--American Ginseng, sang, red-berry, five-fingers. + +Habitat and Range--Ginseng is a native of this country, its favorite +haunts being the rich, moist soil in hardwood forests from Maine to +Minnesota southward to the mountains of northern Georgia and +Arkansas. For some years Ginseng has been cultivated in small areas +from central New York to Missouri. + +Description of Plant--Ginseng is an erect perennial plant growing +from 8 to 15 inches in height and bearing three leaves at the summit, +each leaf consisting of five thin, stalked ovate leaflets, long +pointed at the apex, rounded or narrow at the base, the margins +toothed; the three upper leaflets are largest and the two lower ones +smaller. From 6 to 20 greenish yellow flowers are produced in a +cluster during July and August, followed later in the season by +bright crimson berries. It belongs to the Ginseng family +(Araliaceae.) + +Description of Root--Ginseng has a thick, spindle-shaped root, 2 to 3 +inches long or more, and about one-half to 1 inch in thickness, often +branched, the outside prominently marked with circles or wrinkles. +The spindle-shaped root is simple at first, but after the second year +it usually becomes forked or branched, and it is the branched root, +especially if it resembles the human form, that finds particular +favor in the eyes of the Chinese, who are the principal consumers of +this root. + + [Illustration: Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolium).] + +Ginseng root has a thick, pale yellow white or brownish yellow bark, +prominently marked with transverse wrinkles, the whole root fleshy +and somewhat flexible. If properly dried, it is solid and firm. +Ginseng has a slight aromatic odor, and the taste is sweetish and +mucilaginous. + +Collection and Uses--The proper time for digging Ginseng root is in +autumn, and it should be carefully washed, sorted and dried. If +collected at any other season of the year, it will shrink more and +not have the fine, plump appearance of the fall dug root. + +The National Dispensatory contains an interesting item concerning the +collection of the root by the Indians. They gather the root only +after the fruit has ripened, and it is said that they bend down the +stem of ripened fruit before digging the root, covering the fruit +with earth, and thus providing for future propagation. The Indians +claim that a large percentage of the seeds treated in this way will +germinate. + +Altho once official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, from 1840 to +1880, it is but little used medicinally in this country except by the +Chinese residents, most of the Ginseng produced in this country being +exported to China. The Chinese regard Ginseng root as a panacea. It +is on account of its commercial prominence that it is included in +this paper. + +Cultivation--There is probably no plant that has become better known, +at least by name, during the past ten years or more than Ginseng. It +has been heralded from north to south and east to west as a +money-making crop. The prospective Ginseng grower must not fail to +bear in mind, however, that financial returns are by no means +immediate. Special conditions and unusual care are required in +Ginseng cultivation, diseases must be contended with, and a long +period of waiting is in store for him before he can realize on his +crop. + +Either roots or seeds may be planted, and the best success with +Ginseng is obtained by following as closely as possible the +conditions of its native habitat. Ginseng needs a deep, rich soil, +and being a plant accustomed to the shade of forest trees, will +require shade, which can be supplied by the erection of lath sheds +over the beds. A heavy mulch of leaves or similar well rotted +vegetable material should be applied to the beds in autumn. + +If roots are planted, they are set in rows about 8 inches apart and 8 +inches apart in the row. In this way a marketable product will be +obtained sooner than if grown from seed. The seed is sown in spring +or autumn in drills 6 inches apart and about 2 inches apart in the +row. The plants remain in the seed bed for two years and are then +transplanted, being set about 8 by 8 inches apart. It requires from +five to seven years to obtain a marketable crop from the seed. Seed +intended for sowing should not be allowed to dry out, as this is +supposed to destroy its vitality. + +Price--The price of wild Ginseng roots ranges from $5.00 a pound +upward. The cultivated root generally brings a lower price than the +wild root, and southern Ginseng roots are worth less than those from +northern localities. + +Exports--The exports of Ginseng for the year ended June 30, 1906, +amounted to 160,949 pounds, valued at $1,175,844. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +MICHIGAN MINT FARM. + +Very few people know that the largest Mint farm in the world is owned +and operated by an unassuming Michigan man named A. M. Todd, says +Special Crops. His career is interesting. Born on a farm near St. +Joseph, Mich., he early developed an idea that money was to be made +in the growing of Peppermint. At that time the Mint oil industry was +small and in a state of crudeness in America, for Europe was supposed +to be the stronghold of the industry. To Europe went Mr. Todd to see +about it. He returned filled with plans and enthusiasm. + +Some Details of the Business. + +The details are long, but the main facts can be briefly told. +Eventually, while still a very young man, Mr. Todd purchased 1,400 +acres of wild, swampy land in Allegan County, Mich. The purchase +price was $25,000. He proceeded to hire a force of men to clear and +ditch the new Mint farm. That was 20 or more years ago. + +Now, let us take a look at that farm as it is today. First we come to +the main farm, called Campania, and comprising just 1,640 acres. Here +are huge barns, comfortable houses for employer and employees, +warehouses, ice houses, windmills, library, club rooms and bathrooms +for use of employes; 17 miles of wide, deep, open drainage ditches; +stills for distilling Peppermint oil; roadways, telephones and all +the system and comfort of a little village founded and maintained by +one thoughtful man. + +Not far away is a second farm, recently purchased where somewhat +similar improvements are now going on. This farm is named Mentha, and +consists of 2,000 acres. + +Then, farther north, a third farm completes the Todd domain. This +place contains 7,000 acres and is known as Sylvania Range. The three +farms, with a total acreage of 10,640 acres, are under one management +and they form together the largest Mint farm in all the world. +Starting with $100.00 capital, Mr. Todd's plant today is worth +several hundred thousand dollars. + +Distiller as Well as Grower. + +But Mr. Todd is more than a Mint grower. With his distilleries he +turns the crop into crude Peppermint oil; with his refineries he +turns the crude oil into the refined products that find a ready +market in the form of menthol, or as a flavoring essence for drinks, +confectionery and chewing gum, or for use in medicine. Furthermore, +he has been shrewd enough to figure out a method of utilizing, +profitably, the by-products of the business, Mint hay. In other +words, after the oil is extracted from a mass of Mint plants in a +distillery vat, the resulting cake of leaves and stems is dried and +fed to cattle. And, oddly enough, the animals greatly relish it and +thrive upon it. + +Raises Shorthorns on Mint Hay. + +During the summer Mr. Todd has 500 Shorthorns grazing on his +7000-acre range, where they require no human attention during the +season when his men are busy planting, cultivating and harvesting the +first crop. Later, these same Shorthorns are driven from pasture to +the big Campania barns, where the men care for them and feed them +Mint hay from Mr. Todd's distilleries at a season when such workmen +have little else to do. In this way the by-product is utilized and +the regular force of men is kept employed all the year around. + +The growing of Mint is simple, yet there are some peculiar features +about it. For instance, the land is so shaky at some seasons of the +year that horses can not work on it unless they wear special, broad +wooden shoes. This Mint soil, indeed, is something like the muck +found in typical celery fields, being black, damp and loose. But it +is less firm and more damp than the celery land at Kalamazoo. + +Setting New Mint Fields. + +The Mint root is perennial. Once in two or three years, however, the +fields are renewed to improve the crop. When setting a new field the +land is plowed and harrowed in the usual way. It is then marked out +in shallow furrows into which the sets are evenly dropped by skilled +planters who cover each dropped root by shoveling dirt over it with +the foot. The rows are about 2 1/2 feet apart and the planting is +done in early spring. The sets are obtained by digging up and +separating the runners and roots from old plants. + +The planted rows soon send up shoots above ground and the new plants +rapidly run or spread, necessitating hoeing and cultivating only +until late July, at which time the field should be densely covered +with a rank growth of waving green plants that forbid further +cultural work. + +Harvesting the Mint. + +In August or September the field is mowed, raked and bunched; in +fact, handled quite similarly to a clover hay field. After allowing +the plants to dry a short time, the crop is loaded onto hay wagons +and carted to the stills, where the essential oil is extracted by +means of a system of steam distillation. + +The second year's crop is obtained by the simple method of plowing +under the plants in the fall. The roots send up new shoots next +season, while weeds are temporarily discouraged. No cultivation is +attempted the second year, altho the hand pulling of weeds may +sometimes prove desirable. + +We think the growing of Mint should not be attempted except on a +large scale. We have had many queries touching the plant and manner +of cultivation that we have taken this means to answer them. In +boyhood days we were well acquainted with this industry in all its +branches and can not advise the average Ginseng grower to undertake +its culture for the reason that there is not money enough in it to be +profitable on small areas of land. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. + +Remember, unless thoroughly dried roots, herbs, leaves, barks, +flowers and seeds are apt to heat or mold which greatly lessens their +value. If badly molded they are of little value. + +The best time to collect barks is in the spring (when the sap is up) +as it will peel easier at that time. Some barks must be rossed, that +is, remove the outer or rough woody part. In this class are such +barks as white pine, wild cherry, etc. + +Leaves and herbs should only be gathered when the plant is +mature-grown. In curing they should be kept from the sun as too rapid +curing tends to draw the natural color and this should be preserved +as much as possible. + +Flowers should be gathered in the "height of bloom," for best +results. They require considerable attention to preserve as they are +apt to turn dark or mold. + +The time to gather seeds is when they are ripe. This can easily be +determined by the leaves on the plant, vine or shrub which produced +the seeds. Generally speaking, seeds are not ripe until early fall, +altho some are. + +There has been a heavy demand for years for wild cherry bark, +sassafras bark, black haw bark, prickly ash bark, slippery elm bark, +cotton root bark as well as scullcap plants, (herbs) lobelia herb, +golden thread herb and red clover tops. + +There has been a cash market for years for the following roots: +Blood, senega, golden seal, poke, pink, wild ginger, star, lady +slipper, black, mandrake, blue flag and queen's delight. + +If you have a few pounds of Ginseng or Golden Seal, pack carefully in +a light box and ship by express. If less than four pounds, you can +send by mail--postage is only one cent an ounce. A four-pound package +by mail can be sent anywhere in America for 64 cents. Expressage, +unless short distances, is apt to be more. + + [Illustration: Lady Slipper.] + +In shipping roots, herbs, leaves, seeds, etc., where the value is +only a few cents per pound it is best to collect 50 pounds or more +before making a shipment. In fact, 100 pounds by freight costs no +more than 10, 20, 50 or any amount less than 100 as 100 pounds is the +smallest charge. + +Some of the biggest liars in America seem to be connected with the +"seng" growing business. They probably have seed or plants to sell. +Be careful in buying--there are many rascals in the business. + +There is always a cash market for Ginseng and Golden Seal. In the +large cities like New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, +Montreal, Cincinnati, etc., are dealers who make a special business +of buying these roots. In hundreds of smaller cities and towns +druggists, merchants, raw fur dealers, etc., buy them also. The +roots, barks, leaves, etc., of less value are also bought pretty +generally by the above dealers, but if you are unable to find a +market for them it will pay you to send 10 cents for copy of +Hunter-Trader-Trapper, Columbus, Ohio, which contains a large number +of root buyers' advertisements as well as several who want bark, +leaves, seeds, flowers, herbs, etc. + +Since 1858 Ginseng has increased in value one thousand four hundred +per cent., but Golden Seal has increased in value in the same time +two thousand four hundred per cent. + +Ginseng and Golden Seal should be packed tightly--light but strong +boxes and shipped by express. The less valuable roots can be shipped +in burlap sacks, boxes, barrels, etc., by freight. + +The various roots, barks, leaves, plants, etc., as described in this +book are found thruout America. Of course there is no state where all +grow wild, but there are many sections where several do. After +reading this book carefully you will no doubt be able to distinguish +those of value. + +Plants are of three classes--annuals, biennials, perennials. Annuals +grow from seed to maturity in one year and die; biennials do not +flower or produce seed the first year, but do the second and die; +perennials are plants which live more than two years. Ginseng plants +are perennial. + +Roots, leaves, barks, etc., should be spread out thin in some dry, +shady place. A barn floor or loft in some shed is a good place, +providing it is light and "airy," altho the direct sunlight should +not shine upon the articles being "cured." Watch while curing and +turn or stir each day. + +Prices given for roots, plants, leaves, etc., were those paid by +dealers during 1907 unless otherwise specified. These prices, of +course, were paid in the leading markets for fair sized lots. If you +have only a few pounds or sold at some local market the price +received was probably much less. The demand for the various articles +varies and, of course, this influences prices--when an article is in +demand prices are best. + +After studying the "habitat and range" of the various plants as +published together with the illustrations, there should be no +difficulty in determining the various plants. By "habitat" is meant +the natural abode, character of soil, etc., in which the plant +thrives best and is found growing wild. To illustrate: Seneca +Snakeroot--habitat and range--rocky woods and hillsides are its +favorite haunts. It is found in such places from New Brunswick, +Canada and Western New England States to Minnesota and the Canadian +Rocky Mountains, and south along the Allegheny Mountains to North +Carolina and Missouri. + +From this it will be seen that it is useless to look for this plant +in the Southern States, on the plains or in old cultivated fields, +for such places are not its natural home. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +GOLDEN SEAL CULTIVATION. + +I learned when a boy, by actual experience, that Golden Seal and +Ginseng will not grow in open cultivated fields or gardens. I tried +it faithfully. The soil must be virgin, or made practically so by the +application of actual "new land" in such quantities that to prepare +an acre for the proper growth of these plants would be almost +impossible. And to furnish and keep in repair artificial shade for, +say, an acre, would cost quite a little fortune. Of course one may +cultivate a few hundred or few thousand in artificially prepared beds +and shaded by artificial means, but to raise these plants +successfully in anything like large quantities we must let nature +herself prepare the beds and the shade. + +When we follow nature closely we will not be troubled with diseases, +such as blight and fungus. I know this by actual experience dear, and +therefore dear to me. + +Plants propagate themselves naturally by seedage, root suckers, and +by root formation upon the tips of pendulous boughs coming in contact +with the ground. Man propagates them artificially in various ways, as +by layering, cuttings, grafting or budding, in all of which he must +follow nature. The Golden Seal plant is readily propagated by any of +the three following methods: (1) by seed; (2) by division of the +large roots; (3) by suckers, or small plants which form on the large +fibrous roots. + +The seed berries should be gathered as soon as ripe, and mashed into +a pulp, and left alone a day or two in a vessel, then washed out +carefully and the seed stored in boxes of sandy loam on layers of +rock moss, the moss turned bottom side up and the seed scattered +thickly over it, then cover with about one-half inch of sandy loam, +then place another layer of moss and seed, until you have four or +five layers in a box. The box may be of any convenient size. The +bottom of the box should be perforated with auger holes to secure +good drainage. If water be allowed to stand upon the seeds they will +not germinate, neither will they germinate if they become dry. The +seeds should be kept moist but not wet. They may be sown in the fall, +but, I think the better way, by far, is to keep your box of seeds in +a cellar where they will not freeze until the latter part of winter +or very early spring. If your seeds have been properly stratified and +properly kept you will find by the middle of January that each little +black seed has burst open and is wearing a beautiful shining golden +vest. In fact, it is beginning to germinate, and the sooner it is put +into the seed-bed the better. If left too long in the box you will +find, to your displeasure, a mass of tangled golden thread-like +rootlets and leaflets, a total loss. + +To prepare a seed-bed, simply rake off the forest leaves from a spot +of ground where the soil is rich and loamy, then with your rake make +a shallow bed, scatter the seeds over it, broadcast, being careful +not to sow them too thick. Firm the earth upon them with the back of +the hoe or tramp them with the feet. This bed should not be near a +large tree of any kind, and should be protected from the sun, +especially from noon to 3 P. M. + +The Golden Seal seedling has two round seed leaves upon long stems +during the first season of its growth. These seed leaves do not +resemble the leaves of the Golden Seal plant. The second and usually +the third years the plant has one leaf. These seedlings may be set in +rows in beds for cultivation in the early spring of the second or +third year. This plant grows very slowly from seed for the first two +or three years, after which the growth is more satisfactory. + +By the second method, i. e., by division of the large roots, simply +cut the roots up into pieces about one-fourth inch long and stratify +in the same way as recommended for seeds, and by spring each piece +will have developed a bud, and will be ready to transplant into beds +for cultivation. This is a very satisfactory and a very successful +method of propagating this plant. The plants grow off strong and +robust from the start and soon become seed bearing. + + [Illustration: Young Golden Seal Plant in Bloom.] + +By the third method we simply let nature do the work. If the plants +are growing in rich, loose, loamy soil, so the fibrous roots may +easily run in every direction, the whole bed will soon be thickly set +with plants. These may be taken up and transplanted or may be allowed +to grow and develop where they are. + +This is the method by which I propagate nearly all of my plants. It +is a natural way and the easiest of the three ways to practice. + +As to the proper soil and location for a Golden Seal garden I would +recommend a northern or northeastern exposure. The soil should be +well drained and capable of a thrifty growth of deciduous trees. It +should contain an ample supply of humus made of leaf mold. It will +then be naturally loose and adapted to the growth of Golden Seal. Cut +out all undergrowth and leave for shade trees that will grow into +value. I am growing locust trees for posts in my Golden Seal garden. +I do not think fruit trees of any kind suitable for this purpose. + +In preparing the ground for planting simply dig a trench with a +mattock where you intend to set a row. This loosens up the soil and +makes the setting easy. Set the plants in this row four to six inches +apart. For convenience I make the rows up and down the hill. In +setting spread the fibrous roots out each way from the large main +root and cover with loose soil about one to two inches deep, firming +the soil around the plant with the hands. Be very careful not to put +the fibrous roots in a wad down in a hole. They do not grow that way. +Plants may be set any time through the summer, spring or fall, if the +weather he not too dry. The tops will sometimes die down, in which +case the root will generally send up a new top in a few days. If it +does not it will form a bud and prepare for growth the next spring. +The root seldom if ever dies from transplanting. I know of no plant +that is surer to grow when transplanted than Golden Seal. I make the +rows one foot to fifteen inches apart. It does not matter as it will +soon fill the spaces with sucker plants any way. + +The cultivation of Golden Seal is very simple. If you have a deep, +loose soil filled with the necessary humus your work will be to rid +the plot of weeds, and each fall add to the fall of forest leaves a +mulch of rotten leaves. + +Do not set the plants deeper than they grew in a natural state, say +about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Spread the fibrous roots out in all directions +and cover with leaf mold or some fine, loamy new soil. Water if the +ground be at all dry. Then mulch with old forest leaves that have +begun to decay. Let the mulch be about three or four inches deep and +held on by a few light brush. The wind would blow the leaves away if +not thus held in place. Be careful, however, not to press the leaves +down with weights. + + [Illustration: Golden Seal Plants.] + +Remove the brush in the early spring, but let the leaves remain. The +plants will come up thru them all right. This plant grows best in a +soil made up entirely of decayed vegetation, such as old leaf beds +and where old logs have rotted and fallen back to earth. If weeds or +grass begin to grow in your beds pull them up before they get a +start. Be careful to do this. Do not hoe or dig up the soil any way, +The fibrous roots spread out in all directions just under the mulch. +To dig this up would very much injure the plants. + +I think the plants should be set in rows about one foot apart, and +the plants three or four inches apart in the rows. This would require +about 1,000 plants to set one square rod. My Golden Seal garden is in +a grove of young locust trees that are rapidly growing into posts and +cash. The leaves drop down upon my Golden Seal and mulch it +sufficiently. The locust belongs to the Leguminous family of plants, +so while the leaves furnish the necessary shade they drink in the +nitrogen from the atmosphere and deposit great stores of it in the +soil. This makes the soil porous and loose and gives the plant a very +healthy dark green appearance. + +We have only to follow the natural manner of the growth of the Golden +Seal to be successful in its culture. Select a piece of sloping land, +so as to be well drained, on the north or northeast side of the +hill--virgin soil if possible. Let the soil be rich and loamy, full +of leaf mold and covered with rotting leaves and vegetation. This is +the sort of soil that Golden Seal grows in, naturally. + +It is hard to fix up a piece of ground, artificially, as nature +prepares it, for a wild plant to grow in. So select a piece if +possible that nature has prepared for you. Do not clear your land. +Only cut away the larger timber. Leave the smaller stuff to grow and +shade your plants. There is no shade that will equal a natural one +for Ginseng or Golden Seal. + +Now, take a garden line and stretch it up and down the hill the +distance you want your bed to be wide. Mark the place for the row +along the line with a mattock, and dig up the soil to loosen it, so +as to set the plants, or, rather, plant the roots easily. With a +garden dibble, or some other like tool make a place for each plant. +Set the plants 4 to 6 inches apart in the row. The crown of the plant +or bud should be set about 1 inch beneath the surface. + +Firm the earth around the plant carefully. This is an important point +and should be observed in setting any plant. More plants are lost +each year by carelessly leaving the earth loose over and around the +roots than from any other cause. Do not leave a trench in the row. +This may start a wash. Let the rows be about 1 foot apart. If land is +no item to you, the rows may be further apart. They will, if properly +cared for, in a few years, by sending up sprouts from the roots, fill +up the end completely. + + [Illustration: Thrifty Golden Seal Plant.] + +When you have finished setting your bed, cover it with a good mulch +of rotten leaves from the forest and throw upon them some brush to +keep the wind from blowing them away. By spring the leaves will +settle down compactly and you will be pleased to see your plants grow +luxuriously. October and November are the best months of the year in +which to set Golden Seal plants. They are, also, the months in which +it should be dug for the market. It may be set in the spring if the +plants are near by. The roots will always grow if not allowed to dry +before transplanting. + +If your bed does not supply you with plants fast enough by suckering, +you may propagate plants by cutting the roots into pieces about +one-fourth inch long, leaving as many fibrous roots on each piece as +possible. These cuttings should be made in September or October and +placed in boxes of sand over winter. The boxes should be kept in a +cellar where they will not freeze. By spring these pieces will have +developed a bud and be ready for transplanting, which should be done +just as early as the frost leaves the ground so it can be worked. + +All the culture needed by this plant is to mulch the beds with forest +leaves each fall and keep it clear of grass and field weeds. Wild +weeds do not seem to injure it. + +Golden Seal transplants easily and responds readily to proper +cultivation. There is no witchcraft in it. The seeds ripen in a large +red berry in July to germinate, if planted at once, the next spring. +The fibrous roots, if stratified in sand loam in the autumn, will +produce fine plants. Any good, fresh, loamy soil, that is partially +shaded will produce a good Golden Seal. + +You want soil that is in good tilth, full of humus and life, and free +from grasses and weeds. It will stand a great deal more sunlight than +Ginseng. It will also produce a crop of marketable roots much quicker +than Ginseng. There is no danger of an over supplied market, as the +whims of a nation changing, or of a boycott of a jealous people. I +have my little patch of Golden Seal that I am watching and with which +I am experimenting. + +I want to say right here that you do not need a large capital to +begin the culture of these plants that are today being exploited by +different parties for cultivation. Just get a little plot of virgin +soil, say six yards long by one yard wide and divide it into two +equal lots. Then secure from the woods or from some one who has stock +to sell about 100 plants of each, then cultivate or care for your +apron garden and increase your plantation from your beds as you +increase in wisdom and in the knowledge of the culture of these +plants. + +The Bible says "Despise not the day of small things." Do not, for +your own sake, invest a lot of money in a "Seng" or Seal plantation +or take stock in any exploiter's scheme to get rich quick by the +culture of these plants. Some one has written a book entitled +"Farming by Inches." It is a good book and should be in every +gardener's library. Now, if there be any crops that will pay a big +dividend on the investment farmed by inches "Seng" and Seal are the +crops. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +GOLDEN SEAL, HISTORY, ETC. + +The increasing use of Golden Seal in medicine has resulted in a wide +demand for information about the plant, its identification, +geographical distribution, the conditions under which it grows, +methods of collecting and preparing the rhizomes, relations of supply +and demand, and the possibilities of its cultivation. This paper with +the exception of the part relating to cultivation was prepared (under +the direction of Dr. Rodney H. True, Physiologist in Charge of Drug +and Medicinal Plant Investigations) by Miss Alice Henkel, Assistant +in Drug and Medicinal Plant Investigations; and Mr. G. Fred Klugh, +Scientific Assistant in the same office, in charge of Cultural +Experiments in the Testing Gardens, furnished the part treating of +the cultivation of this plant. In the preparation of this paper, +which was undertaken to meet the demand for information relative to +Golden Seal, now fast disappearing from our forests, many facts have +been obtained from Lloyd's Drugs and Medicines of North America. + + Lyster H. Dewey, Acting Botanist. + Office of Botanical Investigations and Experiments, + Washington, D. C, Sept. 7, 1904. + +History. + +As in the case of many other native medicinal plants, the early +settlers learned of the virtues of Golden Seal thru the American +Indians, who used the root as a medicine and the yellow juice as a +stain for their faces and a dye for their clothing. + +The Indians regarded Golden Seal as a specific for sore and inflamed +eyes and it was a very popular remedy with pioneers of Ohio and +Kentucky for this affliction, as also for sore mouth, the root being +chewed for the relief of the last named trouble. + +Barton in his "Collection for an Essay towards a Materia Medica of +the United States," 1804, speaks of the use of a spiritual infusion +of the root of Golden Seal as a tonic bitters in the western part of +Pennsylvania and the employment of an infusion of the root in cold +water as a wash for inflammation of the eyes. + +According to Dr. C. S. Rafinesque, in his Medical Flora in 1829, the +Indians also employed the juice or infusion for many "external +complaints, as a topic tonic" and that "some Indians employ it as a +diuretic stimulant and escharotic, using the powder for blistering +and the infusion for the dropsy." + +He states further that "internally it is used as a bitter tonic, in +infusion or tincture, in disorders of the stomach, the liver," etc. + +It was not until the demand was created for Golden Seal by the +eclectic school of practitioners, about 1747, that it became an +article of commerce, and in 1860 the root was made official in the +Pharmacopoeia of the United States, which place it has held to the +present time. + +Habitat and Range. + +Golden Seal occurs in patches in high open woods where there is +plenty of leaf mold, and usually on hillsides or bluffs affording +nature drainage, but it is not found in very moist or swampy +situations, in prairie land, or in sterile soil. It is native from +southern New York to Minnesota and western Ontario, south to Georgia +and Missouri, ascending to an altitude of 2,500 feet in Virginia. It +is now becoming scarce thruout its range. Not all of this region, +however, produced Golden Seal in abundance. Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky +and West Virginia have been the greatest Golden Seal producing +states, while in some localities in southern Illinois, southern +Missouri, northern Arkansas, and central and western Tennessee the +plant, tho common, could not be said to be sufficiently plentiful to +furnish any large amount of the root. In other portions of its range +it is sparingly distributed. + +Common Names. + +Many common names have been applied to this plant in different +localities, most of them bearing some reference to the characteristic +yellow color of the root, such as yellow root, yellow puccoon, +orange-root, yellow paint, yellow Indian paint, golden root, Indian +dye, curcuma, wild curcuma, wild tumeric, Indian tumeric, jaundice +root and yellow eye; other names are eyebalm, eye-root and ground +raspberry. Yellow root, a popular name for it, is misleading, as it +has been applied to other plants also, namely to gold thread, false +bittersweet, twinleaf and the yellow-wood. The name Golden Seal, +derived from its yellow color and seal-like scars on the root, has +been, however, generally adopted. + +Description of the Plant. + +It is a perennial plant and the thick yellow rootstock sends up an +erect, hairy stem about a foot in height, around the base of which +are two or three yellowish scales. The stems, as they emerge from the +ground, are bent over, the tops still remaining underground, and +sometimes the stems show some distance above the surface before the +tops are brought out from the soil. The yellow color of the roots and +scales extends partly up the stem so far as it is covered by soil, +while the portion of the stem above the ground has a purplish color. +Golden seal has only two leaves (rarely three), the stem bearing +these seeming to fork at the top, one branch supporting a large leaf +and the other a smaller one and a flower. Occasionally there is a +third leaf, much smaller than the other two and stemless. + +The leaves are prominently veined on the lower surface, and are +palmately 5 to 9 lobed, the lobes broad, acute, sharply and unequally +toothed. The leaves are only partially developed at flowering time +and are very much wrinkled, but they continue to expand until they +are from 6 to 8 inches in diameter, becoming thinner in texture and +smoother. The upper leaf subtends or encloses the flower bud. + +Early in spring, about April or May, the flower appears, but few ever +see it as it lasts only five or six days. It is greenish-white, less +than half an inch in diameter, and has no petals, but instead three +small petal-like sepals, which fall away as soon as the flower +expands, leaving only the stamens--as many as 40 or 50--in the center +of which are about a dozen pistils, which finally develop into a +round, fleshy, berrylike head. The fruit ripens in July or August, +turning a bright red and resembling a large raspberry, whence the +common name ground raspberry, is derived. Each fruit contains from 10 +to 20 small, black, shining, hard seeds. + +If the season has been moist, the plant sometimes persists to the +beginning of winter, but if it has been a dry season it dies soon +after the fruit is ripe, so that by the end of September no trace of +the plant remains above the ground. In a patch of Golden Seal there +are always many sterile stems, simple and erect, bearing a solitary +leaf at the apex but no flower. + +Mr. Homer Bowers, of Montgomery county, Ind., who propagated Golden +Seal from the seed for the purpose of studying its germination and +growth, states that the plant grown from naturally sown seed often +escapes observation during the first year of its existence owing to +the fact that in this entire period nothing but two round seed leaves +are produced and at this stage the plant does not look materially +different from other young seedings. During its second year from seed +one basal leaf is sent up, followed in the third year by another +smaller leaf and the flower. + +Description of the Rhizome, or Rootstock. + +The rhizome (rootstock) and rootlets of Golden Seal, or hydrastis, as +it is also known in the drug trade, are the parts employed in +medicine. The full-grown rhizome, when fresh, is of a bright yellow +color, both internally and externally, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in +length, and from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in thickness. +Fibrous yellow rootlets are produced from the sides of the rhizome. +The fresh rhizome contains a large amount of yellow juice, and gives +off a rank, nauseating odor. When dry the rhizome measures from one +to two inches in length and from one-eighth to one-third of an inch +in diameter. + +It is crooked, knotty, wrinkled, of a dull brown color outside, and +breaks with a clean, short, resinous fracture, showing a lemon-yellow +color if the root is not old. If the dried root is kept for a long +time it will be greenish-yellow or brown internally, and becomes +inferior in quality. On the upper surface of the rhizome are several +depressions, left by former annual stems, which resemble the imprint +of a seal; hence the name Golden Seal. + +The fibrous rootlets become very wiry and brittle in drying, break +off readily and leaving only small protuberances, so that the root as +found in commerce is sometimes almost bare. The dried rhizome has +also a peculiar, somewhat narcotic, disagreeable odor, but not so +pronounced as in the fresh material; an exceedingly bitter taste; and +a persistent acridity which causes an abundant flow of saliva when +the rhizome is chewed. + +Collection and Preparation of the Root. + +The root should be collected in autumn after the plants have matured. +Spring-dug root shrinks far more in drying and always commands a +lower price than the fall-dug root. After the roots are removed from +the earth they should be carefully freed from soil and all foreign +particles. They should then be sorted and small, undeveloped roots +and broken pieces may be laid aside for replanting. After the roots +have been cleaned and sorted they are ready to be dried or cured. + +Great care and judgment are necessary in drying the roots. It is +absolutely necessary that they should be perfectly dry before packing +and storing, as the presence of moisture induces the development of +molds and mildews, and of course renders them worthless. The roots +are dried by the exposure to the air, being spread out in thin layers +on drying frames or upon a large, clean, dry floor. They should be +turned several times during the day, repeating this day after day +until the roots are thoroughly dried. If dried out of doors they +should be placed under cover upon indication of rain and at night so +that they may not be injured by dew. After the roots are thoroughly +dried they may be packed as tightly as possible in dry sacks or +barrels and they are then ready for shipment. + +Diminution of Supply. + +Altho, perhaps, in some secluded localities Golden Seal may still be +found rather abundantly, the supply is rapidly diminishing and there +is a growing scarcity of the plant thruout its range. With the +advance of civilization and increase in population came a growing +demand for many of our native medicinal plants and a corresponding +decrease in the sources of supply. As the rich forest lands of the +Ohio valley and elsewhere were required for the needs of the early +settlers they were cleared of timber and cultivated, and the Golden +Seal, deprived of the shelter and protection necessary to its +existence, gradually disappeared, as it will not thrive on land that +is cultivated. + +Where it was not destroyed in this manner the root diggers, +diligently plying their vocation, did their share toward +exterminating this useful little plant, which they collected +regardless of the season, either before the plants had made much +growth in the spring or before the seeds had matured and been +disseminated, thus destroying all means of propagation. The demand +for the root appears to be increasing, and the time seems to be not +far distant when this plant will have become practically +exterminated, so far as the drug supply is concerned. + +The cultivation of golden seal seems now to have become a necessity +in order to meet the demand and save the plant from extinction. Prior +to 1900 there seemed to be no one, so far as the Department of +Agriculture could ascertain, who had ever attempted the cultivation +of golden seal for the market. From that time on, many inquiries were +directed to the Department by persons who were quick to note the +upward tendency of prices for golden seal and there are now several +growers in different parts of the country who have undertaken the +cultivation of golden seal on a commercial scale. + +Cultivation. + +The United States Department of Agriculture has been carrying on +experiments in the cultivation of Golden Seal on a small scale at +Washington, D. C., since the spring of 1899, in the hope that methods +might be worked out according to which this valuable wild drug plant +could be grown on a commercial scale. In these experiments the aim +has been to imitate the natural conditions of growth as closely as +possible. The results that have thus far been obtained, while not as +complete in some respects as would be desirable, seem to justify the +conclusion that Golden Seal can be successfully cultivated. The +methods of operation described apply to the conditions at Washington, +and the treatment may need to be somewhat modified under other +conditions of soil and climate. + +Necessary Soil Conditions. + +The soil conditions should imitate as closely as possible those seen +in thrifty deciduous forest. The soil should contain an ample supply +of humus, well worked into the ground, to secure the lightness and +moisture-retaining property of forest soils. The best form of humus +is probably leaf mold, but good results may be obtained by mulching +in the autumn or early winter with leaves, straw, stable manure, or +similar materials. + +After the soil has been prepared and planted, it is well to add a +mulch in the fall as a partial protection to the roots during the +winter, and the decay of this material adds to the value of the soil +by the time the plants appear in the spring. The forest conditions +are thus imitated by the annual addition of vegetable matter to the +soil, which by its gradual decay accumulates an increasing depth of a +soil rich in materials adapted to the feeding of the plants and to +the preservation of proper physical conditions. + +The growth of the weeds is also hindered to a considerable extent. If +sufficient attention is given to the presence of this mulch, the +nature of the underlying soil is of less importance than otherwise. +In the case of clay the thorough incorporation of a large amount of +decayed vegetable matter tends to give lightness to the otherwise +heavy soil, facilitating aeration and drainage. Since the roots of +the Golden Seal do not grow well in a wet soil, thorough drainage is +necessary. A lighter, sandy soil is improved by the addition of +humus, since its capacity to hold moisture is thereby increased and +the degree of fertility is improved. + +The looser the soil, the easier it is to remove the roots in digging +without breaking or injuring them. Before planting, the soil should +be thoroughly prepared to a depth of at least 6 or 8 inches, so as to +secure good aeration and drainage. The good tilth thus secured will +be in a degree preserved by the continued addition of the mulch. A +further advantage of a careful preparation is seen in a decrease in +the amount of cultivation required later. + +Artificial Shade. + +Since the Golden Seal grows naturally in the woods, it must be +protected from the full light of the sun by artificial shade. That +used in connection with the experiments of the Department was made of +ordinary pine plastering lath, nailed to a suitable frame elevated on +posts. The posts were of cedar 8 1/2 feet long, set 2 1/2 feet in the +ground in rows 11 feet apart, and 16 feet distance from each other in +the rows. Supports 2 by 4 inches were set on cedar blocks 2 feet long +sunk below the soil surface in the middle of the 16-foot spaces. Pine +pieces 2 by 4 inches were nailed edgewise to the tops of the posts +and supports. The posts were notched to receive the 2 by 4-inch +sticks. Pieces 2 by 4 inches were nailed across these at intervals of +4 feet. The laths were nailed to these, leaving spaces about an inch +wide. + +This shade has been found to be satisfactory, as it is high enough +above the ground to allow such work as is necessary in preparing and +cultivating the land. If the lathing is extended 2 or 3 feet beyond +the posts on the sunny sides, injury from the sun's rays at the edges +of the area will be prevented. The sides may be protected by portable +board walls about 2 feet high set around the edges. Protection from +injury by winds when the tops are large may be thus secured. Too much +dampness should be guarded against in the use of the board sides, +since conditions might be developed favorable to the damping off +fungus and to aphides during the hot, rainy periods. + +Trees may be used for shade, but this is in some ways to be regarded +as unsatisfactory. When the shade produced is of the right density, +the use of the moisture and raw food materials of the soil by the +trees is an undesirable feature. + +Attention Required. + +The cultivation of Golden Seal is simple. Having secured a deep, +loose soil, rich in humus, renewed annually by the application of a +new mulch, the removal of weeds is the chief care. The soil, if +properly prepared, will tend to maintain itself in good condition. +The manner of treatment is very similar to that required by Ginseng, +which is also a plant of moist woods. If the ground is thoroughly +prepared, beds are not absolutely necessary. The plants may be grown +in rows 1 foot apart and 6 inches apart in the rows. Beds may be +thought by some to be more convenient, enabling the grower to remove +the weeds and collect the seed more readily. If beds are used, they +may be made from 4 to 8 feet wide, running the entire length of the +shade, with walks from 18 inches to 2 feet wide between. Boards 6 or +8 inches wide are set up around the sides of the beds, being held in +place by stakes driven on each side of the board in the center and at +the ends. These beds are filled with prepared soil, and the plants +are set 8 inches apart each way. + +Methods of Propagation. + +There are three possible ways of propagating the plant: (1) by seed; +(2) by division of the rhizomes; (3) by means of small plants formed +on the stronger fibrous roots. Thus far no success has been attained +in growing Golden Seal from the seed. The second and third methods +have given better results. + +Experiments With Seeds. + +Seeds just after ripening were planted in sandy soil mixed with well +rotted stable manure and mulched lightly with manure. Other lots were +kept over winter in a dry condition and planted in the spring in +potting soil in a greenhouse. No seedlings have appeared, but a long +rest period may be demanded and the seed may yet germinate. + +Experiments With Divided Rhizomes. + +In the spring of 1902, 40 plants were secured and planted under a +shade of temporary character, but the season was too far advanced to +permit of much growth during that year. In 1903, proper shade was +supplied, all other conditions were better, and the plants made a +good growth. The crop was dug about the middle of November 1903; the +roots were weighed and divided. They were again planted and in May, +1904, there were found to be 150 strong plants and a few smaller ones +as a result of this division, an increase of 275 per cent. + +This method of propagation seems to be the most important and the +other two of second importance. The processes are simple and no skill +is needed. The plant dies down in late summer and the stem decays, +leaving a scar in its place on the rhizome. Two or more buds are +formed on the sides of the rhizome and these accumulate energy for +growth the following spring. If the root is cut in as many pieces as +there are buds, giving each plant a portion of the rhizome, some +fibrous roots, and one or more buds, the number of the plants can be +doubled. The roots are planted and mulched and the process is +complete. The rains pack the soil around the roots and they are ready +to grow when spring comes. The process may be repeated every year and +the number of roots increased indefinitely. + +The stronger fibrous roots of the larger plants dug in the autumn of +1903 were formed from a few inches to a foot from the rhizome. Some +were about half an inch long, but the majority of them were smaller. +The larger ones need no special treatment and may be planted with the +main crop. The smaller ones should be planted in boxes or beds of +well prepared soil, at a distance of about 3 inches apart, mulched +with a thin coating of leaf mold or similar material, and grown in +shade until large enough to transplant to the shelter with the larger +plants. They will probably require at least three years to reach +their full development. + +If they could be left undisturbed in the beds where they are formed +they would receive nourishment from the older rhizomes and perhaps +grow faster, but it is probably best to divide the older roots every +year where propagation alone is desired, planting the smaller roots +and the plants made by division of the rhizomes. The larger roots are +marketed to more advantage than the smaller ones, so it is best to +have the surplus consist of the larger roots. The frequent working of +the soil allowed by this treatment will keep it in better condition +than if left undisturbed for a longer period. + +Yield of Roots. + +The yield from the small plant grown by the Department was 4 pounds +of green roots to an eighth of a square rod of soil, or 5,120 pounds +per acre. This, when dried, would give about 1,500 pounds of +marketable roots. The conditions were not very good, the shade being +too close to the plants and the plants being set too far apart. The +yield will probably be larger with the shade now in use. The 150 +roots obtained by dividing the above crop now occupy less than +one-fourth of a square rod and are set in rows one foot apart and 6 +inches apart in the rows. + +Time Necessary to Mature Crop. + +The number of years necessary to produce the largest crop has not +been definitely determined, but the roots begin to decay after the +fourth year and the central and largest part of the root decays at +the oldest scar, leaving two or more plants in place of the old one. +No advantage can be gained by growing the plants more than three +years and probably very little by growing them more than two years. +For propagation alone, one year will give good results, while for +maintaining a constant area and producing a crop, two or three years, +depending upon the growth made, will give a good crop of large, +marketable roots. + +Market Conditions. + +Golden Seal is a root the price of which has fluctuated widely, +because of the alternate oversupply and scarcity, manipulation of the +market, lack of demand, or other influences. High prices will cause +the diggers to gather the root in abundance, thus overstocking the +market, which the next season results in lower prices, at which +diggers refuse to collect the root, thus again causing a shortage in +the supply. Lack of demand usually brings about a shrinkage in price, +even tho the supply is light, while an active demand will cause +prices to advance in spite of a plentiful supply. + +The arrival of spring dug root has a weakening effect on the market, +altho the fall dug root is always preferred. For the past few years, +however, high prices have been steadily maintained and there appears +to be but one cause for this and that is, as already pointed out, +that the forests no longer yield unlimited quantities of this +valuable root, as in former years, and the scant supply that can be +had is inadequate to meet the constantly increasing demand. + +According to the market reports contained in the Oil, Paint and Drug +Reporter, the year 1904 opened with a quotation of 74 to 75 cents, +will soon advance (in one week early in February) from 76 cents to 95 +cents. A still further advance occurred about the end of February, +when the price went up from $1.00 to $1.25 per pound. In March the +market was almost destitute of supplies, but lack of interest brought +the price down to $1.10. In May the price again advanced to $1.25 and +it was stated that the local supplies were being held by a small +number of dealers, altho it was believed that together they held not +more than 1,000 pounds. About June 1st the arrival of spring dug +roots caused the market to sag, prices ranging from $1.10 to $1.18 +during that month and in July from 90 cents to $1.10. + +In August the lowest price was $1.15 and the highest $1.50, no +discrimination being made between the fall dug and the spring dug +roots. From September 1st to October 15th, 1904, the price of Golden +Seal varied but little, $1.35 being the lowest and $1.40 the highest +quotation. No supplies worth mentioning can be obtained in the West; +the stock in New York is short and the demand, especially for export, +is increasing. It is impossible to ascertain the exact annual +consumption of Golden Seal root, but the estimates furnished by +reliable dealers place these figures at from 200,000 to 300,000 +pounds annually, about one-tenth of which is probably used for +export. + +It will be observed that the price of this article is very sensitive +to market conditions and it seems probable that the point of +overproduction would be easily reached if a large number of Golden +Seal growers were to meet with success in growing large areas of this +drug. + + By Alice Henkel, Assistant, and G. Fred Flugh, + Scientific Assistant, Drug and Medicinal Plant Investigations. + U. S. Department of Agriculture. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +GROWERS' LETTERS. + +Considerable has been said the past few years concerning Hydrastis +(Golden Seal) and I do not wish to enter on a long article describing +this plant, but will make the facts brief and narrate some of my +experiences with the plant under cultivation. + +The scientific name is Hydrastis Candensis, the common name Golden +Seal, yellow root, puccoon root, Indian tumeric, etc., according to +the section in which it is found. It is a perennial plant with an +annual stem same as Ginseng, and appears above ground in the spring +at the same time and manner. The stalk coming thru the ground bent +and leaves folded. It has from one to three palmately five to nine +lobed leaves, uneven and sharply toothed. + +The fruit or seed grows from the base of one of these leaves. Flower +is first whitish green producing the fruit red and resembling a +strawberry, maturing last of July and the first of August. + +The berry contains from fifteen to twenty small oval black shinny +seeds. Only a portion of the stalks ever bear seed. From the middle +to the last of September the stalks die down and when winter comes on +the hydrastis bed appears the same as a Ginseng bed. + +The root stalk or rhizome is thick, rough covered with rounded +indentations or eyes, dark yellow in color and having many long +threadlike bright yellow fibres branching in all directions. It has +one and sometimes as many as four buds which will produce the next +season's stalks. Besides these there are many latent buds and little +plantlets on the runners of fibrous roots. + +The root and all of its fibres is the part used in medicine. + +I presume it will be difficult to fix a date when this plant was +first used in medicine. But it is known that the Indians used it in +healing diseases and in preparing stains and paints when first +observed by the white man. Dr. Rafinesque first makes mention of it +in a medical work in 1828 and the elective physicians adopted it in +their practice in 1847. The Pharmacopoeia of the U. S. in 1860 made +Hydrastis an official drug and described the manufacture of different +preparations. + +It has since gained in favor and in extent of application until at +present it is almost the specific in the treatment of certain +catarrhal conditions. Thousands of pounds being used by the +physicians in different parts of the world variously estimated from +200,000 to 300,000 pounds annually, more extensively, as you see, +than Ginseng. + +The price has advanced as given by the Drug Reporter, from 1894 of 18 +to 23 cents a pound, to 1903, of 52 to 75 cents a pound, since 1903 +to 1906 it has advanced to $1.10 to $1.30 a pound. The figures +representing the highest and lowest quotations of those years. The +price of the plant has advanced first because investigation has +proven the value of the plant as a drug in the healing art increasing +its consumption, second the consumption of and destruction of its +habitat is limiting its supply. It is used in all countries, but not +found in all countries in its wild state. The United States supplies +the majority of the root. + +Its cultivation is very promising and profitable because only very +few have entered the industry yet, the wild supply is becoming +exhausted, the drug trade demands it and its consumption depends upon +a sound demand. + +There is a promising opportunity in this industry and when I am +speaking I am not offering inducements to get the rich quick +individual, but to the careful, painstaking, plodding individual who +is willing to give at least some labor for a handsome compensation. I +have been one of the pioneers to begin the investigation and +cultivation of this plant, and shall tell some of my experience in +handling the plants. + + [Illustration: Golden Seal in an Upland Grove.] + +I procured four years ago several pounds of green Hydrastis root from +a digger and set them out in three different patches. One in the open +garden, one in an inclosure shaded in the garden, and one bed in a +grove. I had the beds made the same as instructions had been given me +for making beds for Ginseng. Ground loose and mellow, I selected only +roots with buds formed, and set an inch under ground and six inches +apart. + +This was in June. All the plants came up and all made a good growth +except those in the open, the leaves on these remained small and +pinched about two to three inches from the ground. In digging them I +found that they had thrown out a number of fibrous roots. In the fall +I procured and set several thousand roots in the woods. + +The next fall I set many more, but this time I cut the roots into +three or four pieces and planted. All came the next summer, some not +appearing above ground until June. I have had no success in planting +seeds, so do not use this means of raising the plants. The method I +use now is to cut the roots across so a latent bud will be on one +piece, all small pieces broken and the fibers for some of these grow +a plant. + +After preparing the beds loose I lay little trenches across and drop +the pieces in these every two or three inches apart, then cover about +an inch with loose dirt, then leaves and mulch. The best time I have +found to plant is in September, the earlier the better, for the buds +then form before freezing up and are ready to come in the spring +early. + +They grow larger and thriftier if well rotted manure is in the ground +and this does not interfere with the quality of the root. The largest +roots I have seen grew in a hog lot supplied with hog manure. In +three or four years I dig the roots, using a manure fork, the largest +ones I wash and dry; the smaller ones and pieces I use for planting. + +I am arranging a barrel shaped affair closed at the ends and covered +around with wire to wash the roots. The method is to put a rod thru +with handles on ends and rest on grooves on posts immersed half way +of barrel in running water and revolve. In this way I believe the +roots can be washed readily by splashing and falling in the water, +and tons of the roots easily handled and washed clean with little +help. + +I have dried them by spreading on racks to dry in the sun. In bright +sun it requires two or three days. As they wilt, I place on paper in +order to save the fibres that break off. When making a business of +growing these roots and having good, fresh roots in considerable +quantity, a better price can be commanded by dealing direct with the +drug mill. A great many of the roots when dug will weigh one ounce or +more and the roots lose in weight about the same as drying Ginseng. + + Dr. L. C. Ingram, Wabasha County, Minn. + + * * * + +There has never been a time in the history of this country when the +cultivation of certain medicinal plants, as Golden Seal, Ginseng, +Seneca and others appealed so much to those interested in such things +as the present. + +Many of these plants have hitherto been found growing wild in our +woods and fields, and along our road sides and waste places, and have +usually been gathered in an immature state and out of season, washed +and cured in a slovenly manner and bartered at country stores for +coffee and calico and other commodities. In this way the drugs and +drug trade of the country have been supplied. I think it is very +evident to the casual observer that this manner of supply is nearing +its close finally and forever. + +The merchant who handles the stock may not know as yet the great and +growing scarcity of almost all our medicinal plants. But the digger +who has stood at the first end of the drug trade, in touch with the +natural supply, knows that the fountains are dried up, in great +measure, and that the streams of the trade must necessarily soon +cease to flow or be supplied by artificial means. In most cases +medicinal plants grow naturally in the best soils, the sandy, loamy, +moist north hill sides, the rich, black coves at the heads of our +small streams and in the rich alluvial bottoms along our larger +creeks and small rivers. They will not grow in wet lands or on south +hill sides. This should be remembered by the would-be culturist and +the natural whims of the plant attended to, else failure and +disappointment are sure. + +What I have said is peculiarly the case with Golden Seal, the yellow +root of our locality, the ground raspberry of another, the yellow +puccoon of another and probably bearing other local names in other +localities. The natural habitat of Golden Seal has been cleared up +for farming or grazing purposes, while the keen eyed "sanger" has +ferreted out every nook and corner adapted to the growth of this +plant and then ruthlessly dug it, little and big, old and young, +until today it is a very scarce article. + +The Indians regarded Golden Seal as a sure remedy for sore and +inflamed eyes, sore mouths, old sores, wounds, etc., and first taught +the whites its use as a remedy. + +The pioneers used it as teas, washes and salves years before it +became known to the medical fraternity. It did not become an article +of commerce in any way until about the year 1847, and then it was so +plentiful and so little used that the trade was supplied at 3 cents +per pound for the dried root. I dug it myself, when a boy, as late as +1868, and received 5 cents per pound for the dried root, in trade, at +a country store. I found it plentiful in patches in open woods where +the ground was rich and favored the growth of paw paw, dogwood, +walnut, elm, sugar maple, etc. It grew best in land well drained and +full of leaf mold. Remember this, ye planters. + +Well, the demand has rapidly increased, and the supply, from the +causes afore mentioned, has more rapidly decreased, until the price +has risen from 3 cents to $1.50 per pound. Golden Seal was originally +found growing in favorable localities from Southern New York west to +Minnesota, thence south to Arkansas and east to Georgia and the hill +regions of the Carolinas. Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Eastern +Kentucky have been by far the greatest Golden Seal producing +sections. + +Golden Seal is a perennial plant, the gnarly, knotty root of which is +the part used in medicine. These knotty roots send out in every +direction many long, slender, bright yellow, fibrous roots. Each root +in spring early sends up one to six hairy stems six inches to fifteen +or twenty inches in height, each stem supporting at the top one, or +if a seed yielding plant, two large leaves, in shape somewhat +resembling the leaf of the sugar maple, but thicker and more +leathery. At the base of each stem are two or three scale like leaves +starting from the root, around the stem and extending to the surface +of the ground. These scales are yellow while the leaf stems are +somewhat purplish in color. The seed bearing stocks fork near the top +of the plant, each stem supporting a leaf, the smaller leaf enclosing +a flower bud at the base and at the top of the leaf stem. The plants +that are not of seed bearing age and size do not fork and have but +one leaf. The flowers are greenish, about an inch in diameter and +open, here, about the first of May. Then continue open about five +days when the petals fall and the development of the seed berry +begins. + +This berry ripens in July. When ripe it is red in color and resembles +a large raspberry and contains about 20 to 30 small, round, black, +shiny, hard seeds. These seeds, if stratified at once and kept in +moist, sandy loam, will begin to open by the first of February, each +seed showing a beautiful, bright, shiny, golden bud. The seeds should +be planted very early. When it comes up the young plant has two +leaves and does not develop any further leaf or stem growth during +the first summer. The first two leaves do not look at all like those +that follow. So, be careful or you will destroy your plants for +weeds. + +Plants may be readily propagated by cutting up the roots into pieces, +say 1/4-inch long and placing these root cuttings in boxes of loamy +sand in the autumn. By spring each root cutting will have developed a +fine bud and be ready for transplanting, which should be done as +early as possible. The plant also propagates itself by sending up +suckers from the fibrous roots. + + [Illustration: Locust Grove Seal Garden.] + +As to culture, I would say, follow nature. Do not plow and hoe and +rake and make a bed as for onions. Just simply select a piece of +virgin soil, if possible, and make rows, say one foot apart and set +the plants about three or four inches apart in the rows. All the +culture needful is to pull out the weeds, and, if the trees in the +patch be not sufficient to furnish a good leaf mulch in the fall, +attend to this by mulching with a good coat of forest leaves. + +My Golden Seal garden is in a locust grove that is rapidly growing +into posts, so, you see, I am getting two very profitable crops off +the same land at the same time. The plants should grow in a bed of +this kind until it becomes full of roots, which will require three to +five years. It is all the better if they are allowed to grow longer. +The whole patch should be dug in the fall when the tops die down. The +large roots should be carefully washed and cleansed of all foreign +roots and fibers and dried on clean cloths in the shade, when it is +ready for market and should be shipped in clean, new bags to some +reliable dealer in the larger cities. There are plenty of them and I +would advise that you write to several of them, telling them just +what you have before you ship. + +I know from actual experience that good money may be made by the +right party in the culture of Golden Seal. If a young man would start +a garden of medicinal plants and attend to it at odd times, studying +the nature of the plants and carefully save all seeds and add them to +his stock, in a few years he would have a garden with a large sum of +money. I have estimated an acre of Golden Seal at full maturity and +as thick on the ground as it should be grown to be worth $4,840, or +one dollar per square yard. It will not take a very great while to +fill an acre with plants. Besides, if the land is planted in locust +trees it is yielding two crops of wonderful value at the same time. + +One young man from Virginia says: "I have a piece of new ground just +cleared up which I think would be just the thing, and then I could +set out short stem red cherries to shade and cover the ground. Please +let me hear from you at once." Well, if this piece of ground is on +the right side of the hill, that is, the north or northeast or west +slope, and is rich, loose and loamy, full of leaf mold and naturally +well drained, it is all right for Golden Seal, but would it suit +cherries? Cherries might do very well for shade, but I would prefer +catalpa or locust or some other quick growing timber tree to any sort +of fruit tree. + +One reason is that in gathering the fruit and in caring for the trees +I think the Golden Seal would be trampled upon and injured, also the +ground would be trampled and compacted and thus rendered unsuitable +for this plant. The ground in which Golden Seal grows should be kept +in its "new state" as much as possible. However, my Virginia friend +may succeed well with his cherries and Seal. He must keep up the +primitive condition of the soil and keep out weeds and grass. + +Another question, "How long will it take it to mature?" As to its +"maturity," it may be dug, cleansed, dried and marketed at any time +and in any stage of its growth. But I think that a setting of Golden +Seal should be dug in the fall three or four years after planting; +the large roots washed and cleansed and made ready for market, while +the smaller roots should be used for resetting the bed. You will have +enough small roots to set a patch ten or twelve times the size of the +one you dig, as each root set will in three or four years produce ten +to fifteen good plants besides yielding a lot of seed. + +"How much will it cost to plant one-eighth of an acre?" One-eighth of +an acre contains twenty square rods, and to set one square rod, in +rows eighteen inches apart would take 363 plants, and twenty square +rods would take 20 times 363 plants, or 7,260 plants, which at $10.00 +per thousand, would cost $72.60. But I would advise the beginner to +"make haste slowly" in trying new things. A thing may be all right +and very profitable if we understand it and give it proper culture, +while it is very easy to make sad failure by over doing a good thing. +So let the beginner procure a thousand or so plants and start his +garden on a small scale, and increase his plantation from his own +seed bed as his knowledge of the plant and its culture increases. A +very large garden may be set in a few years from 1,000 plants. + +"Should the seed be sown broadcast?" To be successful with the seed +requires great patience and pains. I make a large flat brush heap and +burn it off in the fall. I then dig up the ground to the depth of +three or four inches and place boards edgewise around this bed, +letting them down into the ground two or three inches. These boards +are to keep out mice and to prevent washing. I then sow the seeds in +little trenches made with a hoe handle about six inches apart and +pretty thick in the trenches and smooth over and tramp solid. + +Then sow a few handfuls of bone dust mulched with forest leaves and +cover with brush to keep the leaves from blowing away. You are done +now until spring. In the early spring, after freezing weather is +over, carefully remove the brush and the mulch of leaves. Remember +this must be done early as the plant wants to come up early. Watch +for your young plants and carefully pull up every weed as soon as it +shows itself. Mulch again in the fall and remove as before the next +spring. Keep down weeds as before, and by fall you will have a fine +lot of No. 1 two-year-old plants, which may be transplanted to the +garden at once or early the next spring. + +I should have stated that Golden Seal seed should not be allowed to +dry after gathering. They should be placed in layers of sand in a box +and kept moist until planting time. They begin to germinate very +early, and if you delay planting until spring you are nearly sure to +lose them. + +As to the "profits," I want it distinctly understood that I do not +think that every one who starts a bed or patch of Golden Seal will be +a millionaire in a few years. But I do think, and in fact I know, +that considering the land in cultivation, the time and expense of its +culture, it is one of the most profitable crops that can be grown in +this latitude. + + Lee S. Dick, Wayne County, W. Va. + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +GOLDEN SEAL--GOVERNMENT DESCRIPTION, ETC. + +The following is from a bulletin issued by the U. S. Department of +Agriculture--Bureau of Plant Industry--and edited by Alice Henkel: + +Hydrastis Canadensis L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Hydrastis. + +Other Common Names--Yellowroot, yellow puccoon, orange-root, yellow +Indian-paint, turmeric-root, Indian turmeric, Ohio curcuma, ground +raspberry, eye-root, eye-balm, yellow-eye, jaundice-root, Indian-dye. + +Habitat and Range--This native forest plant occurs in patches in +high, open woods, and usually on hill sides or bluffs affording +natural drainage, from southern New York to Minnesota and western +Ontario, south to Georgia and Missouri. + +Golden Seal is now becoming scarce thruout its range. Ohio, Indiana, +Kentucky and West Virginia have been the greatest Golden Seal +producing states. + + [Illustration: Golden Seal (Hydrastis Canadensis) Flowering Plant + and Fruit.] + +Description of Plant--Golden Seal is a perennial plant belonging to +the same family as the buttercup, namely the crowfoot family +(Ranunculaceae.) It has a thick yellow rootstock, which sends up an +erect hairy stem about 1 foot in height, surrounded at the base by 2 +or 3 yellowish scales. The yellow color of the roots and scales +extends up the stem so far as it is covered by soil, while the +portion of the stem above ground has a purplish color. The stem, +which has only two leaves, seems to fork at the top, one branch +bearing a large leaf and the other a smaller one and a flower. A +third leaf, which is much smaller than the other two and stemless, is +occasionally produced. The leaves are palmately 5 to 9 lobed, the +lobes broad, acute, sharply and unequally toothed; they are +prominently veined on the lower surface and at flowering time, when +they are very much wrinkled, they are only partially developed, but +they continue to expand until they are from 6 to 8 inches in diameter +becoming thinner in texture and smoother. The upper leaf subtends or +incloses the flower bud. The greenish white flower appears about +April or May, but it is of short duration, lasting only five or six +days. It is less than half an inch in diameter, and, instead of +petals, has three small petal-like sepals, which fall away as soon as +the flower expands, leaving only the numerous stamens (as many as 40 +or 50), in the center of which are about a dozen pistils, which +finally develop into a round fleshy, berry-like head which ripens in +July or August. The fruit when ripe turns a bright red and resembles +a large raspberry, whence the common name "ground-raspberry" is +derived. It contains from 10 to 20 small black, shining, hard seeds. + + [Illustration: Golden Seal Rootstock.] + +Description of Rootstock--The fresh rootstock of Golden Seal, which +has a rank, nauseating odor, is bright yellow, both internally and +externally, with fibrous yellow rootlets produced from the sides. It +is from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in length, from 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch +in thickness, and contains a large amount of yellow juice. + +In the dried state the rootstock is crooked, knotty and wrinkled, +from 1 to 2 inches in length, and from one-eighth to one-third of an +inch in diameter. It is a dull brown color on the outside and breaks +with a clean, short, resinous fracture, showing a lemon-yellow color +inside. After the rootstock has been kept for some time it will +become greenish yellow or brown internally and its quality impaired. +The cup-like depressions or stem scars on the upper surface of the +rootstock resemble the imprint of a seal, whence the most popular +name of the plant, golden seal, is derived. The rootstock as found in +commerce is almost bare, the fibrous rootlets, which in drying become +very wiry and brittle, breaking off readily and leaving only small +protuberances. + +The odor of the dried rootstock, while not so pronounced as in the +fresh material, is peculiar, narcotic and disagreeable. The taste is +exceedingly bitter, and when the rootstock is chewed there is a +persistent acridity, which causes an abundant flow of saliva. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root should be collected in autumn +after the seeds have ripened, freed from soil, and carefully dried. +After a dry season Golden Seal dies down soon after the fruit is +mature, so that it often happens that by the end of September not a +trace of the plant remains above ground; but if the season has been +moist, the plant sometimes persists to the beginning of winter. The +price of Golden Seal ranges from $1 to $1.50 a pound. + +Golden Seal, which is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, is +a useful drug in digestive disorders and in certain catarrhal +affections of the mucous membranes, in the latter instance being +administered both internally and locally. + +Cultivation--Once so abundant in certain parts of the country, +especially in the Ohio Valley, Golden Seal is now becoming scarce +thruout its range, and in consequence of the increased demand for the +root, both at home and abroad, its cultivation must sooner or later +be more generally undertaken in order to satisfy the needs of +medicine. In some parts of the country the cultivation of Golden Seal +is already under way. + +The first thing to be considered in growing this plant is to furnish +it, as nearly as possible, the conditions to which it has been +accustomed in its native forest home. This calls for a well-drained +soil, rich in humus, and partially shaded. Golden Seal stands +transplanting well, and the easiest way to propagate it is to bring +the plants in from the forest and transplant them to a properly +prepared location, or to collect the rootstocks and to cut them into +as many pieces as there are buds, planting these pieces in a deep, +loose, well-prepared soil, and mulching, adding new mulch each year +to renew the humus. With such a soil the cultivation of Golden Seal +is simple and it will be necessary chiefly to keep down the weeds. + +The plants may be grown in rows 1 foot apart and 6 inches apart in +the row, or they may be grown in beds 4 to 8 feet wide, with walks +between. Artificial shade will be necessary and this is supplied by +the erection of lath sheds. The time required to obtain a marketable +crop is from two to three years. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +COHOSH--BLACK AND BLUE. + + +Black Cohosh. + +Cimicifuga Racemosa (L.) Nutt. + +Synonym--Actaea Racemosa L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Cimicifuga. + +Other Common Names--Black snakeroot, bugbane, bugwort, +rattlesnakeroot, rattleroot, rattleweed, rattletop, richweed, +squawroot. + +Habitat and Range--Altho preferring the shade of rich woods, black +cohosh will grow occasionally in sunny situations in fence corners +and woodland pastures. It is most abundant in the Ohio Valley, but it +occurs from Maine to Wisconsin, south along the Allegheny Mountains +to Georgia and westward to Missouri. + +Description of Plant--Rising to a height of 3 to 8 feet, the showy, +delicate-flowered spikes of the Black Cohosh tower above most of the +other woodland flowers, making it a conspicuous plant in the woods +and one that can be easily recognized. + + [Illustration: Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga Racemosa) Leaves, Flowering + Spikes and Rootstock.] + +Black Cohosh is an indigenous perennial plant belonging to the +same family as the Golden Seal, namely, the crowfoot family +(Ranunculaceae). The tall stem, sometimes 8 feet in height, is rather +slender and leafy, the leaves consisting of three leaflets, which are +again divided into threes. The leaflets are about 2 inches long, +ovate, sharp pointed at the apex, thin and smooth, variously lobed +and the margins sharply toothed. The graceful, spikelike terminal +cluster of flowers, which is produced from June to August, is from 6 +inches to 2 feet in length. Attractive as these flower clusters are +to the eye, they generally do not prove attractive very long to those +who may gather them for their beauty, since the flowers emit an +offensive odor, which account for some of the common names applied to +this plant, namely, bugbane and bugwort, it having been thought that +this odor was efficacious in driving away bugs. The flowers do not +all open at one time and thus there may be seen buds, blossoms, and +seed pods on one spike. The buds are white and globular and as they +expand in flower there is practically nothing to the flower but very +numerous white stamens and the pistil, but the stamens spread out +around the pistil in such a manner as to give to the spike a somewhat +feathery or fluffy appearance which is very attractive. The seed pods +are dry, thick and leathery, ribbed, and about one-fourth of an inch +long, with a small beak at the end. The smooth brown seeds are +enclosed within the pods in two rows. Any one going thru the woods in +winter may find the seed pods, full of seeds, still clinging to the +dry, dead stalk, and the rattling of the seeds in the pods as the +wind passes over them has given rise to the common names +rattle-snakeroot (not "rattlesnake"-root), rattleweed, rattletop and +rattleroot. + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock is large, horizontal and +knotty or rough and irregular in appearance. The upper surface of the +rootstock is covered with numerous round scars and stumps, the +remains of former leaf stems, and on the fresh rootstocks may be seen +the young, pinkish white buds which are to furnish the next season's +growth. From the lower part of the rootstock long, fleshy roots arc +produced. The fresh rootstock is very dark reddish brown on the +outside, white within, showing a large central pith from which +radiate rays of a woody texture, and on breaking the larger roots +also the woody rays will be seen in the form of a cross. On drying, +the rootstock becomes hard and turns much darker, both internally and +externally, but the peculiar cross formation of the woody rays in +both rootstock and roots, being lighter in color, is plainly seen +without the aid of a magnifying glass. The roots in drying become +wiry and brittle and break off very readily. Black cohosh has a heavy +odor and a bitter, acrid taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root should be collected after the +fruit has ripened, usually in September. The price ranges from 2 to 3 +cents a pound. + +The Indians had long regarded black cohosh as a valuable medicinal +plant, not only for the treatment of snake bites, but it was also a +very popular remedy among their women, and it is today considered of +value as an alterative, emmenagogue, and sedative, and is recognized +as official in the United States Pharmacopoeia. + + +Blue Cohosh. + +Caulophyllum Thalictroides (L.) Michx. + +Other Common Names--Caulophyllum, pappoose-root, squawroot, +blueberryroot, blue ginseng, yellow ginseng. + + [Illustration: Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum Thalictroides).] + +Habitat and Range--Blue Cohosh is found in the deep rich loam of +shady woods from New Brunswick to South Carolina, westward to +Nebraska, being abundant especially thruout the Allegheny Mountain +region. + +Description of Plant--This member of the barberry family +(Berberidaceae) is a perennial herb, 1 to 3 feet in height, and +indigenous to this country. It bears at the top one large, almost +stemless leaf, which is triternately compound--that is, the main leaf +stem divides into three stems, which again divide into threes, and +each division bears three leaflets. Sometimes there is a smaller +leaf, but similar to the other, at the base of the flowering branch. +The leaflets are thin in texture, oval, oblong, or obovate and 3 to 5 +lobed. + +In the early stage of its growth this plant is covered with a sort of +bluish green bloom, but it generally loses this and becomes smooth. +The flowers are borne in a small terminal panicle or head, and are +small and greenish yellow. They appear from April to May, while the +leaf is still small. The globular seeds, which ripen about August, +are borne on stout stalks in membranous capsules and resemble +dark-blue berries. + +Description of Rootstock--The thick, crooked rootstock of Blue Cohosh +is almost concealed by the mass of matted roots which surrounds it. +There are numerous cup-shaped scars and small branches on the upper +surface of the rootstock, while the lower surface gives off numerous +long, crooked, matted roots. Some of the scars are depressed below +the surface of the rootstock, while others are raised above it. The +outside is brownish and the inside tough and woody. Blue Cohosh +possesses a slight odor and a sweetish, somewhat bitter and acrid +taste. In the powdered state it causes sneezing. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root is dug in the fall. Very often +the roots of Golden Seal or twinleaf are found mixed with those of +Blue Cohosh. The price of Blue Cohosh root ranges from 2 1/2 to 4 +cents a pound. + +Blue Cohosh, official in the United States Pharmacopoeia for 1890, is +used as a demulcent, antispasmodic, emmenagogue and diuretic. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +SNAKEROOT--CANADA AND VIRGINIA. + + +Canada Snakeroot. + +Asarum Canadense L. + +Other Common Names--Asarum, wild ginger, Indian ginger, Vermont +snakeroot, heart-snakeroot, southern snakeroot, black snakeroot, +colt's-foot, snakeroot, black snakeweed, broadleaved asarabacca, +false colt's-foot, cat's foot, colicroot. + +Habitat and Range--This inconspicuous little plant frequents rich +woods or rich soil along road sides from Canada south to North +Carolina and Kansas. + +Description of Plant--Canada snakeroot is a small, apparently +stemless perennial, not more than 6 to 12 inches in height, and +belongs to the birthwort family (Aristolochaceae). It usually has but +two leaves which are borne on slender, finely hairy stems; they are +kidney shaped or heart shaped, thin, dark green above and paler green +on the lower surface, strongly veined, and from 4 to 7 inches broad. + +The solitary bell-shaped flower is of an unassuming dull brown or +brownish purple and this modest color, together with its position on +the plant, renders it so inconspicuous as to escape the notice of the +casual observer. It droops from a short, slender stalk produced +between the two leaf stems and is almost hidden under the two leaves, +growing so close to the ground that it is sometimes buried beneath +old leaves, and sometimes the soil must be removed before the flower +can be seen. It is bell shaped, wooly, the inside darker in color +than the outside and of a satiny texture. The fruit which follows is +in the form of a leathery 6-celled capsule. + + [Illustration: Canada Snakeroot (Asarum Canadense).] + +Description of Rootstock--Canada snakeroot has a creeping, yellowish +rootstock, slightly jointed, with this rootlets produced from joints +which occur about every half inch or so. In the drug trade the +rootstock is usually found in pieces a few inches in length and about +one-eighth of an inch in diameter. These are four-angled, crooked, +brownish and wrinkled on the outside, whitish inside and showing a +large central pith, hard and brittle and breaking with a short +fracture. The odor is fragrant and the taste spicy and aromatic, and +has been said to be intermediate between ginger and serpentaria. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The aromatic root of Canada snakeroot is +collected in autumn and the price ranges from 10 to 15 cents a pound. +It was reported as very scarce in the latter part of the summer of +1906. Canada Snakeroot, which was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1880, is used as an aromatic, diaphoretic +and carminative. + + +Serpentaria. + +(1) Aristolochia serpentaris L. and (2) Aristolochia reticulata Nutt. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Serpentaria. + + [Illustration: Verginia Serpentaria (Aristolochia serpentaris).] + +Other Common Names--(1) Virginia serpentaria, Virginia snakeroot, +serpentary, snakeweed, pelican-flower, snagrel, sangrel, +sangree-root; (2) Texas serpentaria, Texas snakeroot, Red River +snakeroot. + +Habitat and Range--Virginia serpentaria is found in rich woods from +Connecticut to Michigan and southward, principally along the +Alleghenies, and Texas serpentaria occurs in the Southwestern States, +growing along river banks from Arkansas to Louisiana. + +Description of Virginia Serpentaria--About midsummer the queerly +shaped flowers of this native perennial are produced. They are very +similar to those of the better known "Dutchman's-pipe," another +species of this genus, which is quite extensively grown as an +ornamental vine for covering porches and trellises. Virginia +serpentaria and Texas serpentaria both belong to the birth wort +family (Aristolochiaceae). The Virginia serpentaria is nearly erect, +the slender, wavy stem sparingly branched near the base, and usually +growing to about a foot in height, sometimes, however, even reaching +3 feet. The leaves are thin, ovate, ovate lance shaped or oblong +lance shaped, and usually heart shaped at the base; they are about 2 +1/2 inches long and about 1 or 1 1/2 inches in width. The flowers are +produced from near the base of the plant, similar to its near +relative, the Canada snakeroot. They are solitary and terminal, borne +on slender, scaly branches, dull brownish purple in color, and of a +somewhat leathery texture; the calyx tube is curiously bent or +contorted in the shape of the letter S. The fruit is a roundish +6-celled capsule, about half an inch in diameter and containing +numerous seeds. + +Description of Texas Serpentaria--This species has a very wavy stem, +with oval, heart-shaped, clasping leaves, which are rather thick and +strongly reticulated or marked with a network of veins; hence the +specific name reticulata. The entire plant is hairy, with numerous +long, coarse hairs. The small, densely hairy purplish flowers are +also produced from the base of the plant. + +Description of Rootstock--Serpentaria has a short rootstock with many +thin, branching, fibrous roots. In the dried state it is thin and +bent, the short remains of stems showing on the upper surface and the +under surface having numerous thin roots about 4 inches in length, +all of a dull yellowish brown color, internally white. It has a very +agreeable aromatic odor, somewhat like camphor, and the taste is +described as warm, bitterish and camphoraceous. + +The Texas serpentaria has a larger rootstock, with fewer roots less +interlaced than the Virginia serpentaria. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The roots of serpentaria are collected +in autumn. Various other roots are sometimes mixed with serpentaria, +but as they are mostly high-priced drugs, such as golden seal, +pinkroot, senega and ginseng, their presence in a lot of serpentaria +is probably accidental, due simply to proximity of growth of these +plants. Abscess-root (Polemonium Reptans L.) is another root with +which serpentaria is often adulterated. It is very similar to +serpentaria, except that it is nearly white. The price of serpentaria +ranges from 35 to 40 cents a pound. + +Serpentaria is used for its stimulant, tonic, and diaphoretic +properties. Both species are official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +POKEWEED. + +Phytolacca Decandra L. a. + +Synonym--Phytolacca Americana (L). a. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Phytolacca. + +Other Common Names--Poke, pigeon-berry, garget, scoke, pocan, coakum, +Virginia poke, inkberry, red inkberry, American nightshade, +cancer-jalap, redweed. + +Habitat and Range--Pokeweed, a common, familiar, native weed, is +found in rich, moist soil along fence rows, fields, and uncultivated +land from the New England States to Minnesota south to Florida and +Texas. + +Description of Plant--In Europe, where pokeweed has become +naturalized from his country, it is regarded as an ornamental garden +plant, and, indeed, it is very showy and attractive with its reddish +purple stems, rich green foliage, and clusters of white flowers and +dark-purple berries. + +The stout, smooth stems, arising from a very large perennial root, +attain a height of from 3 to 9 feet and are erect and branched, green +at first, then reddish. If a piece of the stem is examined, the pith +will be seen to be divided into disk-shaped parts with hollow spaces +between them. The smooth leaves are borne on short stems and are +about 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, ovate or ovate oblong, +acute at the apex, and the margins entire. The long-stalked clusters +of whitish flowers, which appear from July to September are from 3 to +4 inches in length, the flowers numerous and borne on reddish stems. +In about two months the berries will have matured and assumed a rich +dark-purple color. These smooth and shining purple berries are +globular, flattened at both ends, and contain black seeds embedded in +a rich crimson juice. This plant belongs to the pokeweed family +(Phytolaccaceae). + +a. Phytolacca Americana L. by right of priority should be accepted +but P. Decandra L. is used in conformity with the Pharmacopoeia. + + [Illustration: Pokeweed (Phytolacca Decandra), Flowering and + Fruiting Branch.] + +Description of Root--Pokeweed has a very thick, long, fleshy root, +conical in shape and branches very much resembling that of +horseradish and poisonous. In commerce it usually occurs in +transverse or lengthwise slices, the outside a yellowish brown and +finely wrinkled lengthwise and thickly encircled with lighter colored +ridges. It breaks with a fibrous fracture and is yellowish gray +within. The transverse slices show many concentric rings. There is a +slight odor and the taste is sweetish and acrid. The root when +powdered causes sneezing. + + [Illustration: Pokeweek Root.] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of the Pokeweed, which is +official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, is collected in the +latter part of autumn, thoroughly cleaned, cut into a transverse or +lengthwise slices, and carefully dried. It brings from 2 1/2 to 4 +cents a pound. + +The root is used for its alterative properties in treating various +diseases of the skin and blood, and in certain cases in relieving +pain and allaying inflammation. It also acts upon the bowels and +causes vomiting. + +The berries when fully matured are also used in medicine. + +The young and tender shoots of the pokeweed are eaten in spring, like +asparagus, but bad results may follow if they are not thoroughly +cooked or if they are cut too close to the root. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +MAY-APPLE. + +Podophyllum Peltatum L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Podophyllum. + +Other Common Names--Mandrake, wild mandrake, American mandrake, wild +lemon, ground-lemon, hog-apple, devil's-apple, Indian apple, +raccoon-berry, duck's-foot, umbrella-plant, vegetable calomel. + +Habitat and Range--The May-apple is an indigenous plant, found in low +woods, usually growing in patches, from western Quebec to Minnesota, +south to Florida and Texas. + +Description of Plant--A patch of May-apple can be distinguished from +afar, the smooth, dark-green foliage and close and even stand making +it a conspicuous feature of the woodland vegetation. + +May-apple is a perennial plant, and belongs to the barberry family +(Berberidaceae.) It is erect and grows about 1 foot in height. The +leaves are only two in number, circular in outline, but with five to +seven deep lobes, the lobes 2 cleft, and toothed at the apex; they +are dark green above, the lower surface lighter green and somewhat +hairy or smooth, sometimes 1 foot in diameter, and borne on long +leafstalks which are fixed to the center of the leaf, giving it an +umbrella-like appearance. The waxy-white, solitary flower, sometimes +2 inches in diameter, appears in May, nodding on its short stout +stalk, generally right between the two large umbrella-like leaves, +which shade and hide it from view. The fruit which follows is lemon +shaped, at first green, then yellow, about 2 inches in length and +edible, altho when eaten immoderately it is known to have produced +bad effects. + +In a patch of May-apple plants there are always a number of sterile +or flowerless stalks, which bear leaves similar to those of the +flowering plants. + + [Illustration: May-apple (Podophyllum Pellatum), Upper Portion of + Plant with Flower and Rootstock.] + +Description of Rootstock--The horizontally creeping rootstock of +May-apple when taken from the ground, is from 1 to 6 feet or more in +length, flexible, smooth, and round, dark brown on the outside and +whitish and fleshy within; at intervals of a few inches are thickened +joints, on the upper surface of which are round stem scars and on the +lower side a tuft of rather stout roots. Sometimes the rootstock +bears lateral branches. The dried rootstock, as it occurs in the +stores, is in irregular, somewhat cylindrical pieces, smooth or +somewhat wrinkled, yellowish brown or dark brown externally, whitish +to pale brown internally, breaking with a short, sharp fracture, the +surface of which is mealy. The odor is slight and the taste at first +sweetish, becoming very bitter and acrid. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The proper time for collecting the +rootstock is in the latter half of September or in October. The price +paid for May-apple root ranges from 3 to 6 cents a pound. + +May-apple root, which is recognized as official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia, is an active cathartic and was known as such to the +Indians. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +SENECA SNAKEROOT. + +Polygala Senega L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Senega. + +Other Common Names--Senega snakeroot, Seneca-root, rattlesnake-root, +mountain flax. + +Habitat and Range--Rocky woods and hillsides are the favorite haunts +of this indigenous plant. It is found in such situations from New +Brunswick and western New England to Minnesota and the Canadian Rocky +Mountains, and south along the Allegheny Mountains to North Carolina +and Missouri. + +Description of Plant--The perennial root of this useful little plant +sends up a number of smooth, slender, erect stems (as many as 15 to +20 or more), sometimes slightly tinged with red, from 6 inches to a +foot in height, and generally unbranched. The leaves alternate on the +stem, are lance shaped or oblong lance shaped, thin in texture, 1 to +2 inches long, and stemless. The flowering spikes are borne on the +ends of the stems and consist of rather crowded, small, greenish +white, insignificant flowers. The flowering period of Seneca +Snakeroot is from May to June. The spike blossoms gradually, and when +the lower-most flowers have already fruited the upper part of the +spike is still in flower. The seed capsules are small and contain two +black, somewhat hairy seeds. The short slender stalks supporting +these seed capsules have a tendency to break off from the main axis +before the seed is fully mature, leaving the spike in a rather +ragged-looking condition, and the yield of seed, therefore, is not +very large. Seneca Snakeroot belongs to the milkwort family +(Polygalaceae). + +A form of Seneca Snakeroot, growing mostly in the North Central +States and distinguished by its taller stems and broader leaves, has +been called Polygala Senega Var. Latifolia. + + [Illustration: Seneca Snakeroot (Polygala Senega), Flowering Plant + with Root.] + +Description of Root--Seneca Snakeroot is described in the United +States Pharmacopoeia as follows: "Somewhat cylindrical, tapering, +more or less flexuous, 3 to 15 cm. long and 2 to 8 mm. thick, bearing +several similar horizontal branches and a few rootlets; crown knotty +with numerous buds and short stem remnants; externally yellowish gray +or brownish yellow, longitudinally wrinkled, usually marked by a keel +which is more prominent in perfectly dry roots near the crown; +fracture short, wood light yellow, usually excentrically developed; +odor slight, nauseating; taste sweetish, afterwards acrid." + +The Seneca Snakeroots found in commerce vary greatly in size, that +obtained from the South, which is really the official drug, being +usually light colored and small. The principal supply of Seneca +Snakeroot now comes from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and farther northward, +and this western Seneca Snakeroot has a much larger, darker root, +with a crown or head sometimes measuring 2 or 3 inches across and the +upper part of the root very thick. It is also less twisted and not so +distinctly keeled. + +Seneca Snakeroot is often much adulterated with the roots of other +species of Polygala and of other plants. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The time for collecting Seneca Snakeroot +is in autumn. Labor conditions play a great part in the rise and fall +of prices for this drug. It is said that very little Seneca Snakeroot +has been dug in the Northwest during 1906, due to the fact that the +Indians and others who usually engage in this work were so much in +demand as farm hands and railroad laborers, which paid them far +better than the digging of Seneca Snakeroot. Collectors receive from +about 55 to 70 cents a pound for this root. + +This drug, first brought into prominence as a cure for snake bite +among the Indians, is now employed as an expectorant, emetic and +diuretic. It is official in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +LADY'S-SLIPPER. + +(1) Cypripedium hirsutum Mill and (2) Cypripedium parviflorum Salisb. + +Synonym--(1) Cypripedium Pubescens Wild. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Cypripedium. + +Other Common Names--(1) Large yellow lady's-slipper, yellow +lady's-slipper, yellow moccasin-flower, Venus'-shoe, Venus'-cup, +yellow Indian-shoe, American valerian, nerve-root, male nervine, +yellow Noah's-ark, yellows, monkey-flower, umbil-root, yellow umbil; +(2) small yellow lady's-slipper. + +Habitat and Range--Both of these native species frequent bogs and wet +places in deep shady woods and thickets. The large yellow +lady's-slipper may be found from Nova Scotia south to Alabama and +west to Nebraska and Missouri. The range for the small yellow +lady's-slipper extends from Newfoundland south along the mountains to +Georgia and west to Missouri, Washington and British Columbia. + +Description of Plants--The orchid family (Orchicaceae), to which the +lady's-slipper belong, boasts of many beautiful, showy and curious +species and the lady's-slipper is no exception. There are several +other plants to which the name lady's-slipper has been applied, but +one glance at the peculiar structure of the flowers in the species +under consideration, as shown in the illustration will enable any one +to recognize them as soon as seen. + +The particular species of lady's-slipper under consideration in this +article do not differ very materially from each other. Both are +perennials, growing from 1 to about 2 feet in height, with rather +large leaves and with yellow flowers more or less marked with purple, +the main difference being that in hirsutum the flower is larger and +pale yellow, while in parviflorum the flower is small, bright yellow, +and perhaps more prominently striped and spotted with purple. The +stem, leaves and inside of corolla or lip are somewhat hairy in the +large yellow lady's-slipper, but not in the small yellow +lady's-slipper. These hairs are said to be irritating to some people +in whom they cause an eruption of the skin. + + [Illustration: Large Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cyrpripedium + Hirsutum).] + +The leaves of the Lady's-Slipper vary in size from 2 to 6 inches in +length and from 1 to 3 inches in width, and are broadly oval or +elliptic, sharp pointed, with numerous parallel veins, and sheathing +at the base, somewhat hairy in the large Lady's-Slipper. The solitary +terminal flower, which appears from May to June, is very showy and +curiously formed, the lip being the most prominent part. This lip +looks like a large inflated bay (1 to 2 inches long in the large +Lady's-Slipper), pale yellow or bright yellow in color, variously +striped and blotched with purple. The other parts of the flower are +greenish or yellowish, with purple stripes, and the petals are +usually twisted. + +Description of Rootstock--The Rootstock is of horizontal growth, +crooked, fleshy and with numerous wavy, fibrous roots. As found in +commerce, the rootstocks are from 1 to 4 inches in length, about an +eighth of an inch in thickness, dark brown, the upper surface showing +numerous round cup-shaped scars, the remains of former annual stems, +and the lower surface thickly covered with wavy, wiry, and brittle +roots, the latter breaking off with a short, white fracture. The odor +is rather heavy and disagreeable and the taste is described as +sweetish, bitter and somewhat pungent. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Both rootstock and roots are used and +these should be collected in autumn, freed from dirt and carefully +dried in the shade. These beautiful plants are becoming rare in many +localities. Sometimes such high priced drugs as golden seal and +senega are found mixed with the lady's-slipper, but as these are more +expensive than the lady's-slipper it is not likely that they are +included with fraudulent intent and they can be readily +distinguished. The prices paid to collectors of this root range from +32 to 35 cents a pound. + +The principal use of Lady's-Slipper, which is official in the United +States Pharmacopoeia, is as an antispasmodic and nerve tonic, and it +has been used for the same purposes as valerian. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +FOREST ROOTS. + +The facts set forth in the following pages are from American Root +Drugs, a valuable pamphlet issued in 1907 by U. S. Department of +Agriculture--Bureau of Plant Industry--and written by Alice Henkel. + + +Bethroot. + +Trillium Erectum L. + +Other Common Names: Trillium, red trillium, purple trillium, +ill-scented trillium, birthroot, birthwort, bathwort, bathflower, red +wake-robin, purple wake-robin, ill-scented wake-robin, red-benjamin, +bumblebee-root, daffydown-dilly, dishcloth, Indian balm, Indian +shamrock, nosebleed, squawflower, squawroot, wood-lily, true-love, +orange-blossom. Many of these names are applied also to other species +of Trillium. + +Habitat and Range--Bethroot is a native plant growing in rich soil in +damp, shady woods from Canada south to Tennessee and Missouri. + +Description of Plant--This plant is a perennial belonging to the +lily-of-the-valley family (Convallariaceae). It is a low growing +plant, from about 8 to 16 inches in height, with a rather stout stem, +having three leaves arranged in a whorl near the top. These leaves +are broadly ovate, almost circular in outline, sharp pointed at the +apex and narrowed at the base, 3 to 7 inches long and about as wide, +and practically stemless. + +Not only the leaves of this plant, but the flowers and parts of the +flowers are arranged in threes, and this feature will serve to +identify the plant. The solitary terminal flower of Bethroot has +three sepals and three petals, both more or less lance shaped and +spreading, the former greenish, and the petals, which are 1 1/4 +inches long and one-half inch wide, are sometimes dark purple, pink, +greenish, or white. The flower has an unpleasant odor. It appears +from April to June and is followed later in the season by an oval, +reddish berry. + + [Illustration: Bethroot (Trillium Erectum).] + +Various other species of Trillium are used in medicine, possessing +properties similar to those of the species under consideration. These +are also very similar in appearance to Trillium Erectum. + +Description of Root--Bethroot, as found in the stores, is short and +thick, of a light-brown color externally, whitish or yellowish +inside, somewhat globular or oblong in shape, and covered all around +with numerous pale brown, shriveled rootlets. The top of the root +generally shows a succession of fine circles or rings, and usually +bears the remains of stem bases. + +The root has a slight odor, and is at first sweetish and astringent, +followed by a bitter and acrid taste. When chewed it causes a flow of +saliva. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Bethroot is generally collected toward +the close of summer. The price ranges from 7 to 10 cents a pound. + +It was much esteemed as a remedy among the Indians and early +settlers. Its present use is that of an astringent, tonic, and +alterative, and also that of an expectorant. + + +Culver's-Root. + +Veronica Virginia L. (a) + +Synonym--Leptandra Virginica (L) Nutt. (a) + +Other Common Names--Culver's physic, blackroot, bowman's-root, +Beaumont-root, Brinton-root, tall speedwell, tall veronica, +physic-root, wholywort. + +Habitat and Range--This common indigenous herb is found abundantly in +moist, rich woods, mountain valleys, meadows and thickets from +British Columbia south to Alabama, Missouri and Nebraska. + +Description of Plant--Culver's-Root is a tall, slender stemmed +perennial belonging to the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). It is +from 3 to 7 feet in height, with the leaves arranged around the +simple stems in whorls of three to nine. The leaves are borne on very +short stems, are lance shaped, long pointed at the apex, narrowed at +the base, and sharply toothed, 3 to 6 inches in length and 1 inch or +less in width. The white tube-shaped flowers, with two long +protruding stamens, are produced from June to September and are borne +in several terminal, densely crowded, slender, spikelike heads from 3 +to 8 inches long. + +(a) Some authors hold that this plant belongs to the genus Leptandra +and that its name should be Leptandra virginica (L.) Nutt. The +Pharmacopoeia is here followed. + + [Illustration: Culver's Root (Veronica Virginica), Flowering Top + and Rootstock.] + +The flowers, as stated, are usually white, tho the color may vary +from a pink to a bluish or purple and on account of its graceful +spikes of pretty flowers it is often cultivated in gardens as an +ornamental plant. The fruits are small, oblong, compressed, +many-seeded capsules. + +Description of Rootstock--After they are dried the rootstocks have a +grayish brown appearance on the outside, and the inside is hard and +yellowish, either with a hollow center or a brownish or purplish +pith. When broken the fracture is tough and woody. The rootstock +measures from 4 to 6 inches in length, is rather thick and bent, with +branches resembling the main rootstock. The upper surface has a few +stem scars, and from the sides and underneath numerous coarse, +brittle roots are produced which have the appearance of having been +artificially inserted into the rootstock. Culver's-root has a bitter +and acrid taste, but no odor. + +Collection, Price and Uses--The rootstock and roots should be +collected in the fall of the second year. When fresh these have a +faint odor resembling somewhat that of almonds, which is lost in the +drying. The bitter, acrid taste of Culver's-root also becomes less +the longer it is kept, and it is said that it should be kept at least +a year before being used. The price paid to collectors ranges from 6 +to 10 cents a pound. + +Culver's-root, which is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, +is used as an alterative, cathartic and in disorders of the liver. + + +Stone-Root. + +Collinsonia Canadensis L. + +Other Common Names--Collinsonia, knob-root, knobgrass, knobweed, +knotroot, horse-balm, horseweed, richweed, richleaf, ox-balm, +citronella. + +Habitat and Range--Stoneroot is found in moist, shady woods from +Maine to Wisconsin, south to Florida and Kansas. + +Description of Plant--Like most of the other members of the mint +family (Menthaceae), Stoneroot is aromatic also, the fresh flowering +plant possessing a very pleasant, lemon-like odor. It is a tall +perennial herb, growing as high as 5 feet. The stem is stout, erect, +branched, smooth, or the upper part hairy. + + [Illustration: Stoneroot (Collinsonia Canadensis).] + +The leaves are opposite, about 3 to 8 inches long, thin, ovate, +pointed at the apex, narrowed or sometimes heart-shaped at the base, +and coarsely toothed; the lower leaves are largest and are borne on +slender stems, while the upper ones are smaller and almost stemless. +Stoneroot is in flower from July to October, producing large, loose, +open terminal panicles or heads of small, pale-yellow lemon-scented +flowers. The flowers have a funnel-shaped 2-lipped corolla, the lower +lip, larger, pendant and fringed, with two very much protruding +stamens. + +Description of Root--Even the fresh root of this plant is very hard. +It is horizontal, large, thick, and woody, and the upper side is +rough and knotty and branched irregularly. The odor of the root is +rather disagreeable, and the taste pungent and spicy. In the fresh +state, as well as when dry, the root is extremely hard, whence the +common name "stoneroot." The dried root is grayish brown externally, +irregularly knotty on the upper surface from the remains of branches +and the scars left by former stems and the lower surface showing a +few thin roots. The inside of the root is hard and whitish. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Stoneroot, which is collected in autumn, +is employed for its tonic, astringent, diuretic and diaphoretic +effects. The price of the root ranges from 2 to 3 1/2 cents a pound. + +The leaves are used by country people as an application to bruises. + + +Crawley-Root. + +Corallorhiza Odontorhiza (Wild) Nutt. + +Other Common Names--Corallorhiza, crawley, coralroot, small +coralroot, small-flowered coralroot, late coralroot, dragon's-claw, +chickentoe, turkey-claw, feverroot. + +Habitat and Range--Rich, shady woods having an abundance of leaf mold +produce this curious little plant. It may be found in such situations +from Maine to Florida, westward to Michigan and Missouri. + +Description of Plant--This peculiar native perennial, belonging to +the orchid family (Orchidaceae) is unlike most other plants, being +leafless, and instead of a green stem it has a purplish brown, +sheathed scape, somewhat swollen or bulbous at the base and bearing a +clustered head of purplish flowers 2 to 4 inches long. It does not +grow much taller than about a foot in height. + +The flowers, 6 to 20 in a head, appear from July to September, and +consist of lance-shaped sepals and petals, striped with purple and a +broad, whitish, oval lip, generally marked with purple and narrowed +at the base. The seed capsule is large oblong, or some what globular. + + [Illustration: Crawley-root (Corallorhiza Odontorhiza).] + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock of this plant is also +curious, resembling in its formation a piece of coral on account of +which it is known by the name of "coralroot." The other common names, +such as chickentoe, turkey-claw, etc., all have reference to the form +of the rootstock. As found in commerce, Crawley-root consists of +small, dark-brown wrinkled pieces, the larger ones branched like +coral. The taste at first is sweetish, becoming afterwards slightly +bitter. It has a peculiar odor when fresh, but when dry it is without +odor. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Crawley-root should be collected in July +or August The price ranges from 20 to 50 cents a pound. Other species +of Corallorhiza are sometimes collected and are said to probably +possess similar properties. This root is aid to be very effective for +promoting perspiration and it is also used as a sedative and in +fever. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +FOREST PLANTS. + + +Male Fern. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Aspidium. Other Common Names: (1) Male +shield-fern, sweet brake, knotty brake, basket-fern, bear's-paw +root; (2) marginal-fruited shield-fern, evergreen wood-fern. + +Habitat and Range--These ferns are found in rocky woods, the +male shield-fern inhabiting the region from Canada westward to the +Rocky Mountains and Arizona. It is widely distributed also through +Europe, northern Asia, northern Africa, and South America. The +marginal-fruited shield-fern, one of our most common ferns, occurs +from Canada southward to Alabama and Arkansas. + +Description of Plants--Both of these species are tall, handsome +ferns, the long, erect fronds, or leaves, arising from a chaffy, +scaly base, and consisting of numerous crowded stemless leaflets, +which are variously divided and notched. There is but little +difference between these two species. The male shield-fern is perhaps +a trifle stouter, the leaves growing about 3 feet in length and +having a bright-green color, whereas the marginal-fruited shield-fern +has lighter green leaves, about 2 1/2 feet in length, and is of more +slender appearance. The principal difference, however, is found in +the arrangement of the "sori," or "fruit dots," These are the very +small, round, tawny dots that are found on the backs of fern leaves, +and in the male shield-fern these will be found arranged in short +rows near the midrib, while in the marginal-fruited shield-fern, as +this name indicates, the fruit dots are placed on the margins of the +fronds. Both plants are perennials and members of the fern family +(Polypodiaceae). + + [Illustration: Marginal-Fruited Shield-Fern (Dryopteris + Marginalis).] + +Description of the Rootstock--These ferns have stout ascending or +erect chaffy rootstocks, or rhizomes as they are technically known. +As taken from the ground the rootstock is from 6 to 12 inches in +length and 1 to 2 inches thick, covered with closely overlapping, +brown, slightly curved stipe bases or leaf bases and soft, brown, +chaffy scales. The inside of the rootstock is pale green. As found in +the stores, however, male-fern with the stipe bases and roots removed +measure about 3 to 6 inches in length and about one-half to 1 inch in +thickness, rough where the stipe bases have been removed, brown +outside, pale green and rather spongy inside. + +The stipe bases remain green for a very long period, and these small, +claw-shaped furrowed portions, or "fingers" as they are called, form +a large proportion of the drug found on the American market and, in +fact, are said to have largely superseded the rootstock. Male-fern +has a disagreeable odor, and the taste is described as bitter-sweet, +astringent, acrid, and nauseous. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The best time for collecting Male-fern +root is from July to September. The root should be carefully cleaned, +but not washed, dried out of doors in the shade as quickly as +possible, and shipped to druggists at once. The United States +Pharmacopoeia directs that "the chaff, together with the dead +portions of the rhizome and stipes, should be removed, and only such +portions used as have retained their internal green color." + +Great care is necessary in the preservation of this drug in order to +prevent it from deteriorating. If kept too long its activity will be +impaired, and it is said that it will retain its qualities much +longer if it is not peeled until required for use. The unreliability +sometimes attributed to this drug can in most instances be traced to +the presence of the rootstocks of other ferns with which it is often +adulterated, or it will be found to be due to improper storing or to +the length of time that it has been kept. + +The prices paid for Male-fern root range from 5 to 10 cents a pound. + +Male-fern, official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, has been used +since the remotest times as a remedy for worms. + +Grave results are sometimes caused by overdoses. + + +Goldthread. + +Coptis Trifolia (L.) Salisb. + +Other Common Names--Coptis, cankerroot, mouthroot, yellowroot. + +Habitat and Range--This pretty little perennial is native in damp, +mossy woods and bogs from Canada and Alaska south of Maryland and +Minnesota. It is most common in the New England States, northern New +York and Michigan, and in Canada, where it frequents the dark +sphagnum swamps, cold bogs and in the shade of dense forests of +cedars, pines and other evergreens. + + [Illustration: Goldthread (Coptis Trifolia).] + +Description of Plant--Any one familiar with this attractive little +plant will agree that it is well named. The roots of Goldthread, +running not far beneath the surface of the ground, are indeed like so +many tangled threads of gold. The plant in the general appearance of +its leaves and flowers very closely resembles the strawberry plant. +It is of low growth, only 3 to 6 inches in height, and belongs to the +crowfoot family (Ranunculaceae). The leaves are all basal, and are +borne on long, slender stems; they are evergreen, dark green and +shining on the upper surface and lighter green beneath, divided into +three parts, which are prominently veined and toothed. A single +small, white, star-shaped flower is borne at the ends of the +flowering stalks, appearing from May to August. The 5 to 7 sepals or +lobes of the calyx are white and like petals, and the petals of the +corolla, 5 to 7 in number, are smaller, club shaped, and yellow at +the base. The seed pods are stalked, oblong, compressed, spreading, +tipped with persistent style and containing small black seeds. + +Description of Root--Goldthread has a long, slender, creeping root, +which is much branched and frequently matted. The color of these +roots is a bright golden yellow. As found in the stores, Goldthread +consists usually of tangled masses of these golden-yellow roots, +mixed with the leaves and stems of the plant, but the root is the +part prescribed for use. The root is bitter and has no odor. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The time for collecting Goldthread is in +autumn. After removing the covering of dead leaves and moss, the +creeping yellow roots of Goldthread will be seen very close to the +surface of the ground, from which they can be easily pulled. They +should, of course, be carefully dried. As already stated, altho the +roots and rootlets are the parts to be used, the commercial article +is freely mixed with the leaves and stems of the plant. Evidences of +the pine-woods home of this plant, in the form of pine needles and +bits of moss, are often seen in the Goldthread received for market. +Goldthread brings from 60 to 70 cents a pound. + +The Indians and early white settlers used this little root as a +remedy for various forms of ulcerated and sore mouth, and it is still +used as a wash or gargle for affections of this sort. It is also +employed as a bitter tonic. + +Goldthread was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 +to 1880. + + +Twinleaf. + +Jeffersonia Diphylla (L.) Pers. + +Other Common Names--Jeffersonia, rheumatism-root, helmetpod, +ground-squirrel pea, yellowroot. + +Habitat and Range--Twinleaf inhabits rich, shady woods from New York +to Virginia and westward to Wisconsin. + +Description of Plant--This native herbaceous perennial is only about +6 to 8 inches in height when in flower. At the fruiting stage it is +frequently 18 inches in height. It is one of our early spring plants, +and its white flower, resembling that of bloodroot, is produced as +early as April. + + [Illustration: Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), Plant and Seed + Capsule.] + +The long-stemmed, smooth leaves, produced in pairs and arising from +the base of the plant, are rather oddly formed. They are about 3 to 6 +inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide, heart shaped or kidney shaped, but +parted lengthwise into two lobes or divisions, really giving the +appearance of two leaves; hence the common name "Twinleaf." The +flower with its eight oblong, spreading white petals measures about 1 +inch across, and is borne at the summit of a slender stalk arising +from the root. The many-seeded capsule is about 1 inch long, +leathery, somewhat pear shaped, and opening half way around near the +top, the upper part forming a sort of lid. Twinleaf belongs to the +barberry family. (Berberidaceae.) + +Description of Rootstock--Twinleaf has a horizontal rootstock, with +many fibrous, much-matted roots, and is very similar to that of blue +cohosh, but not so long. It is thick, knotty, yellowish brown +externally, with a resinous bark, and internally yellowish. The inner +portion is nearly tasteless, but the bark has a bitter and acrid +taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The rootstock is collected in autumn and +is used as a diuretic, alterative, antispasmodic and a stimulating +diaphoretic. Large doses are said to be emetic and smaller doses +tonic and expectorant. The price paid for Twinleaf root ranges from +about 5 to 7 cents a pound. + + +Canada Moonseed. + +Menispermum Canadense L. + +Other Common Names--Menispermum, yellow parilla, Texas sarsaparilla, +yellow sarsarparilla, vine-maple. + +Habitat and Range--Canada Moonseed is usually found along streams in +woods, climbing over bushes, its range extending from Canada to +Georgia and Arkansas. + + [Illustration: Canada Moonseed (Menispermum Canadense).] + +Description of Plant--This native perennial woody climber reaches a +length of from 6 to 12 feet, the round, rather slender stem bearing +very broad, slender-stalked leaves. These leaves are from 4 to 8 +inches wide, smooth and green on the upper surface and paler beneath, +roundish in outline and entire, or sometimes lobed and resembling the +leaves of some of our maples, whence the common name "vine-maple" is +probably derived. The bases of the leaves are generally heart shaped +and the apex pointed or blunt. In July the loose clusters of small, +yellowish or greenish white flowers are produced, followed in +September by bunches of black one-seeded fruit, covered with a +"bloom" and very much resembling grapes. Canada Moonseed belongs to +the moonseed family (Menispermaceae.) + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock and roots are employed in +medicine. In the stores it will be found in long, straight pieces, +sometimes 3 feet in length, only about one-fourth of an inch in +thickness, yellowish brown or grayish brown, finely wrinkled +lengthwise, and giving off fine, hairlike, branched, brownish roots +from joints which occur every inch or so. The inside shows a distinct +white pith of variable thickness and a yellowish white wood with +broad, porous wood rays, the whole breaking with a tough, woody +fracture. It has practically no odor, but a bitter taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Canada Moonseed is collected in autumn +and brings from 4 to 8 cents a pound. It is used as a tonic, +alterative, and diuretic and was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia for 1890. + + +Wild Turnip. + +Synonym--Arum Triphyllum L. + +Other Common Names--Arum, three-leaved arum, Indian turnip, +jack-in-the-pulpit, wake robin, wild pepper, dragon-turnip, brown +dragon, devil's-ear, marsh-turnip, swamp-turnip, meadow-turnip, +pepper-turnip, starch-wort, bog-onion, priest's-pintle and +lords-and-ladies. + +Habitat and Range--Wild Turnip inhabits moist woods from Canada to +Florida and westward to Kansas and Minnesota. + +Description of Plant--Early in April the quaint green and brownish +purple hooded flowers of the wild turnip may be seen in the shady +depths of the woods. + + [Illustration: Wild Turnip (Arisaema Triphyllum).] + +It is a perennial plant belonging to the arum family (Araceae), and +reaches a height of from 10 inches to 3 feet. The leaves, of which +there are only one or two, unfold with the flowers; they are borne on +long, erect, sheathing stalks, and consist of three smooth, oval +leaflets, the latter are 3 to 6 inches long, and from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 +inches wide, net veined, and with one vein running parallel with the +margins. The "flower" is curiously formed, somewhat like the calla +lily, consisting of what is known botanically as a spathe, within +which is inclosed the spadix. The spathe is an oval, leaflike part, +the lower portion of which, in the flower under consideration, is +rolled together so as to form a tube, while the upper, pointed part +is usually bent forward, thus forming a flap of hood over the tube +shaped part which contains the spadix. In fact it is very similar to +the familiar flower of the calla lily of the gardens, except that, +instead of being white, the wild turnip is either all green or +striped with very dark purple, sometimes seeming almost black, and in +the calla lily the "flap" is turned back, whereas in the wild turnip +it is bent forward over the tube. Inside of the spathe is the spadix, +also green or purple, which is club shaped, rounded at the summit, +and narrowly contracted at the base, where it is surrounded by either +the male or female flowers or both, in the latter case (the most +infrequent) the male flowers being placed below the female flowers. +In autumn the fruit ripens in the form of a bunch of bright scarlet, +shining berries. The entire plant is acrid, but the root more +especially so. + +Description of the Root--The underground portion of this plant is +known botanically as a "corm," and is somewhat globular and shaped +like a turnip. The lower part of the corm is flat and wrinkled, while +the upper part is surrounded by coarse, wavy rootlets. The outside is +brownish gray and the inside white and mealy. It has no odor, but an +intensely acrid, burning taste, and to those who may have been +induced in their school days to taste of this root wild turnip will +be familiar chiefly on account of its never-to-be-forgotten acrid, +indeed, caustic, properties. The dried article of commerce consists +of round, white slices, with brown edges, only slightly shrunken, and +breaking with a starchy fracture. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The partially dried corm is used in +medicine. It is dug in summer, transversely sliced, and dried. When +first dug it is intensely acrid, but drying and heat diminish the +acridity. It loses its acridity rapidly with age. Wild Turnip brings +from 7 to 10 cents a pound. + +The corm of Wild turnip, which was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1870, is used as a stimulant, diaphoretic, +expectorant, and irritant. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THICKET PLANTS. + + +Black Indian Hemp. + +Apocynum Cannabinum L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Apocynum. + +Other Common Names--Canadian hemp, American hemp, amy-root, +bowman's-root, bitterroot, Indian-physic, rheumatism-weed, milkweed, +wild cotton, Choctaw-root. + +The name "Indian hemp" is often applied to this plant, but it should +never be used without the adjective "black." "Indian hemp" is a name +that properly belongs to Canabis indica, a true hemp plant, from +which the narcotic drug "hashish" is obtained. + +Habitat and Range--Black Indian hemp is a native of this country and +may be found in thickets and along the borders of old fields thruout +the United States. + +Description of Plant--This is a common herbaceous perennial about 2 +to 4 feet high, with erect or ascending branches, and, like most of +the plants belonging to the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), contains a +milky juice. The short-stemmed opposite leaves are oblong, lance +shaped oblong or ovate-oblong, about 2 to 6 inches long, usually +sharp pointed, the upper surface smooth and the lower sometimes +hairy. The plant is in flower from June to August and the small +greenish white flowers are borne in dense heads, followed later by +the slender pods, which are about 4 inches in length and pointed at +the apex. + +Other Species--Considerable confusion seems to exist in regard to +which species yields the root which has proved of greatest value +medicinally. The Pharmacopoeia directs that "the dried rhizome and +roots of Apocynum cannabinum or of closely allied species of +Apocynum" be used. + + [Illustration: Black Indian Hemp (Apocynum Cannabinum), Flowering + Portion, Pods, and Rootstock.] + +In the older botanical works and medical herbals only two species of +Apocynum were recognized, namely, A. cannabinum L. and A. +androsaemifolium L., altho it was known that both of these were very +variable. In the newer botanical manuals both of these species still +hold good, but the different forms and variations are now recognized +as distinct species, those formerly referred to cannabium being +distinguished by the erect or nearly erect lobes of the corolla, and +those of the androsaemifolium group being distinguished by the +spreading or recurved lobes of the corolla. + +Among the plants that were formerly collected as Apocynum or varietal +forms of it, and which are now considered as distinct species, may be +mentioned in the following: + +Riverbank-dogbane (A. Album Greene), which frequents the banks of +rivers and similar moist locations from Maine to Wisconsin, Virginia +and Missouri. This plant is perfectly smooth and has white flowers +and relatively smaller leaves than A. cannabinum. + +Velvet dogbane (A. pubescens R. Br.), which is common from Virginia +to Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. The entire plant has a soft, hairy or +velvety appearance, which renders identification easy. According to +the latest edition of the National Standard Dispensatory it is not +unlikely that this is the plant that furnishes the drug that has been +so favorably reported upon. + +Apocynum androsaemifolium is also gathered by drug collectors for +Apocynum cannabinum. Its root is likewise employed in medicine, but +its action is not the same as that of cannabinum and it should +therefore not be substituted for it. It closely resembles cannabinum. + +Description of Rootstock--The following description of the drug as +found in commerce is taken from the United States Pharmacopoeia: "Of +varying length, 3 to 8 mm. thick, cylindrical or with a few angles +produced by drying, lightly wrinkled, longitudinally and usually more +or less fissured transversely; orange-brown, becoming gray-brown on +keeping; brittle; fracture sharply transverse, exhibiting a thin +brown layer of cork, the remainder of the bark nearly as thick as the +radius of the wood, white or sometimes pinkish, starchy, containing +laticiferous ducts; the wood yellowish, having several rings, finely +radiate and very coarsely porous; almost inodorous, the taste +starchy, afterwards becoming bitter and somewhat acrid." + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of black Indian hemp is +collected in autumn and brings from 8 to 10 cents a pound. + +It is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia and has emetic, +cathartic, diaphoretic, expectorant and diuretic properties, and on +account of the last-named action it is used in dropsical affections. + +The tough, fibrous bark of the stalks of Black Indian Hemp was +employed by the Indians as a substitute for hemp in making twine, +fishing nets, etc. + + +Chamaelirium, or Helonias. + +Chamaelirium Luteum (L.) A. Gray. + +Synonym--Helonias Dioica Pursh. + +Other Common Names--Unicorn root, false unicorn-root, blazing star, +drooping starwort, starwort, devil's-bit, unicorn's-horn. + +In order to avoid the existing confusion of common names of this +plant, it is most desirable to use the scientific names Chamaelirium +or Helonias exclusively. Chamaelirium is the most recent botanical +designation and will be used thruout this article, but the synonym +Helonias is a name very frequently employed by the drug trade. The +plant with which it is so much confused, Aletris farinosa, will also +be designated thruout by its generic name, Aletris. + + [Illustration: Chamaelirium (Chamaelirium Luteum).] + +Habitat and Range--This native plant is found in open woods from +Massachusetts to Michigan, south to Florida and Arkansas. + +Description of Plant--Chamaelirium and Aletris (Aletris farinosa) +have long been confused by drug collectors and others, owing +undoubtedly to the transposition of some of their similar common +names, such as "starwort" and "stargrass." The plants can scarcely be +said to resemble each other, however, except perhaps in their general +habit of growth. + +The male and female flowers of Chamaelirium are borne on separate +plants, and in this respect are entirely different from Aletris; +neither do the flowers resemble those of Aletris. + +Chamaelirium is an erect, somewhat fleshy herb, perennial, and +belongs to the bunchflower family (Melanthiaceae.) The male plant +grows to a height of from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet, and the female plant +is sometimes 4 feet tall and is also more leafy. + +The plants have both basal and stem leaves, where as Aletris has only +the basal leaves. The basal leaves of Chamaelirium are broad and +blunt at the top, narrowing toward the base into a long stem; they +are sometimes so much broadened at the top that they may be +characterized as spoon shaped, and are from 2 to 8 inches long and +from one-half to 1 1/2 inches wide. The stem leaves are lance shaped +and sharp pointed, on short stems or stemless. + +The white starry flowers of Chamaelirium are produced from June to +July, those of the male plant being borne in nodding, graceful, +plume-like spikes 3 to 9 inches long, and those of the female plant +in erect spikes. The many seeded capsule is oblong, opening by three +valves at the apex. + +Another species is now recognized, Chamaelirium obovale Small, which +seems to differ chiefly in having larger flowers and obovoid +capsules. + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock of Chamaelirium does not in +the least resemble that of Aletris, with which it is so generally +confused. It is from one-half to 2 inches in length, generally curved +upward at one end in the form of a horn (whence the common name, +"unicorn") and having the appearance of having been bitten off. It is +of a dark brown color with fine transverse wrinkles, rough, on the +upper surface showing a few stem scars, and giving off from all sides +numerous brown fibrous rootlets. The more recent rootlets have a soft +outer covering, which in the older rootlets has worn away, leaving +the fine but tough and woody whitish center. The rootlets penetrate +to the central part of the rootstock, and this serves as a +distinguishing character from Aletris, as a transverse section of +Chamaelirium very plainly shows these fibers extending some distance +within the rootstock. Furthermore, the rootstock of Chamaelirium +exhibits a number of small holes wherever these rootlets have broken +off, giving it the appearance of having become "wormy." It is hard +and horny within and has a peculiar odor and a very bitter, +disagreeable taste, whereas Aletris is not at all bitter. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Chamaelirium should be collected in +autumn. The prices paid to collectors may be said to range from about +30 to 45 cents a pound. In the fall of 1906 a scarcity of this root +was reported. As already indicated, Chamaelirium and Aletris are +often gathered and mistaken for each other by collectors, but, as +will be seen from the preceding description, there is really no +excuse for such error. + +From the confusion that has existed properties peculiar to the one +plant have also been attributed to the other, but it seems now +generally agreed that Chamaelirium is of use especially in +derangements of women. + + +Wild Yam. + +Dioscorea Villosa L. + +Other Common Names--Dioscorea, colicroot, rheumatism-root, devil's +bones. + +Habitat and Range--Wild yam grows in moist thickets, trailing over +adjacent shrubs and bushes, its range extending from Rhode Island to +Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. It is most common in the +central and southern portions of the United States. + +Description of Plant--This native perennial vine is similar to and +belongs to the same family as the well-known cinnamon vine of the +gardens--namely, the yam family (Dioscoreaceae.) It attains a length +of about 15 feet, the stem smooth, the leaves heart shaped and 2 to 6 +inches long by 1 to 4 inches wide. + + [Illustration: Wild Yam (Dioscorea Villosa).] + +The leaves, which are borne on long, slender stems, are thin, green, +and smooth on the upper surface, paler and rather thickly hairy on +the under surface. The small greenish yellow flowers are produced +from June to July, the male flowers borne in drooping clusters about +3 to 6 inches long, and the female flowers in drooping spikelike +heads. The fruit, which is in the form of a dry, membranous, +3-winged, yellowish green capsule, ripens about September and remains +on the vine for some time during the winter. + +Growing farther south than the species above mentioned is a variety +for which the name Glabra has been suggested. + +According to C. G. Lloyd, there is a variety of Dioscorea Villosa, +the root of which first made its appearance among the true yam roots +of commerce, and which was so different in form that it was rejected +as an adulteration. The plant, however, from which the false root was +derived was found upon investigation to be almost identical with the +true yam, except that the leaves were perfectly smooth, lacking the +hairiness on the under surface of the leaf which is characteristic of +the true wild yam. The false variety also differs in its habit of +growth, not growing in dense clumps like the true wild yam, but +generally isolated. The root of the variety, however, is quite +distinct from that of the true wild yam, being much more knotty. +Lloyd states further that the hairiness or lack of hairiness on the +under side of the leaf is a certain indication as to the form of the +root. + +Lloyd, recognizing the necessity of classifying these two yam roots +of commerce, has designated the smooth-leaved variety as Dioscorea +Villosa var. Glabra. + +Description of Rootstocks--The rootstock of the true wild yam runs +horizontally underneath the surface of the ground. As found in +commerce, it consists of very hard pieces, 6 inches and sometimes 2 +feet in length, but only about one-fourth or one-half of an inch in +diameter, twisted, covered with a thin, brown bark, whitish within +and showing stem scars almost an inch apart on the upper surface, +small protuberances on the sides, and numerous rather wiry rootlets +on the lower surface. + +The false wild yam, on the other hand, has a much heavier, rough, +knotty rootstock, with thick branches from 1 inch to 3 inches long, +the upper surface covered with crowded stem scars and the lower side +furnished with stout, wiry rootlets. Within it is similar to the true +yam root. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The roots are generally collected in +autumn, and bring from 2 1/2 to 4 cents a pound. Wild Yam is said to +possess expectorant properties and to promote perspiration, and in +large doses providing emetic. It has been employed in bilious colic, +and by the negroes in the South in the treatment of muscular +rheumatism. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +SWAMP PLANTS. + + +Skunk-Cabbage. + +Synonyms--Dracontium Foetidum L. + +Other Common Names--Dracontium, skunk-weed, polecat-weed, +swamp-cabbage, meadow-cabbage, collard, fetid, hellebone, stinking +poke, pockweed. + +Habitat and Range--Swamps and other wet places from Canada to +Florida, Iowa and Minnesota abound with this ill-smelling herb. + +Description of Plant--Most of the common names applied to this plant, +as well as the scientific names, are indicative of the most striking +characteristic of this early spring visitor, namely, the rank, +offensive, carrion odor that emanates from it. Skunk-Cabbage is one +of the very earliest of our spring flowers, appearing in February or +March, but it is safe to say that it is not likely to suffer +extermination at the hand of the enthusiastic gatherer of spring +flowers. In the latitude of Washington Skunk-Cabbage has been known +to be in flower in December. + +It is a curious plant, with its hood shaped, purplish striped flowers +appearing before the leaves. It belongs to the arum family (Araceae) +and is a perennial. The "flower" is in the form of a thick, ovate, +swollen spathe, about 3 to 6 inches in height, the top pointed and +curved inward, spotted and striped with purple and yellowish green. +The spathe is not like that of the wild turnip or calla lily, to +which family this plant also belongs, but the edges are rolled +inward, completely hiding the spadix. In this plant the spadix is not +spike-like, as in the wild turnip, but is generally somewhat +globular, entirely covered with numerous, dull-purple flowers. After +the fruit has ripened the spadix will be found to have grown +considerably, the spathe meantime having decayed. + +The leaves, which appear after the flower, are numerous and very +large, about 1 to 3 feet in length and about 1 foot in width; they +are thin in texture, but prominently nerved with fleshy nerves, and +are borne on deeply channeled stems. + + [Illustration: Skunk Cabbage (Spathyema Foetida).] + +Description of Rootstock--Skunk-Cabbage has a thick, straight, +reddish brown rootstock, from 3 to 5 inches long, and about 2 inches +in diameter, and having a whorl of crowded fleshy roots which +penetrate the soil to considerable depth. The dried article of +commerce consists of either the entire rootstock and roots, which are +dark brown and wrinkled within, or of very much compressed, wrinkled, +transverse slices. + +When bruised, the root has the characteristic fetid odor of the plant +and possesses a sharp acrid taste, both of which become less the +longer the root is kept. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The rootstock of Skunk-Cabbage are +collected early in spring, soon after the appearance of the flower, +or after the seeds have ripened, in August or September. It should be +carefully dried, either in its entire state or deprived of the roots +and cut into transverse slices. Skunk-Cabbage loses its odor and +acridity with age, and should therefore not be kept longer than one +season. The range of prices is from 4 to 7 cents a pound. + +Skunk-Cabbage, official from 1820 to 1880, is used in affections of +the respiratory organs, in nervous disorders, rheumatism, and +dropsical complaints. + + +American Hellebore. + +Veratrum Viride Ait. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Veratrum. + +Other Common Names--True veratrum, green veratrum, American veratrum, +green hellebore, swamp-hellebore, big hellebore, false hellebore, +bear-corn, bugbane, bugwort, devil's-bite, earth-gall, Indian poke, +itchweed, tickleweed, duckretter. + +Habitat and Range--American Hellebore is native in rich, wet woods, +swamps and wet meadows. Its range extending from Canada, Alaska, and +Minnesota south to Georgia. + +Description of Plant--Early in spring, usually in company with the +Skunk-Cabbage, the large bright green leaves of American Hellebore +make their way thru the soil, their straight, erect leaf spears +forming a conspicuous feature of the yet scanty spring vegetation. +Later in the season a stout and erect leafy stem is sent up, +sometimes growing as tall as 6 feet. It is solid and round, pale +green, very leafy, and closely surrounded by the sheathing bases of +the leaves, unbranched except in the flowering head. The leaves are +hairy, prominently nerved, folded or pleated like a fan. They have no +stems, but their bases encircle or sheathe the main stalk, and are +very large, especially the lower ones, which are from 6 to 12 inches +in length, from 3 to 6 inches in width, and broadly oval. As they +approach the top of the plant the leaves become narrower. The +flowers, which appear from May to July, are greenish yellow and +numerous, and are borne in rather open clusters. American Hellebore +belongs to the bunchflower family (Melanthiaceae) and is a perennial. + +This species is a very near relative of the European white hellebore +(Veratrum album L.), and in fact has by some been regarded as +identical with it, or at least as a variety of it. It is taller than +V. album and has narrower leaves and greener flowers. Both species +are official in the United States Pharmacopoeia. + + [Illustration: American Hellebore (Veratrum Viride).] + +Description of Rootstock--The fresh rootstock of American Hellebore +is ovoid or obconical, upright, thick, and fleshy, the upper part of +it arranged in layers, the lower part of it more solid, and producing +numerous whitish roots from all sides. In the fresh state it has a +rather strong, disagreeable odor. As found in commerce, American +Hellebore rootstock is sometimes entire, but more generally sliced, +and is of a light brown or dark brown color externally and internally +yellowish white. The roots, which are from 4 to 8 inches long, have a +shriveled appearance, and are brown or yellowish. There is no odor to +the dried rootstock, but when powdered it causes violent sneezing. +The rootstock, which has a bitter and very acrid taste, is poisonous. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--American Hellebore should be dug in +autumn after the leaves have died and washed and carefully dried, +either in the whole state or sliced in various ways. It deteriorates +with age, and should therefore not be kept longer than a year. + +The adulterations sometimes met with are the rootstocks of related +plants, and the skunk-cabbage is also occasionally found mixed with +it, but this is probably unintentional, as the two plants usually +grow close together. + +Collectors of American Hellebore root receive from about 3 to 10 +cents a pound. + +American Hellebore, official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, is +an acrid, narcotic poison, and has emetic, diaphoretic, and sedative +properties. + + +Water-Eryngo. + +Eryngium Yuccifolium Michx. + +Synonym--Eryngium aquaticum. L. + +Other Common Names--Eryngium, eryngo, button-snakeroot, +corn-snakeroot, rattlesnake-master, rattlesnake-weed, +rattlesnake-flag. + + [Illustration: Water-Eryngo (Eryngium Yuccifolium).] + +Habitat and Range--Altho sometimes occurring on dry land, +Water-Eryngo usually inhabits swamps and low, wet ground, from the +pine barrens of New Jersey westward to Minnesota and south to Texas +and Florida. + +Description of Plant--The leaves of this plant are grasslike in form, +rigid, 1 to 2 feet long and about one-half inch or a trifle more in +width; they are linear, with parallel veins, pointed, generally +clasping at the base, and the margins briskly soft, slender spines. +The stout, furrowed stem reaches a height of from 2 to 6 feet and is +generally unbranched except near the top. The insignificant whitish +flowers are borne in dense, ovate-globular, stout-stemmed heads, +appearing from June to September, and the seed heads that follow are +ovate and scaly. Water-Eryngo belongs to the parsley family +(Apiaceae) and is native in this country. + +Description of Rootstock--The stout rootstock is very knotty, with +numerous short branches, and produces many thick, rather straight +roots, both rootstock and roots of a dark brown color, the latter +wrinkled lengthwise. The inside of the rootstock is yellowish white. +Water-Eryngo has a somewhat peculiar, slightly aromatic odor, and a +sweetish mucilaginous taste at first, followed by some bitterness and +pungency. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of this plant is collected in +autumn and brings from 5 to 10 cents a pound. + +Water-Eryngo is an old remedy and one of its early uses, as the +several common names indicate, was for the treatment of snake bites. +It was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1860, +and is employed now as a diuretic and expectorant and for promoting +perspiration. In large doses it acts as an emetic and the root, when +chewed, excites a flow of saliva. It is said to resemble Seneca +snakeroot in action. + + +Yellow Jasmine or Jessamine. + +Gelsemium Sempervirens (L.) Ait. f. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Gelsemium. + +Other Common Names--Carolina jasmine or jessamine, Carolina wild +woodbine, evening trumpet-flower. + +Habitat and Range--Yellow jasmine is a plant native to the South, +found along the banks of streams, in woods, lowlands, and thickets, +generally near the coast, from the eastern part of Virginia to +Florida and Texas, south to Mexico and Guatemala. + +Description of Plant--This highly ornamental climbing or trailing +plant is abundantly met with in the woods of the Southern states, its +slender stems festooned over trees and fences and making its presence +known by the delightful perfume exhaled by its flowers, filling the +air with fragrance that is almost overpowering wherever the yellow +jasmine is very abundant. + + [Illustration: Yellow Jasmine (Gelsensium Sempervirens).] + +The smooth, shining stems of this beautiful vine sometimes reach a +length of 20 feet. The leaves are evergreen, lance shaped, entire, 1 +1/2 to 3 inches long, rather narrow, borne on short stems, and +generally remaining on the vine during the winter. The flowers, which +appear from January to April, are bright yellow, about 1 to 1 1/2 +inches long, the corolla funnel shaped. They are very fragrant but +poisonous, and it is stated the eating of honey derived from jasmine +flowers has brought about fatal results. + +Yellow Jasmine is a perennial and belongs to a family that is noted +for its poisonous properties, namely, the Logania family +(Loganiaceae), which numbers among its members such powerful +poisonous agents as the strychnine-producing tree. + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock of the Yellow Jasmine is +horizontal and runs near the surface of the ground, attaining great +length, 15 feet or more; it is branched, and here and there produces +fibrous rootlets. When freshly removed from the ground it is very +yellow, with a peculiar odor and bitter taste. For the drug trade it +is generally cut into pieces varying from 1 inch to 6 inches in +length, and when dried consists of cylindrical sections about 1 inch +in thickness, the roots, of course, thinner. The bark is thin, +yellowish brown, with fine silky bast fibers and the wood is tough +and pale yellow, breaking with a splintery fracture and showing +numerous fine rays radiating from a small central pith. Yellow +Jasmine has a bitter taste and a pronounced heavy odor. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Yellow Jasmine is usually +collected just after the plant has come into flower and is cut into +pieces from 1 to 6 inches long. It is often adulterated with portions +of the stems, but these can be distinguished by their thinness and +dark purplish color. The prices range from 3 to 5 cents a pound. + +Yellow Jasmine, which is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, +is used for its powerful effect on the nervous system. + + +Sweet-Flag. + +Acorus Calamus L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Calamus. + +Other Common Names--Sweet cane, sweet grass, sweet myrtle, sweet +rush, sweet sedge, sweet segg, sweetroot, cinnamon-sedge, +myrtle-flag, myrtle-grass, myrtle-sedge, beewort. + +Habitat and Range--This plant frequents wet and muddy places and +borders on streams from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, southward to +Florida and Texas, also occurring in Europe and Asia. It is usually +partly immersed in water, and is generally found in company with the +cat-tail and other water-loving species of flag. + + [Illustration: Sweet Flag (Acorus Calamus).] + +Description of Plant--The sword like leaves of the Sweet-Flag +resemble those of other flags so much that before the plant is in +flower it is difficult to recognize simply by the appearance of its +leaves. The leaves of the blue flag or "poison-flag," as it has been +called, are very similar to those of the Sweet-Flag, and this +resemblance often leads to cases of poisoning among children who thus +mistake one for the other. However, as the leaves of the Sweet-Flag +are fragrant, the odor will be a means of recognizing it. Of course +when the Sweet-Flag is in flower the identification of the plant is +easy. + +The sheathing leaves of this native perennial, which belongs to the +arum family (Araceae), are from 2 to 6 feet in height and about 1 +inch in width; they are sharp pointed and have a ridged midrib +running their entire length. The flowering head, produced from the +side of the stalk, consists of a fleshy spike sometimes 3 1/2 inches +long and about one-half inch in thickness, closely covered with very +small, greenish yellow flowers, which appear from May to July. + +Description of Rootstock--The long, creeping rootstock of the +Sweet-Flag is thick and fleshy, somewhat spongy, and producing +numerous rootlets. The odor is aromatic and agreeable, and taste +pungent and bitter. The dried article, as found in the stores, +consists of entire or split pieces of various lengths from 3 to 6 +inches, light brown on the outside with blackish spots, sharply +wrinkled lengthwise, the upper surface marked obliquely with dark +leaf scars, and the lower surface showing many small circular scars, +which, at first glance, give one the impression that the root is +worm-eaten, but which are the remains of rootlets that have been +removed from the rootstock. Internally the rootstock is whitish and +of a spongy texture. The aromatic odor and pungent, bitter taste are +retained in the dried article. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The United States Pharmacopoeia directs +that the unpeeled rhizome, or rootstock, be used. It is collected +either in early spring or late in autumn. It is pulled or grubbed +from the soft earth, freed from adhering dirt, and the rootlets +removed, as these are not so aromatic and more bitter. The rootstock +is then carefully dried, sometimes by means of moderate heat. +Sweet-Flag deteriorates with age and is subject to the attacks of +worms. It loses about three-fourths of its weight in drying. + +Some of the Sweet-Flag found in commerce consists of handsome white +pieces. These usually come from Germany, and have been peeled before +drying, but they are not so strong and aromatic as the unpeeled +roots. Unpeeled Sweet-Flag brings from 3 to 6 cents a pound. + +Sweet-Flag is employed as an aromatic stimulant and tonic in feeble +digestion. The dried root is frequently chewed for the relief of +dyspepsia. + + +Blue Flag. + +Iris Versicolor L. + +Other Common Names--Iris, flag-lily, liver-lily, snake-lily, +poison-flag, water-flag, American fleur-de-lis or flower-deluce. + +Habitat and Range--Blue Flag delights in wet, swampy localities, +making its home in marshes, thickets, and wet meadows from +Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Florida and Arkansas. + +Description of Plant--The flowers of all of the species belonging to +this genus are similar, and are readily recognized by their rather +peculiar form, the three outer segments or parts reflexed or turned +back and the three inner segments standing erect. + +Blue Flag is about 2 to 3 feet in height, with an erect stem +sometimes branched near the top, and sword shaped leaves which are +shorter than the stem, from one-half to 1 inch in width, showing a +slight grayish "bloom" and sheathing at the base. This plant is a +perennial belonging to the iris family (Iridaceae), and is a native +of this country. June is generally regarded as the month for the +flowering of the Blue Flag, altho it may be said to be in flower from +May to July, depending on the locality. The flowers are large and +very handsome, each stem bearing from two to six or more. They +consist of six segments or parts, the three outer ones turned back +and the three inner ones erect and much smaller. The flowers are +usually purplish blue, the "claw" or narrow base of the segments, +variegated with yellow, green, or white and marked with purple veins. + +All of the species belonging to this genus are more or less +variegated in color; hence the name "iris," meaning "rainbow," and +the specific name "versicolor," meaning "various colors." The name +poison-flag has been applied to it on account of the poisonous effect +it has produced in children, who, owing to the close resemblance of +the plants before reaching the flowering stage, sometimes mistake it +for sweet flag. + +The seed capsule is oblong, about 1 1/2 inches and contains numerous +seeds. + + [Illustration: Blue Flag (Iris Versicolor).] + +Description of Rootstock--Blue Flag has a thick, fleshy, horizontal +rootstock, branched, and producing long, fibrous roots. It resembles +sweet-flag (Calamus) and has been mistaken for it. The sections of +the rootstock of Blue Flag, however, are flattened above and rounded +below; the scars of the leaf sheaths are in the form of rings, +whereas in sweet-flag the rootstock is cylindrical and the scars left +by the leaf sheaths are obliquely transverse. Furthermore, there is a +difference in the arrangement of the roots on the rootstock, the +scars left by the roots in Blue Flag being close together generally +nearer the larger end, while in sweet-flag the disposition of the +roots along the rootstock is quite regular. Blue Flag is grayish +brown on the outside when dried, and sweet-flag is light brown or +fawn colored. Blue Flag has no well-marked odor and the taste is +acrid and nauseous, and in sweet-flag there is a pleasant odor and +bitter, pungent taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Blue Flag is collected in autumn and +usually brings from about 7 to 10 cents a pound. Great scarcity of +Blue Flag root was reported from the producing districts in the +autumn of 1906. It is an old remedy, the Indians esteeming it highly +for stomach troubles, and it is said that it was sometimes cultivated +by them in near-by ponds on account of its medicinal value. It has +also been used as a domestic remedy and is regarded as an alterative, +diuretic and purgative. It was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia of 1890. + + +Crane's-Bill. + +Geranium Maculatum L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Geranium. + +Other Common Names--Spotted crane's-bill, wild crane's-bill, +stork's-bill, spotted geranium, wild geranium, alum-root, alumbloom, +chocolate-flower, crowfoot, dovefoot, old-maid's-nightcap, shameface. + +Habitat and Range--Crane's-Bill flourishes in low grounds and open +woods from Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Missouri. + +Description of Plant--This pretty perennial plant belongs to the +geranium family (Geraniaceae) and will grow sometimes to a height of +2 feet, but more generally it is only about a foot in height. The +entire plant is more or less covered with hairs, and is erect and +usually unbranched. The leaves are nearly circular or somewhat heart +shaped in outline, 3 to 6 inches wide, deeply parted into three or +five parts, each division again cleft and toothed. The basal leaves +are borne on long stems, while those above have short stems. The +flowers, which appear from April to June, are borne in a loose +cluster; they are rose purple, pale or violet in color, about 1 inch +or 1 1/2 inches wide, the petals delicately veined and woolly at the +base and the sepals or calyx lobes with a bristle-shaped point, +soft-hairy, the margins having a fringe of more bristly hairs. The +fruit consists of a beaked capsule, springing open elastically, and +dividing into five cells, each cell containing one seed. + + [Illustration: Crane's-bill (Geranium Maculatum), Flowering Plant, + Showing also Seed Pods and Rootstock.] + +Description of Rootstock--When removed from the earth the rootstock +of Crane's-bill is about 2 to 4 inches long, thick, with numerous +branches bearing the young buds for next season's growth and scars +showing the remains of stems of previous years, brown outside, white +and fleshy internally, and with several stout roots. When dry, the +rootstock turns a darker brown, is finely wrinkled externally, and +has a rough spiny appearance, caused by the shrinking of the buds and +branches and the numerous stem scars with which the root is studded. +Internally it is of a somewhat purplish color. Crane's-bill root is +without odor and the taste is very astringent. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Crane's-bill root depends for its +medicinal value on its astringent properties and as its astringency +is due to the tannin content, the root should, of course, be +collected at that season of the year when it is richest in that +constituent. Experiments have proved that the yield of tannin in +Crane's-bill is greatest just before flowering, which is in April or +May, according to locality. It should, therefore, be collected just +before the flowering periods, and not, as is commonly the case, in +autumn. The price of this root ranges from 4 to 8 cents a pound. + +Crane's-bill root, which is official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia, is used as a tonic and astringent. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +FIELD PLANTS. + + +Dandelion. + +Taraxacum Officinale Weber, (a). + +Synonyms--Taraxacum taraxacum (L.) Karst: (a) Taraxacum densleonis +Desf. + +Pharmacopoeial Names--Taraxacum. + +Other Common Names--Blow-ball, cankerwort, doon-head, clock, +fortune-teller, horse gowan, Irish daisy, yellow gowan, one-o'clock. + +Habitat and Range--With the exception, possibly, of a few localities +in the South, the dandelion is at home almost everywhere in the +United States, being a familiar weed in meadows and waste places, and +especially in lawns. It has been naturalized in this country from +Europe and is distributed as a weed in all civilized parts of the +world. + +Description of Plant--It is hardly necessary to give a description of +the dandelion, as almost every one is familiar with the coarsely +toothed, smooth, shining green leaves, the golden-yellow flowers +which open in the morning and only in fair weather, and the round +fluffy seed heads of this only too plentiful weed of the lawns. In +spring the young, tender leaves are much sought after by the colored +market women about Washington, who collect them by the basketful and +sell them for greens and salad. + +Dandelion is a perennial belonging to the chicory family +(Cichoriaceae) and is in flower practically throughout the year. The +entire plant contains a white milky juice. + +Description of Root--The dandelion has a large, thick and fleshy +taproot, sometimes measuring 20 inches in length. In commerce, +dandelion root is usually found in pieces 3 to 6 inches long, dark +brown on the outside and strongly wrinkled lengthwise. It breaks with +a short fracture and shows the thick whitish bark marked with circles +of milk ducts and a thin woody center, which is yellow and porous. It +is practically without odor and has a bitter taste. + + [Illustration: Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale).] + +Collections and Uses--Late in summer and in fall the milky juice +becomes thicker and the bitterness increases and this is the time to +collect dandelion root. It should be carefully washed and thoroughly +dried. Dandelion roots lose considerably in drying, weighing less +than half as much as the fresh roots. The dried root should not be +kept too long, as drying diminishes its medicinal activity. It is +official in the United States Pharmacopeia. + +Dandelion is used as a tonic in diseases of the liver and in +dyspepsia. + +Imports and Prices--Most of the dandelion root found on the market is +collected in central Europe. There has been an unusually large demand +for dandelion root during the season of 1907 and according to the +weekly records contained in "the Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter" the +imports entered at the port of New York from January 1, 1907, to the +end of May amounted to about 47,000 pounds. The price ranges from 4 +to 10 cents a pound. + + +Soapwort. + +Saponaria Officinalis L. + +Other Common Names--Saponaria, saponary, common soapwort, +bouncing-bet, soaproot, bruisewort, Boston pink, chimney-pink, +crow-soap, hedge-pink, old maid's pink, fuller's-herb, +lady-by-the-gate, London-pride, latherwort, mock-gilliflower, +scourwort, sheepweed, sweet-betty, wild sweet-william, woods-phlox, +world's wonder. + +Habitat and Range--By one or another of its many common names this +plant, naturalized from Europe, is known almost everywhere, occurring +along roadsides and in waste places. + +Description of Plant--Soapwort is a rather pretty herbaceous +perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, and belonging to the pink family +(Silenaceae). Its smooth, stout and erect stem is leafy and sparingly +branched, the leaves ovate, 2 to 3 inches long, smooth, prominently +ribbed, and pointed at the apex. The bright looking, crowded clusters +of pink (or in shady localities whitish) flowers appear from about +June until far along in September. The five petals of the corolla are +furnished with long "claws" or, in other words, they are narrowly +lengthened toward the base and inserted within the tubular and pale +green calyx. The seed capsule is oblong and one-celled. + +Description of Root--Soapwort spreads by means of its stolons, or +underground runners. But the roots, which are rather long are the +parts employed in medicine. These are cylindrical, tapering toward +the apex, more or less branched, and wrinkled lengthwise. The whitish +wood is covered with a brownish red, rather thick bark and the roots +break with a short, smooth fracture. It is at first sweetish, bitter, +and mucilaginous, followed by a persistently acrid taste, but it has +no odor. + + [Illustration: Soapwort (Saponaria Officinalis).] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--As already indicated, the roots without +the runners, should be collected either in spring or autumn. With +water they form a lather, like soap, whence the common names +soapwort, soaproot, latherwort, etc., are derived. The price ranges +from 5 to 10 cents a pound. The roots are employed in medicine for +their tonic, alterative and diaphoretic properties. The leaves are +also used. + + +Burdock. + +Arctium Lappa L. + +Synonym--Lappa major Gaertn. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Lappa. + +Other Common Names--Cockle-button, cuckold-dock, beggar's-buttons, +hurrbur, stick-buttons, hardock, bardane. + +Habitat and Range--Burdock, one of our most common weeds, was +introduced from the Old World. It grows along road sides, in fields, +pastures and waste places, being very abundant in the Eastern and +Central States and in some scattered localities in the West. + +Description of Plant--Farmers are only too well acquainted with this +coarse, unsightly weed. During the first year of its growth this +plant, which is a biennial belonging to the aster family +(Asteraceae), produces only a rosette of large, thin leaves from a +long, tapering root. In the second year a round, fleshy, and branched +stem is produced, the plant when full grown measuring from 3 to 7 +feet in height. This stem is branched, grooved, and hairy, bearing +very large leaves, the lower ones often measuring 18 inches in +length. The leaves are placed alternately on the stem, on long, +solid, deeply furrowed leafstalks; they are thin in texture, smooth +on the upper surface, pale and woolly underneath; usually heart +shaped, but sometimes roundish or oval, with even, wavy, or toothed +margins. + +The flowers are not produced until the second year, appearing from +July until frost. Burdock flowers are purple, in small, clustered +heads armed with hooked tips, and the spiny burs thus formed are a +great pest, attaching themselves to clothing and to the wool and hair +of animals. Burdock is a prolific seed producer, one plant bearing as +many as 400,000 seeds. + + [Illustration: Burdock (Arctium Lappa), Flowering Branch and Root.] + +Description of Rootstock--Burdock has a large, fleshy taproot, which +when dry becomes scaly and wrinkled lengthwise and has a blackish +brown or grayish brown color on the outside, hard, breaking with a +short, somewhat fleshy fracture, and showing the yellowish wood with +a whitish spongy center. Sometimes there is a small, white, silky +tuft at the top of the root, which is formed by the remains of the +bases of the leafstalks. The odor of the root is weak and unpleasant, +the taste mucilaginous, sweetish and somewhat bitter. While the root +is met with in commerce in its entire state, it is more frequently in +broken pieces or in lengthwise slices, the edges of which are turned +inward. The roots of other species of Arctium are also employed. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Burdock root is official, and the United +States Pharmacopoeia directs that it be collected from plants of the +first year's growth, either of Arctium lappa or of other species of +Arctium. As Burdock has a rather large, fleshy root, it is difficult +to dry and is apt to become moldy, and for this reason it is better +to slice the root lengthwise, which will facilitate the drying +process. The price ranges from 5 to 10 cents a pound. The best root +is said to come from Belgium, where great care is exercised in its +collection and curing. + +Burdock root is used as an alterative in blood and skin diseases. The +seeds and fresh leaves are also used medicinally to a limited extent. + + +Yellow Dock. + +Rumex Crispus L. + +Other Common Names--Rumex, curled dock, narrow dock, sour dock. + +Habitat and Range--This troublesome weed, introduced from Europe, is +now found thruout the United States, occurring in cultivated as well +as in waste ground, among rubbish heaps and along the road side. + +Description of Plant--Yellow Dock is a perennial plant belonging to +the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), and has a deep, spindle shaped +root, from which arises an erect, angular and furrowed stem, +attaining a height of from 2 to 4 feet. The stem is branched near the +top and leafy, bearing numerous long dense clusters formed by +drooping groups of inconspicuous green flowers placed in circles +around the stem. The flowers are produced from June to August, and +the fruits which follow are in the form of small triangular nuts, +like the grain of buckwheat, to which family the dock belongs. So +long as the fruits are green and immature they can scarcely be +distinguished from the flowers, but as they ripen the clusters take +on a rusty brown color. The leaves of the yellow dock are lance +shaped, acute, with the margins strongly waved and crisped, the lower +long-stalked leaves being blunt or heart shaped at the base from 6 to +8 inches in length, while those nearer the top are narrower and +shorter, only 3 to 6 inches in length, short stemmed or stemless. + + [Illustration: Yellow Dock (Rumex Crispus), First Year's Growth.] + +The broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius L.), is known also as +bitter dock, common dock, blunt-leaved dock, and butter-dock, is a +very common weed found in waste places from the New England States to +Oregon and south to Florida and Texas. It grows to about the same +height as the yellow dock, to which it bears a close resemblance, +differing principally in its more robust habit of growth. The stem is +stouter than in yellow dock and the leaves, which likewise are wavy +along the margin, are much broader and longer. The green flowers +appear from June to August and are in rather long, open clusters, the +groups rather loose and far apart. + + [Illustration: Broad-Leaved Dock (Rumex Obtusifolius), Leaf, + Fruiting Spike and Root.] + +Description of Roots--Yellow Dock root is large and fleshy, usually +from 8 to 12 inches long, tapering or spindle shaped, with few or no +rootlets. When dry it is usually twisted and prominently wrinkled, +the rather thick, dark, reddish brown bark marked with small scars. +The inside of the root is whitish at first, becoming yellowish. The +fracture is short, but shows some splintery fibers. The root, as it +occurs in commerce, is either entire or occasionally split +lengthwise. + +The darker colored root of the broad-leaved dock has a number of +smaller branches near the crown and more rootlets. Dock roots have +but a very faint odor and a bitter, astringent taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The roots should be collected in late +summer or autumn, after the fruiting tops have turned brown, then +washed, either left entire or split lengthwise into halves or +quarters and carefully dried. Yellow Dock root ranges from 4 to 6 +cents a pound. + +In the United States Pharmacopoeia of 1890 "the roots of Rumex +crispus and of some other species of Rumex" were official and both of +the above-named species are used, but the Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) +is the species most commonly employed in medicine. The docks are +largely used for purifying the blood and in the treatment of skin +diseases. + +The young root leaves of both of the species mentioned are sometimes +used in spring as pot herbs. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +DRY SOIL PLANTS. + + +Stillingia. + +Stillingia Sylvatica L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Stillingia. + +Other Common Names--Queen's-delight, queen's-root, silverleaf, +nettle-potato. + +Habitat and Range--This plant is found in dry, sandy soil and in pine +barrens from Maryland to Florida west to Kansas and Texas. + +Description of Plant--Like most of the other members of the spurge +family (Euphorbiaceae), stillingia also contains a milky juice. This +indigenous, herbaceous perennial is about 1 to 3 feet in height, +bright green and somewhat fleshy, with crowded leaves of a somewhat +leathery texture. The leaves are practically stemless and vary +greatly in form, from lance shaped, oblong, to oval and elliptical, +round toothed or saw toothed. The pale yellow flowers, which appear +from April to October, are borne in a dense terminal spike and +consist of two kinds, male and female, the male flowers arranged in +dense clusters around the upper part of the stalk and the female +flowers occurring at the base of the spike. The seeds are contained +in a roundish 3-lobed capsule. + +Description of Root--Stillingia consists of somewhat cylindrical or +slenderly spindle shaped roots from 6 inches to a foot in length, +slightly branched, the yellowish white, porous wood covered with a +rather thick, reddish brown, wrinkled bark, the whole breaking with a +fibrous fracture. As found in commerce, stillingia is usually in +short transverse sections, the ends of the sections pinkish and fuzzy +with numerous fine, silky bast fibres, and the bark showing scattered +yellowish brown resin cells and milk ducts. It has a peculiar +unpleasant odor, and a bitter, acrid and pungent taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Stillingia root is collected in late +autumn or early in spring, usually cut into short, transverse +sections and dried. The price ranges from 3 to 5 cents a pound. + +This root, which is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, has +been a popular drug in the South for more than a century and is +employed principally as an alterative. + + +American Colombo. + +Frasera Carolinensis Walt. + +Synonym--Frasera walteri Michx. + +Other Common Names--Frasera, meadowpride, pyramid-flower, +pyramid-plant, Indian lettuce, yellow gentian, ground-century. + +Habit and Range American Colombo occurs in dry soil from the western +part of New York to Wisconsin, south to Georgia and Kentucky. + +Description of Plant--During the first and second year of the growth +of this plant only the root leaves are produced These are generally +somewhat rounded at the summit, narrowed toward the base, and larger +than the stem leaves, which develop in the third year. The leaves are +deep green and produced mostly in whorls of four, the stem leaves +being 3 to 6 inches in length and oblong or lance shaped. In the +third year the stem is developed and the flowers are produced from +June to August. The stem is stout, erect, cylindrical, and 3 to 8 +feet in height. The flowers of American Colombo are borne in large +terminal, handsome pyramidal clusters, sometimes 2 feet in length, +and are greenish yellow or yellowish white, dotted with brown purple. +They are slender stemmed, about 1 inch across, with a wheel shaped, +4-parted corolla The seeds are contained in a much compressed +capsule. American Colombo is an indigenous perennial and belongs to +the gentian family (Gentianaceae.) + +Description of Root--The root is long, horizontal, spindle shaped, +yellow, and wrinkled. In the fresh state it is fleshy and quite +heavy. The American Colombo root of commerce, formerly in transverse +slices, now generally occurs in lengthwise slices. The outside is +yellowish or pale orange and the inside spongy and pale yellow. The +taste is bitter. American Colombo root resembles the official gentian +root in taste and odor, and the uses are also similar. + + [Illustration: American Colombo (Frasera Carolinensis), Leaves, + Flowers and Seed Pods.] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The proper time for collecting American +Colombo root is in the autumn of the second year or in March or April +of the third year. It is generally cut into lengthwise slices before +drying. The price of American Colombo root ranges from 3 to 5 cents a +pound. + +The dried root, which was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia +from 1820 to 1880, is used as a simple tonic. In the fresh state the +root possesses emetic and cathartic properties. + + +Couch-Grass. + +Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. + +Synonym--Triticum repens L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Triticum. + +Other Common Names--Dog-grass, quick-grass, quack-grass, +quitch-grass, quake-grass, scutch-grass, twitch-grass, witch-grass, +wheat-grass, creeping wheat-grass, devil's grass, durfa-grass, +Durfee-grass, Dutch-grass, Fin's-grass, Chandler's-grass. + +Habitat and Range--Like many of our weeds, couch-grass was introduced +from Europe, and is now one of the worst pests the farmer has to +contend with, taking possession of the cultivated ground and crowding +out valuable crops. It occurs most abundantly from Maine to Maryland, +westward to Minnesota and Minnesota, and is spreading on farms on the +Pacific slope, but is rather sparingly distributed in the South. + + [Illustration: Couch-Grass (Agrophyron Repens).] + +Description of Plant--Couch-grass is rather coarse, 1 to 3 feet high, +and when in flower very much resemble rye or beardless wheat. Several +round, smooth, hollow stems, thickened at the joints, are produced +from the long, creeping, jointed rootstock. The stems bear 5 to 7 +leaves from 3 to 12 inches long, rough on the upper surface and +smooth beneath, while the long, cleft leaf sheaths are smooth. The +solitary terminal flowering heads or spikes are compressed, and +consist of two rows of spikelets on a wavy and flattened axis. These +heads are produced from July to September. Couch Grass belongs to the +grass family (Poaceae.) + +Description of Rootstock--The pale yellow, smooth rootstock is long, +tough and jointed, creeping along underneath the ground, and pushing +in every direction. As found in the stores, it consists of short, +angular pieces, from one eighth to one-fourth of an inch long, of a +shining straw color, and hollow. These pieces are odorless, but have +a somewhat sweetish taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Couch-Grass, which is official in the +United States Pharmacopoeia, should be collected in spring, carefully +cleaned, and the rootlets removed. The rootstock (not rootlets) is +then cut into short pieces about two-fifths of an inch in length, for +which purpose an ordinary feed-cutting machine may be used, and +thoroughly dried. + +Couch-Grass is usually destroyed by plowing up and burn ing, for if +any of the joints are permitted to remain in the soil new plants will +be produced. But, instead of burning, the rootstocks may be saved and +prepared for the drug market in the manner above stated. The prices +range from 3 to 5 cents a pound. At present Couch-Grass is collected +chiefly in Europe. + +A fluid extract is prepared from Couch-Grass, which is used in +affections of the kidney and bladder. + + +Echinacea. + +Brauneria Angustifolia (DC) Heller. + +Synonym--Echinacea angustifolia DC. + +Other Common Names--Pale-purple coneflower, Sampson-root, niggerhead +(in Kansas.) + +Habitat and Range--Echinacea is found in scattered patches in rich +prairie soil or sandy soil from Alabama to Texas and northwestward, +being most abundant in Kansas and Nebraska. Tho not growing wild in +the Eastern States, It has succeeded well under cultivation in the +testing gardens of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C. + + [Illustration: Echinacea (Brauneria Angustifolia).] + +Description of Plant--This native herbaceous perennial, belonging to +the aster family (Asteraceae), grows to a height of from 2 to 3 feet. +It sends up a rather stout bristly-hairy stem, bearing thick +rough-hairy leaves, which are broadly lance shaped or linear lance +shaped, entire, 3 to 8 inches long, narrowed at each end, and +strongly three nerved. The lower leaves have slender stems, but as +they approach the top of the plant the stems become shorter and some +of the upper leaves are stemless. + +The flower heads appearing from July to October, are very pretty, and +the plant would do well as an ornamental in gardens. The flowers +remain on the plant for a long time, and the color varies from +whitish rose to pale purple. The head consists of ray flowers and +disk flowers, the former constituting the "petals" surrounding the +disk, and the disk itself being composed of small, tubular, greenish +yellow flowers. When the flowers first appear the disk is flattened +or really concave, but as the flowering progresses it becomes conical +in shape. The brown fruiting heads are conical, chaffy, stiff and +wiry. + +Description of Root--Echinacea has a thick, blackish root, which in +commerce occurs in cylindrical pieces of varying length and +thickness. The dried root is grayish brown on the outside, the bark +wrinkled lengthwise and sometimes spirally twisted. It breaks with a +short, weak fracture, showing yellow or greenish yellow wood edges, +which give the impression that the wood is decayed. + +The odor is scarcely perceptible and the taste is mildly aromatic, +afterwards becoming acrid and inducing a flow of saliva. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Echinacea is collected in +autumn and brings from 20 to 30 cents a pound. It is said that +Echinacea varies greatly in quality due chiefly to the locality in +which it grows. According to J. U. Lloyd, the best quality comes from +the prairie lands of Nebraska and that from marshy places is +inferior. + +Echinacea is said to be an alterative and to promote perspiration and +induce a flow of saliva. The Indians used the freshly scraped roots +for the cure of snake bites. + + +Aletris. + +Aletris Farinosa L. + +Other Common Names--Stargrass, blazingstar, mealy starwort, starwort, +unicorn-root, true unicorn-root, unicorn-plant, unicorn's-horn, +colic-root, devil's-bit, ague-grass, ague-root, aloe-root, crow-corn, +huskwort. + +A glance at these common names will show many that have been applied +to other plants, especially to Chamaelirium, with which Aletris is so +much confused. In order to guard against this confusion as much as +possible, it is best not to use the common names of this plant at +all, referring to it only by its generic name, Aletris. + + [Illustration: Aletris (Aletris Farinosa).] + +Habitat and Range--Aletris occurs in dry, generally sandy soil, from +Maine to Minnesota, Florida and Tennessee. + +Description of Plant--As stated under Chamaelirium, this plant is +often confused with the former by collectors and others, although +there seems to be no good reason why this should be so. The plants do +not resemble each other except in habit of growth, and the trouble +undoubtedly arose from a confusion of the somewhat similar common +names of the plants, as, for instance, "stargrass" and "starwort." + +Aletris may be at once distinguished by the grasslike leaves, which +spread out on the ground in the form of a star, and by the slender +spikes of rough, mealy flowers. + +This native perennial, belonging to the lily family (Liliaceae), is +an erect, slender herb, 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall, with basal leaves only. +These leaves are grasslike, from 2 to 6 inches long, and have a +yellowish green or willow-green color. As already stated, they +surround the base of the stem in the form of a star. Instead of stem +leaves, there are very small, leaflike bracts placed at some distance +apart on the stem. From May to July the erect flowering spike, from 4 +to 12 inches long, is produced, bearing white, urn-shaped flowers, +sometimes tinged with yellow at the apex, and having a rough, +wrinkled and mealy appearance. The seed capsule is ovoid, opening by +three halves, and containing many seeds. When the flowers in the +spike are still in bud, there is a suggestion of resemblance to the +female spike of Chamaelirium with its fruit half formed. + +Several other species are recognized by botanists, namely, Aletris +Aurea Walt., A. lutea Small, and A. obovata Nash, but aside from the +flowers, which in aurea and lutea are yellow, and slight variations +in form, such as a more contracted perianth, the differences are not +so pronounced that the plants would require a detailed description +here. They have undoubtedly been collected with Aletris farinosa for +years, and are sufficiently like it to be readily recognized. + +Description of Rootstock--Not only have the plants of Aletris and +Chamaelirium been confused, but the rootstocks as well. There is, +however, no resemblance between them. + +Aletris has a horizontal rootstock from one-half to 1 1/2 inches in +length, rough and scaly, and almost completely hidden by the fibrous +roots and remains of the basal leaves. Upon close examination the +scars of former leaf stems may be seen along the upper surface. The +rootlets are from 2 to 10 inches in length, those of recent growth +whitish and covered with several layers of epidermis which gradually +peel off, and the older rootlets of the rootstock showing this +epidermis already scaled off, leaving only the hard, brown, woody +center. The rootstock in commerce almost invariably shows at one end +a tuft of the remains of the basal leaves, which do not lose their +green color. It is grayish brown outside, whitish within, and breaks +with a mealy fracture. It has no odor, and a starchy taste, followed +by some acridity, but no bitterness. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Aletris should be collected in autumn, +and there is no reason why collectors should make the common mistake +of confusing Aletris with Chamaelirium. By comparing the description +of Aletris with that of Chamaelirium, it will be seen that there is +scarcely any resemblance. Aletris ranges from 30 to 40 cents a pound. + +As indicated under Chamaelirium, the medicinal properties have also +been considered the same in both plants, but Aletris is now regarded +of value chiefly in digestive troubles. Aletris was official in the +United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1870. + + +Wild Indigo. + +Baptisia Tinctoria (L.) R. Br. + +Other Common Names--Baptisia, indigo-weed, yellow indigo, American +indigo, yellow broom, indigo-broom, clover-broom, broom-clover, +horsefly-weed, shoofly, rattlebush. + +Habitat and Range--This native herb grows on dry, poor land, and is +found from Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana. + +Description of Plant--Many who have been brought up in the country +will recognize in the wild indigo the plant so frequently used by +farmers, especially in Virginia and Maryland, to keep flies away from +horses, bunches of it being fastened to the harness for this purpose. + + [Illustration: Wild Indigo (Baptisia Tinctoris) Branch Showing + Flowers and Seed Pods.] + +Wild Indigo grows about 2 to 3 feet in height and the clover-like +blossoms and leaves will show at once that it belongs to the same +family as the common clover, namely, the pea family (Fabaceae). It is +an erect, much-branched, very leafy plant of compact growth, the +3-leaved, bluish green foliage somewhat resembling clover leaves. The +flowers, as already stated, are like common clover flowers--that is, +not like clover heads, but the single flowers composing these; they +are bright yellow, about one-half inch in length and are produced in +numerous clusters which appear from June to September. The seed pods, +on stalks longer than the calyx, are nearly globular or ovoid and are +tipped with an awl shaped style. + +Another species, said to possess properties similar to those of +baptisia tinctoria and substituted for it, is B. alba R. Br., called +the white wild indigo. This plant has white flowers and is found in +the Southern States and on the plains of the Western States. + +Description of Root--Wild Indigo has a thick, knotty crown or head, +with several stem scars, and a round, fleshy root, sending out +cylindrical branches and rootlets almost 2 feet in length. The white +woody interior is covered with a thick, dark brown bark, rather scaly +or dotted with small, wart-like excrescences. The root breaks with a +tough, fibrous fracture. There is a scarcely perceptible odor and the +taste, which resides chiefly in the bark, is nauseous, bitter and +acrid. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Wild Indigo is collected in +autumn, and brings from 4 to 8 cents a pound. + +Large doses of Wild Indigo are emetic and cathartic and may prove +dangerous. It also has stimulant, astringent and antiseptic +properties, and is used as a local application to sores, ulcers, etc. + +The herb is sometimes employed like the root and the entire plant was +official from 1830 to 1840. + +In some sections the young, tender shoots are used for greens, like +those of pokeweed, but great care must be exercised to gather them +before they are too far advanced in growth, as otherwise bad results +will follow. + +A blue coloring matter has been prepared from the plant and used as a +substitute for indigo, to which, however, it is very much inferior. + + +Pleurisy-Root. + +Asclepias Tuberosa L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Asclepias. + +Other Common Names--Butterfly weed, Canada-root, Indian-posy, +orange-root, orange swallowwort, tuberroot, whiteroot, windroot, +yellow or orange milkweed. + +Habitat and Range--Pleurisy-Root flourishes in the open or in the +pine woods, in dry, sandy or gravelly soil, usually along the banks +of streams. Its range extends from Ontario and Maine to Minnesota, +south to Florida, Texas and Arizona, but it is found in greatest +abundance in the South. + +Description of Plant--This is a very showy and ornamental perennial +plant, indigenous to this country, and belonging to the milkweed +family (Asclepiadaceae); it is erect and rather stiff in habit, but +with brilliant heads of bright orange-colored flowers that attract +attention from afar. + +The stems are rather stout, erect, hairy, about 1 to 2 feet in +height, sometimes branched near the top, and bearing a thick growth +of leaves. These are either stemless or borne on short stems, are +somewhat rough to the touch, 2 to 6 inches long, lance shaped or +oblong, the apex either sharp pointed or blunt, with a narrow, +rounded or heart shaped base. The flower heads, borne at the ends of +the stem and branches, consist of numerous, oddly shaped orange +colored flowers. The corolla is composed of five segments, which are +reflexed or turned back and the crown has five erect or spreading +"hoods," within each of which is a slender incurved horn. The plant +is in flower for some time, usually from June to September, followed +late in the fall by pods, which are from 4 to 5 inches long, green, +tinged with red, finely hairy on the outside, and containing the +seeds with their long, silky hairs. Unlike the other milkweeds, the +Pleurisy Root contains little or no milky juice. + +Description of Root--The root of this plant is large, white and +fleshy, spindle shaped, branching. As found in commerce it consists +of lengthwise or crosswise pieces from 1 to 6 inches in length and +about three-fourths of an inch in thickness. It is wrinkled +lengthwise and also transversely and has a knotty head. The thin bark +is orange brown and the wood yellowish, with white rays. It has no +odor and a somewhat bitter, acrid taste. + + [Illustration: Pleurisy-Root (Asclepias Tuberosa).] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root, which is usually found rather +deep in the soil, is collected in autumn, cut into transverse or +lengthwise slices and dried. The price ranges from 6 to 10 cents a +pound. + +Pleurisy-Root was much esteemed by the Indians, has long been used in +domestic practice, and is official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia. It is used in disordered digestion and in affections +of the lungs, in the last-named instance to promote expectoration, +relieve pains in the chest, and induce easier breathing. It is also +useful in producing perspiration. + +Other Species--Besides the official Pleurisy-Root there are two other +species of Asclepias which are employed to some extent for the same +purposes, namely, the common milkweed and the swamp-milkweed. + +The common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) is a perennial, native in +fields and waste places from Canada to North Carolina and Kansas. It +has a stout, usually simple stem 3 to 5 feet in height and oblong or +oval leaves, smooth on the upper surface and densely hairy beneath. +The flowers, similar in form to those of Asclepias tuberosa, are +pinkish purple and appear from June to August, followed by erect pods +3 to 5 inches long, woolly with matted hair and covered with prickles +and borne on recurved stems. The plant contains an abundance of milky +juice. + +The root of the common milkweed is from 1 to 6 feet long, cylindrical +and finely wrinkled. The short branches and scars left by former +stems give the root a round, knotty appearance. The bark is thick, +grayish brown and the inside white, the root breaking with a short, +splintery fracture. Common milkweed root has a very bitter taste, but +no odor. + +It is collected in autumn and cut into transverse slices before +drying. Common milkweed ranges from 6 to 8 cents a pound. + +Swamp-milkweed (Asclepias incarnata L.) is a native perennial herb +found in swamps from Canada to Tennessee and Kansas. The slender +stem, leafy to the top, is 1 to 2 feet in height, branched above, the +leaves lance shaped or oblong lance shaped. The flowers, also similar +to those A tuberosa, appear from July to September, and are flesh +colored or rose colored. The pods are 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, erect, +and very sparingly hairy. + +The root of the swamp-milkweed, which is also collected in autumn, is +not quite an inch in length, hard and knotty, with several light +brown rootlets. The tough white wood, which has a thick, central +pith, is covered with a thin, yellowish brown bark. It is practically +without odor, and the taste, sweetish at first, finally becomes +bitter. This root brings about 3 cents a pound. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +RICH SOIL PLANTS. + + +Bloodroot. + +Sanguinaria Canadensis L. + +Pharmacopoeial--Sanguinaria. + +Other Common Names--Redroot, red puccoon, red Indian-paint, +puccoon-root, coonroot, white puccoon, pauson, snakebite, +sweet-slumber, tetterwort, tumeric. + +Habitat and Range--Bloodroot is found in rich, open woods from Canada +south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Nebraska. + +Description of Plant--This indigenous plant is among the earliest of +our spring flowers, the waxy-white blossom, enfolded by the grayish +green leaf, usually making its appearance early in April. The stem +and root contain a blood-red juice. Bloodroot is a perennial and +belongs to the same family as the opium poppy, the Papaveraceae. Each +bud on the thick, horizontal rootstock produces but a single leaf and +a flowering scape, reaching about 6 inches in height. The plant is +smooth and both stem and leaves, especially when young, present a +grayish green appearance, being covered with a "bloom" such as is +found on some fruits. The leaves are palmately 5 to 9 lobed, the +lobes either cleft at the apex or having a wavy margin, and are borne +on leaf stems about 6 to 14 inches long. After the plants have ceased +flowering the leaves, at first only 3 inches long and 4 to 5 inches +broad, continue to expand until they are about 4 to 7 inches long and +6 to 12 inches broad. The under side of the leaf is paler than the +upper side and shows prominent veins. The flower measures about 1 +inch across, is white, rather waxlike in appearance, with numerous +golden-yellow stamens in the center. The petals soon fall off, and +the oblong, narrow seed pod develops, attaining a length of about an +inch. + + [Illustration: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) Flowering Plant + with Rootstock.] + +Description of Rootstock--When dug out of the ground Bloodroot is +rather thick, round and fleshy, slightly curved at the ends, and +contains a quantity of blood-red juice. It is from 1 to 4 inches in +length, from one-half to 1 inch in thickness, externally reddish +brown, internally a bright red blood color, and produces many thick, +orange colored rootlets. + +The rootstock shrinks considerably in drying, the outside turning +dark brown and the inside orange-red or yellowish with numerous small +red dots, and it breaks with a short, sharp fracture. It has but a +slight odor and the taste is bitter and acrid and very persistent. +The powdered root causes sneezing. + +Collection, Prices and Use--The rootstock should be collected in +autumn, after the leaves have died, and after curing, it should be +stored in a dry place, as it rapidly deteriorates if allowed to +become moist. Age also impairs its acridity. The price paid to +collectors for this root ranges from about 5 to 10 cents per pound. + +Bloodroot was well known to the American Indians, who used the red +juice as a dye for skins and baskets and for painting their faces and +bodies. It is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia and is used +as a tonic, alterative, stimulant and emetic. + + +Pinkroot. + +Spigelia Marilandica L. + +Pharmacopoeial Name--Spigelia. + +Other Common Names--Carolina pinkroot, pinkroot, Carolina pink, +Maryland pink, Indian pink, starbloom, wormgrass, wormweed, American +wormroot. + +Habitat and Range--This pretty little plant is found in rich woods +from New Jersey to Florida, west to Texas and Wisconsin, but +occurring principally in the Southern States. It is fast +disappearing, however from its native haunts. + + [Illustration: Pinkroot (Spigelia Marilandica).] + +Description of Plant--Pinkroot belongs to the same family as the +yellow jasmine, namely, the Logania family (Loganiaceae), noted for +its poisonous species. It is a native perennial herb, with simple, +erect stem 6 inches to 1 1/2 feet high, nearly smooth. The leaves are +stemless, generally ovate, pointed at the apex and rounded or +narrowed at the base; they are from 2 to 4 inches long, one-half to 2 +inches wide, smooth on the upper surface, and only slightly hairy on +the veins on the lower surface. The rather showy flowers are produced +from May to July in a terminal one-sided spike; they are from 1 to 2 +inches in length, somewhat tube shaped, narrowed below, slightly +inflated toward the center, and again narrowed or contracted toward +the top, terminating in five lance shaped lobes; the flowers are very +showy, with their brilliant coloring--bright scarlet on the outside, +and the inside of the tube, and the lobes a bright yellow. The seed +capsule is double, consisting of two globular portions more or less +united, and containing numerous seeds. + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock is rather small, from 1 to 2 +inches in length and about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness. It +is somewhat crooked or bent, dark brown, with a roughened appearance +of the upper surface caused by cup shaped scars, the remains of +former annual stems. The lower surface and the sides have numerous +long, finely branched, lighter colored roots, which are rather +brittle. Pinkroot has a pleasant, aromatic odor, and the taste is +described as sweetish, bitter and pungent. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Pinkroot is collected after the +flowering period. It is said to be scarce, and was reported as +becoming scarce as long ago as 1830. The price paid to collectors +ranges from 25 to 40 cents a pound. + +The roots of other plants, notably those of the East Tennessee +pinkroot (Ruellia ciliosa Pursh), are often found mixed with the true +Pinkroot, and the Ruellia ciliosa is even substituted for it. This +adulteration or substitution probably accounts for the inertness +which has sometimes been attributed to the true Pinkroot and which +has caused it to fall into more or less disuse. It has long been +known that the true Pinkroot was adulterated, but this adulteration +was supposed to be caused by the admixture of Carolina phlox (Phlox +Carolina L., now known as Phlox ovata L.), but this is said now to be +no part of the substitution. + +The rootstock of Ruellia ciliosa is larger and not as dark as that of +the Maryland pinkroot and has fewer and coarser roots, from which the +bark readily separates, leaving the whitish wood exposed. + +Pinkroot was long known by the Indians, and its properties were made +known to physicians by them. It is official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia and is used principally as an anthelmintic. + + +Indian-Physic. + +Porteranthus Trifoliatus (L.) Britton. + +Synonym--Gilenia Trifoliata Moench. + +Other Common Names--Gilenia, bowman's-root, false ipecac, western +dropwort, Indian-hippo. + +Habitat and Range--Indian-Physic is native in rich woods from New +York to Michigan, south to Georgia and Missouri. + +Description of Plant--The reddish stems of this slender, graceful +perennial of the rose family (Rosaceae) are about 2 to 3 feet high, +several erect and branched stems being produced from the same root. +The leaves are almost stemless and trifoliate; that is, composed of +three leaflets. They are ovate or lanceolate, 2 to 3 inches long, +narrowed at the base, smooth and toothed. The nodding, white pinkish +flowers are few, produced in loose terminal clusters from May to +July. The five petals are long, narrowed or tapering toward the base, +white or pinkish, and inserted in the tubular, somewhat bell shaped, +red tinged calyx. The seed pods are slightly hairy. + +At the base of the leaf stems are small leaflike parts, called +stipules, which in this species are very small, linear and entire. In +the following species, which is very similar to trifoliatus and +collected with it, the stipules, however, are so much larger that +they form a prominent character, which has given rise to its specific +name, stipulatus. + + [Illustration: Indian Physic (Porteranthus Trifoliatus).] + +Porteranthus stipulatus (Muhl.) Britton (Syn. Gillenia stipulacea +Nutt.) is found in similar situations as P. trifoliatus, but +generally farther west, its range extending from western New York to +Indiana and Kansas, south to Alabama, Louisiana and Indian Territory. +The general appearance of this plant is very similar to that of P. +trifoliatus. It grows to about the same height, but is generally more +hairy, the leaflets narrower and more deeply toothed, and the flowers +perhaps a trifle smaller. The stipules, however, will generally serve +to distinguish it. These are large, broad, ovate, acute at the apex, +sharply and deeply notched and so much like leaves that but for their +position at the base of the leaf stems they might easily be mistaken +for them. + +With the exception of the name American ipecac applied to this plant, +the common names of Porteranthus trifoliatus are also used for P. +stipulatus. The roots of both species are collected and used for the +same purpose. + +Description of Roots--The root Porteranthus trifoliatus is thick and +knotty, with many smoothish, reddish brown rootlets, the latter in +drying becoming wrinkled lengthwise and showing a few transverse +fissures or breaks in the bark, and the interior white and woody. +There is practically no odor and the woody portion is tasteless, but +the bark, which is readily separable, is bitter, increasing the flow +of saliva. + +Porteranthus stipulatus has a larger, more knotty root, with rootlets +that are more wavy, constricted or marked with numerous transverse +rings, and the bark fissured or breaking from the white woody portion +at frequent intervals. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The roots of both species are collected +in autumn. The prices range from 2 to 4 cents a pound. + +Indian-Physic or bowman's root, as these names imply, was a popular +remedy with the Indians, who used it as an emetic. From them the +white settlers learned of its properties and it is still used for its +emetic action. This drug was at one time official in the United +States Pharmacopoeia, from 1820 to 1880. Its action is said to +resemble that of ipecac. + + +Wild Sarsaparilla. + +Arala Nudicaulis L. + +Other Common Names--False sarsaparilla, Virginia sarsaparilla, +American sarsaparilla, small spikenard, rabbit's-root, shotbush, wild +licorice. + +Habitat and Range--Wild Sarsaparilla grows in rich, moist woods from +Newfoundland west to Manitoba and south to North Carolina and +Missouri. + +Description of Plant--This native herbaceous perennial, belonging to +the ginseng family (Araliaceae), produces a single, long-stalked leaf +and flowering stalk from a very short stem, both surrounded or +sheathed at the base by thin, dry scales. The leafstalk is about 12 +inches long divided at the top into three parts, each division +bearing five oval, toothed leaflets from 2 to 5 inches long, the +veins on the lower surface sometimes hairy. + +The naked flowering stalk bears three spreading clusters of small, +greenish flowers, each cluster consisting of from 12 to 30 flowers +produced from May to June, followed later in the season by purplish +black roundish berries, about the size of the common elderberries. + + [Illustration: Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia Nudicaulis).] + +Description of Rootstock--Wild Sarsaparilla rootstock has a very +fragrant, aromatic odor. Rabbits are said to be very fond of it, +whence one of the common names, "rabbit's-root," is derived. The +rootstock is rather long, horizontally creeping, somewhat twisted, +and yellowish brown on the outside. The taste is warm and aromatic. +The dried rootstock is brownish, gray and wrinkled lengthwise on the +outside, about one-fourth of an inch in thickness, the inside whitish +with a spongy pith. The taste is sweetish and somewhat aromatic. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Wild Sarsaparilla is +collected in autumn, and brings from 5 to 8 cents a pound. + +This has long been a popular remedy, both among the Indians and +domestic practice, and was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1880. Its use is that of an alterative, +stimulant and diaphoretic and in this it resembles the official +sarsaparilla obtained from tropical America. + +Similar Species--The American spikehead (Aralia racemosa L.), known +also as spignet, spiceberry, Indian-root, petty-morrel, life-of-man +and old-man's-root, is employed like Aralia nudicaulis. It is +distinguished from this by its taller, herbaceous habit, its +much-branched stem from 3 to 6 feet high and very large leaves +consisting of thin, oval, heart shaped, double saw-toothed leaflets. +The small, greenish flowers are arranged in numerous clusters, +instead of only three as in nudicaulis and also appear somewhat +later, namely, from July to August. The berries are roundish, reddish +brown, or dark purple. + +The rootstock is shorter than that of nudicaulis and much thicker, +with prominent stem scars, and furnished with numerous, very long, +rather thin roots. The odor and taste are stronger than in +nudicaulis. It is also collected in autumn, and brings from 4 to 8 +cents a pound. + +The American spikenard occurs in similar situations as nudicaulis, +but its range extends somewhat farther South, Georgia being given as +the Southern limit. + +The California spikenard (Aralia californica Wats.) may be used for +the same purpose as the other species. The plant is larger than +Aralia racemosa, but otherwise is very much like it. The root is also +larger than that of A. racemosa. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +MEDICINAL HERBS. + + +American Angelica. + +Angelica Atropurpurea L. + +Synonym--Archangelica atropurpurea Hoffn. + +Other Common Names--Angelica, purple-stemmed angelica, great +angelica, high angelicam, purple angelica, masterwort. + +Habitat and Range--American Angelica is a native herb, common in +swamps and damp places from Labrador to Delaware and west to +Minnesota. + +Description of Plant--This strong-scented, tall, stout perennial +reaches a height of from 4 to 6 feet, with a smooth, dark purple, +hollow stem 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The leaves are divided into +three parts, each of which is again divided into threes; the rather +thin segments are oval or ovate, somewhat acute, sharply toothed and +sometimes deeply cut, and about 2 inches long. The lower leaves +sometimes measure 2 feet in width, while the upper ones are smaller, +but all have very broad, expanded stalks. The greenish white flowers +are produced from June to July in somewhat roundish, many-rayed +umbels or heads, which sometimes are 8 to 10 inches in diameter. The +fruits are smooth, compressed and broadly oval. American Angelica +root is branched, from 3 to 6 inches long, and less than an inch in +diameter. The outside is light, brownish gray, with deep furrows, and +the inside nearly white, the whole breaking with a short fracture and +the thick bark showing fine resin dots. It has an aromatic odor, and +the taste at first is sweetish and spicy, afterwards bitter. The +fresh root is said to possess poisonous properties. + +The root of the European or garden angelica (Angelica officinalis +Moench) supplies much of the angelica root of commerce. This is +native in northern Europe and is very widely cultivated, especially +in Germany, for the root. + + [Illustration: American Angelica (Angelica Atropurpurea).] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root is dug in autumn and carefully +dried. Care is also necessary in preserving the root, as it is very +liable to the attacks of insects. American Angelica root ranges from +6 to 10 cents a pound. + +American Angelica root, which was official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1860 is used as an aromatic, tonic, +stimulant, carminative, diuretic and diaphoretic. In large doses it +acts as an emetic. + +The seeds are also employed medicinally. + + +Comfrey. + +Symphytum Officinale L. + +Other Common Names--Symphytum, healing herb, knitback, ass-ear, +backwort, blackwort, bruisewort, gum-plant, slippery-root. + +Habitat and Range--Comfrey is naturalized from Europe and occurs in +waste places from Newfoundland to Minnesota, south to Maryland. + + [Illustration: Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale).] + +Description of Plant--This coarse, rough, hairy, perennial herb is +from 2 to 3 feet high, erect and branched, with thick, rough leaves, +the lower ones ovate lance shaped, 3 to 10 inches long, pointed at +the apex, and narrowed at the base into margined stems. The uppermost +leaves are lance shaped, smaller and stemless. Comfrey is in flower +from June to August, the purplish or dirty white, tubular, bell +shaped flowers numerous and borne in dense terminal clusters. The +nutlets which follow are brown, shinning and somewhat wrinkled. +Comfrey belongs to the borage family (Boraginaceae.) + +Description of Root--Comfrey has a large, deep, spindle-shaped root, +thick and fleshy at the top, white inside and covered with a thin, +blackish brown bark. The dried root is hard, black and very deeply +and roughly wrinkled, breaking with a smooth, white, waxy fracture. +As it occurs in commerce it is in pieces ranging from about an inch +to several inches in length, only about one-fourth of an inch in +thickness, and usually considerably bent. It has a very mucilaginous, +somewhat sweetish and astringent taste, but no odor. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root is dug in autumn, or sometimes +in early spring. Comfrey root when first dug is very fleshy and +juicy, but about four-fifths of its weight is lost in drying. The +price ranges from 4 to 8 cents a pound. + +The mucilaginous character of Comfrey root renders it useful in +coughs and diarrheal complaints. Its action is demulcent and slightly +astringent. + +The leaves are also used to some extent. + + +Elecampane. + +Inula Helenium L. + +Other Common Names--Inula, inul, horseheal, elf-dock, elfwort, +horse-elder, scabwort, yellow starwort, velvet dock, wild sunflower. + +Habitat and Range--This perennial herb has been naturalized from +Europe, and is found along the roadsides and in fields and damp +pastures from Nova Scotia to North Carolina, westward to Missouri and +Minnesota. It is a native also in Asia. + +Description of Plant--When in flower elecampane resembles the +sunflower on a small scale. Like the sunflower, it is a member of the +aster family (Asteraceae). It is a rough plant, growing from 3 to 6 +feet in height, but producing during the first year only root leaves, +which attain considerable size. In the following season the stout +densely hairy stem develops, attaining a height of from 3 to 6 feet. + + [Illustration: Elecampane (Inula Helenium).] + +The leaves are broadly oblong in form, toothed, the upper surface +rough and the under side densely soft-hairy. The basal or root leaves +are borne on long stems, and are from 10 to 20 inches long and 4 to 8 +inches wide, while the upper leaves are smaller and stemless or +clasping. + +About July to September the terminal flower heads are produced, +either singly or a few together. As already stated, these flower +heads look very much like small sunflowers, 2 to 4 inches broad, and +consist of long, narrow, yellow rays, 3 toothed at the apex, and the +disk also is yellow. + +Description of Root--Elecampane has a large, long, branching root, +pale yellow on the outside and whitish and fleshy within. When dry +the outside turns a grayish brown or dark brown, and is generally +finely wrinkled lengthwise. As found in commerce, elecampane is +usually in transverse or lengthwise slices, light yellow or grayish +and fleshy internally, dotted with numerous shining resin cells, and +with overlapping brown or wrinkled bark. These slices become flexible +in damp weather and tough, but when they are dry they break with a +short fracture. The root has at first a strongly aromatic odor, which +has been described by some as resembling a violet odor, but this +diminished in drying. The taste is aromatic, bitterish and pungent. + +Collection, Prices, and Uses--The best time for collecting elecampane +is in the fall of the second year. If collected later than that the +roots are apt to be stringy and woody. Owing to the interlacing habit +of the rootlets, much dirt adheres to the root, but it should be well +cleaned, cut into transverse or lengthwise slices, and carefully +dried in the shade. Collectors receive from 3 to 5 cents a pound for +this root. + +Elecampane, which was official in the United States Pharmacopeia of +1890, is much used in affections of the respiratory organs, in +digestive and liver disorders, catarrhal discharges and skin +diseases. + + +Queen-of-the-Meadow. + +Eupatorium Purpureum. + +Other Common Names--Gravelroot, Indian gravelroot, joe-pye-weed, +purple boneset, tall boneset, kidney root, king-of-the-meadow, +marsh-milkweed, motherwort, niggerweed, quillwort, slunkweed, +trumpetweed. + +Habitat and Range--This common native perennial herb occurs in low +grounds and dry woods and meadows from Canada to Florida and Texas. + +Description of Plant--The stout, erect, green or purple stem of +this plant grows from 3 to 10 feet in height and is usually smooth, +simple or branched at the top. The thin, veiny leaves are 4 to +12 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide, ovate or ovate lance shaped, +sharp pointed, toothed and placed around the stem in whorls of three +to six. While the upper surface of the leaves is smooth, there is +usually a slight hairiness along the veins on the lower surface, +otherwise smooth. Toward the latter part of the summer and in early +fall queen-of-the-meadow is in flower, producing 5 to 15 flowered +pink or purplish heads, all aggregated in large compound clusters +which present a rather showy appearance. This plant belongs to the +aster family (Asteraceae). + + [Illustration: Queen-of-the-Meadow (Eupatorium Purpureum).] + +Another species which is collected with this and for similar +purposes, and by some regarded as only a variety, is the spotted +boneset or spotted joe-pye-weed (Eupatorium maculatum L.) This is +very similar to E. purpureum, but it does not grow so tall, is +rough-hairy and has the stem spotted with purple. The thicker leaves +are coarsely toothed and in whorls of three to five and the flower +clusters are flattened at the top rather than elongated as in E. +purpureum. + +It is found in moist soil from New York to Kentucky, westward to +Kansas, New Mexico, Minnesota, and as far up as British Columbia. + +Description of Root--Queen-of-meadow root, as it occurs in commerce, +is blackish and woody, furnished with numerous long dark-brown +fibers, which are furrowed or wrinkled lengthwise and whitish within. +It has a bitter, aromatic and astringent taste. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--The root is collected in autumn and is +used for its astringent and diuretic properties. It was official in +the United States Pharmacopeia from 1820 to 1840. The price ranges +from 2 1/2 to 4 cents a pound. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +MEDICINAL SHRUBS. + + +Hydrangea. + +Hydrangea Arborescens L. + +Other Common Names--Wild hydrangea, seven-barks. + +Habitat and Range--Hydrangea frequents rocky river banks and ravines +from the southern part of New York to Florida, and westward to Iowa +and Missouri, being especially abundant in the valley of the Delaware +and southward. + +Description of Plant--Hydrangea is an indigenous shrub, 5 to 6 feet +or more in height, with weak twigs, slender leaf stems and thin +leaves. It belongs to the hydrangea family (Hydrangeaceae). The +leaves are oval or sometimes heart shaped, 3 to 6 inches long, +sharply toothed, green on both sides, the upper smooth and the lower +sometimes hairy. The shrub is in flower from June to July, producing +loose, branching terminal heads of small, greenish white flowers, +followed by membranous, usually 2-celled capsules, which contain +numerous seeds. Sometimes hydrangea will flower a second time early +in fall. + +A peculiar characteristic of this shrub and one that has given rise +to the common name "seven-barks", is the peeling off of the stem +bark, which comes off in several successive layers of thin, different +colored bark. + +Description of Root--The root is roughly branched and when first +taken from the ground is very juicy, but after drying it becomes +hard. The smooth white and tough wood is covered with a thin, +pale-yellow or light-brown bark, which readily scales off. The wood +is tasteless, but the bark has a pleasant aromatic taste, becoming +somewhat pungent. + + [Illustration: Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens).] + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Hydrangea root is collected in autumn +and as it becomes very tough after drying and difficult to bruise it +is best to cut the root in short transverse pieces while it is fresh +and still juicy and dry it in this way. The price ranges from 2 to 7 +cents a pound. + +Hydrangea has diuretic properties and is said to have been much used +by the Cherokees and early settlers in calculous complaints. + + +Oregon Grape. + +Berberis Aquifolium Pursi + +Pharmacopeial Name--Berberis. + +Other Common Names--Rocky Mountain grape, holly-leaved barberry, +California barberry, trailing Mahonia. + +Habitat and Range--This shrub is native in woods in rich soil among +rocks from Colorado to the Pacific Ocean, but is especially abundant +in Oregon and northern California. + + [Illustration: Oregon Grape (Berberis Aquifolium).] + +Description of Plant--Oregon grape is a low-growing shrub, resembling +somewhat the familiar Christmas holly of the Eastern states, and, in +fact, was first designated as "mountain-holly" by members of the +Lewis and Clark expedition on their way through the western country. +It belongs to the barberry family (Berberidaceae), and grows about 2 +to 6 feet in height, the branches sometimes trailing. The leaves +consist of from 5 to 9 leaflets, borne in pairs, with an odd leaflet +at the summit. They are from 2 to 3 inches long and about 1 inch +wide, evergreen, thick, leathery, oblong or oblong ovate in outline, +smooth and shining above, the margins provided with thorny spines or +teeth. The numerous small yellow flowers appear in April or May and +are borne in erect, clustered heads. The fruit consists of a cluster +of blue or bluish purple berries, having a pleasant taste, and each +containing from three to nine seeds. + +Other Species--While Berberis aquifolium is generally designated as +the source of Oregon grape root, other species of Berberis are met +with in the market under the name grape root, and their use is +sanctioned by the United States Pharmacopoeia. + +The species most commonly collected with Berberis aquifolium is B. +nervosa Pursh, which is also found in woods from California northward +to Oregon and Washington. This is 9 to 17 inches in height, with a +conspicuously jointed stem and 11 to 17 bright-green leaflets. + +Another species of Berberis, B. pinnata Lag., attains a height of +from a few inches to 5 feet, with from 5 to 9, but sometimes more, +leaflets, which are shining above and paler beneath. This resembles +aquifolium very closely and is often mistaken for it, but it is said +that it has not been used by the medical profession, unless in local +practice. The root also is about the same size as that of aquifolium, +while the root of nervosa is smaller. + +Some works speak of Berberis repens Lindl. as another species often +collected with aquifolium, but in the latest botanical manuals no +such species is recognized, B. repens being given simply as a synonym +for B. aquifolium. + +Description of Rootstock--The rootstock and roots of Oregon grape are +more or less knotty, in irregular pieces of varying lengths, and +about an inch or less in diameter, with brownish bark and hard and +tough yellow wood, showing a small pith and narrow rays. Oregon grape +root has a very bitter taste and very slight odor. + +Collection, Prices and Uses--Oregon grape root is collected in autumn +and brings from 10 to 12 cents a pound. The bark should not be +removed from the rootstocks, as the Pharmacopoeia directs that such +roots be rejected. + +This root has long been used in domestic practice thruout the West as +a tonic and blood purifier and is now official in the United States +Pharmacopoeia. + +The berries are used in making preserves and cooling drinks. + + + +END OF GINSENG AND OTHER MEDICINAL PLANTS + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants, by +A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GINSENG AND OTHER MEDICINAL PLANTS *** + +***** This file should be named 34570.txt or 34570.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/5/7/34570/ + +Produced by Linda M. 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