Report of J. H. Koehler, acting president of American ginseng growers' association to the ginseng growers of America

REPORT

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Pen KOHLER

Acting President

AMERICAN
GINSENG GROWERS’
ASSOCIATION

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Ginseng Growers of America

PN oo SO
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To the Ginseng Growers of America:

Some time ago, you were sent literature regarding the AMERI-
CAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. You were sent this
either upon your own request or some mutual friend asked us to send
it to you. You were also sent an application blank and your member-
ship was solicited. Not having received your application for member-
ship, or perhaps not even an acknowledgement of receipt of the liter-
ature we naturally wonder and ask, “Why not?”

Perhaps the literature did not reach you. If such is the case,
please advise and we will be pleased to send you some more.

If the literature has reached you, then why have you not sent
in your application for membership? Certainly it can not be because
you do not favor co-operation as outlined in the literature.

If the plan of organization as outlined in the literature does not
seem to meet with your approval, which can hardly be possible, read
the literature once more. Read it not with the mind of an outsider, but
place yourself in a position as if you were already a member and see
if the points, that were not to your liking, will not become clearer.

The plan of organization has been worked out by your repre-
sentatives with the greatest of care; it represents years of study by men
directly interested—growers—and it meets with the hearty approval of
the three existing state associations—Michigan, Wisconsin and Minne-
sota—as you will see by the following:

“To the Ginseng Growers of America:—

This is to inform you that the American Ginseng Growers’
Association was organized at a meeting of delegates, the author-
ized representatives of the three live and active State associa-
tions, with a few individual growers or “‘self-appointed’’ delegates
from other parts of the country.

The meeting was called by unanimous vote of the Michigan
State Association at the Summer Meeting, Aug. 2 and 3, 1916.
The form of organization adopted was supported and approved
by the authorized representatives of all the three State organiza-
tions. It had been discussed in open meeting in two of the associ-
ations and was the plan favored by practically all of the members;
in fact, no descending vote was heard. It has been ratified by
all of the three State associations.

It is not the work of any one man or group of special
interests, but of three strong State associations acting through
their chosen and instructed representatives. As these three
States are the only ones organized at the present time, the Ameri-
can Ginseng Growers’ Association represents all of the organized
growers in America. These three organizations represent small
as well as large growers, and all have equal voice, the small
growers, if any, predominating, as they are the most numerous.
The president of the American Ginseng Growers’ Association is
not a “large grower.” The American Ginseng Growers’ Asso-
ciation is organized under the law for co-operative associations
of the State of Wisconsin. The laws under which it is incor-
porated provide full security for the rights and interests of
every member, large or small. The men in charge of the affairs

2

of the Association are not acting on their own initiative, but
were chosen by the representatives of the ginseng growers and
assigned to the duties they are performing. They are conscien-
tious, honest men, as well as men of business ability. The By-
Laws of the Association and the law under which it is incorporat-
ed contain certain provisions under which they can be “recalled”
or removed by the members if they prove unsatisfactory. As no
National Association can succeed without the support of these
three State Associations, we advise and urge you to join and
support the organization they have formed and ratified.

io Diy

Shey

Yours truly,
Michigan Siate Association of Ginseng Growers,
By (Signed) Emer L. Wilder Secretary.

Wisconsin Ginseng Growers’ Association,
By (Signed) C. S. Leykom, Secretary.

Minnesota Ginseng Growers’ Association,
By (Signed) F. C. Erkel, Secretary.

The above should be sufficient evidence and remove ail doubt
from the mind of the most skeptical. Besides, the association now
has a membership of 103, as you will notice from the enclosed circular.
All of these members approve of the form of organization, are heartily
in favor of the general movement and recognize the fact that it is the
only way out of our present deplorable condition.

To further strengthen the position of our association, we will
give you a synopsis of what took place at the annual meeting of the
Michigan State Association of Ginseng Growers, convened at Larising,
Mich., January 24-26, 1917.

Pres. C. W. Vining, in his annual address, said, “There are other
things of great moment before us today—the national association,”
and mentioned that Mr. I. B. Olney and J. H. Koehler were present
and could tell the meeting more about it. After which a general dis-
cussion followed:

(Owing to its length, we will not quote literally, but will
cover only the principal points of what each person said. How-
ever, as through the courtesy of Mr. F. B. Olney, our association
has been furnished with a complete copy of the discussion,
verifications can be made at this office..—J. H. K.)

Secretary Wilder: One thing I had in mind, in the National
movement, is securing the co-operation of growers in handling the
disease situation. If we could secure co-operation, we could handle
this problem to better advantage. :

Mr. Devlin: If we are going to accomplish anything in this
National association, we have to send a good, live man to China—a
good man like—(speaker mentioned a prominent New York middle-
man.) He has been dealing with Chinese all his life. ae)

Secretary Wilder: I understand the National association will
be a great help to us.

Mr. Pen Kirk:~ Mr. Kirk said it seemed to him, that the Na-
tional association could take up the goldenseal proposition much easier
for the reason that it is all of one grade, but expressed doubt as to its
handling ginseng, for the reason that the Chinese require different
roots at different places. He then told about his experience “in mark-

3

et” and how the New York buyers had treated him rather cool.on ac-

$

count of what he had written in the “Journal” regarding the National. J

Association. em.

Mr. F. B. Olney:- Mr. President, Gentlemen,—When a man

gets paid off, he is supposed to be discharged... I got my pay last night.
My report is right here, it consists of the prospectus of the AMERI- |
CAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION, the By-Laws andthem~
few comments that I made upon it. ee
Now, gentlemen, we have all been a little bit discouraged at the
price we have been receiving for ginseng. Perhaps it is our own fault;
we have not been, some of us, in a position to exercise the required as.
ability necessary. There are two things that are necessary to make any
kind of business a success, whether it is operated by an individual, by a
partnership, by a corporation or any other form. These two are suffi-

-

cient capital and good management. The lack of either one of these” ve

will put you down and out, and a part of good management consists
not only in caring for the product, but in the proper selling of it.

I believe that there is a market for any and all of the ginseng
that we are growing, if we can findit. There is for most anything that
is made. As an individual, we can none of us go very far, the ex-
pense would be too great. If we can get into some kind of agency or
organization, I believe that we can, in connection with proper study of
the conditions of the market, find out where one kind of root is desired
and where another kind is desired, and in that way place our products
where they are wanted.

The company, that I am interested in, has got at the present
time one thousand pounds of ginseng. For me or my partner to go
around and find a market for the different kinds of root that we have,
would use up more than we could get out of it, in expense. If, on the
other hand, we could club together with fifty other men, who have
roots to sell, and send a man who had some knowledge of marketing
conditions, he could undoubtedly dispose of our stuff, and it would not
cost as much as if we did it ourselves ; in other words, by dividing it,—
the expense of, the sale,—among the fifty, it would not be a very bur-
densome charge. One of the greatest expenses, in my idea, at the
present time is the high cost of selling our commodity. It might sur-
prise you to know that the cost of selling an article of ordinary manu-
facture, is equal to what it costs to make it.

Now then, this organization is called to your attention. It is
not an organization antagonistic to this body. There is no intention
of doing away with the Michigan Ginseng Growers’ Association or
any other State Association. It cannot take the place of them; it wants
their support and it wants to work with them. It has a field of its own.

As one of the delegates at the Chicago meeting, I will say that
the men were quite unanimous ; they did not want to form any antago-
nistic organization, they did not want an aggressive one. They did
want something that could handle our output. Your committee has
done the best it knew how; it is now up to you. The thing cannot
be carried out unless it has financial support and I hope that each one
of us present, will come forward and give us strong financial support.
I think a careful study of the By-Laws will convince you all that it is

4

put up on a fair, square basis, that everybody’s interest will be looked
after equally. Those of us who were at the meeting subscrived for a
small amount of stock. I, for one, took five shares, ***** $50 worth. We
did that for the purpose of paying the informal expenses.

Now, I feel we have to have such an organization as this, or
else we will have to quit, and I expect to take more stock. I expect to
put $500. into it, if necessary ***** not because I think it is going to pay
any dividends,—I am not looking to that part of it,—but I think it
will place the selling of the product in such shape that we will have
less trouble and we will realize more out of it. I hope, that you gentle-
men, who have had this correspondence, have looked it over carefully,
and if so, you have undoubtedly made up your minds. If there are
any questions, we will answer them the best we can.

Mr. Dressle:. What tendency do you think the joining of this
National Association will have to break up our State Associations?

Mr. Olney: I should seriously hope, that it would have none,
that, if anything, it will aid the State Associations. Your State
Association is a very necessary proposition.

Mr. Dressle:~ I have not received this paper. My impression,
that I got through letters and one thing and another, was, that in order
to be a member of the National Association, a man ought to be a mem-
ber of a State Association. If so, that would keep our State Associa-
tions going and there would be a tendency to feed our Associations in
that way.

Mr. Olney:~ That would hardly be possible, to make that limita-
tion, as there are only, I think, two or three States that have a State
organization.

Mr. Dressle:. I thought there were fifteen or twenty.

Mr. Olney:. There are growers in fifteen or twenty. If there
are any more associations than that, they are hardly alive.

Mr. Custer:. We might have the headquarters of the Associa-
tion over here. ;

Mr. Olney:. That is a very good suggestion. When I started
for Chicago, I thought perhaps we might have it organized under the
laws of Michigan, but there were some questions that came up and
we couldn’t just see how it could be worked just that way. When I
came to find out what the law was in Wisconsin, I saw, that several
provisions were better there.

I will tell you one or two little points. We didn’t want a thing
put up where it would get into the control of one or two men. It was
not a stock jobbing proposition, and it is hard to control in an ordi-
nary corporation with the ownership of stock. Under the laws of
Wisconsin, we were able to put in this section, No. 6 of Article III:
“At any regular meeting, or at any regularly called special meeting of
the stockholders of this Association, each stockholder, irrespective of
the number of shares of capital stock he may own, shall be entitled to
one vote only.” So that if you own one share of this stock, you have
one vote, and if somebody else owns one hundred shares, he has one
vote. You are on an equal basis as far as the voting is concerned.
A great many times some people are afraid that some few will go
around and buy up the controlling interest, and use it for their own

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purpose. That is made absolutely impossible in this legislation.

Secretary Wilder:. I have studied the law for co-operative as-
sociations in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. That provision, in re-
gard to one vote for each man, is common to all co-operative associa-
tions in all of the States in which I have studied. I think, wherever
they have a special law for co-operative associations, they have that
provision. But there are provisions in the Wisconsin law that I think
make it the best for an incorporation of a National organization. For
a small, local organization, our Michigan law would be best, but for a
National organization and a large one, such as we would have to have
for this business, the \VYisconsin law is undoubtedly the best thing,
and I do not believe we could form a successful co-operative associa-
tion under the Michigan law for a large National organization.

Mr. Kirk: I will be glad to hear from Mr. Koehler on the sub-
ject before I say anything.

Mr. Koehler: I prefer to hear from Mr. Kirk first. His name
appears next on the program.

Mr. Kirk: Mr. Kirk said in effect that he had been kept in
ignorance as to the progress of the Association; had been told by Mr.
Koehler not to publish certain matters regarding the Association but
which he thought should be published in his journal, for the New York
buyers had told him, that they were getting everything regarding its
progress. He said further, that he had received letters from Canadian
growers, wanting to become members, but that he did not know how to
answer these letters, for he did not know anything more about the
Association than a hog further than reading the By-Laws.

Mr. Koehler: You mustn’t believe everything that some of the
New York buyers teil you.

Mr. Kirk: Mr. Kirk told more about his sixteen days “in
Market ;” that he had seen samples come in from executive members
of the association (feeling apparently that he had been doing under-
handed work, but when he found that members of the association were
also selling, he felt relieved and justified in selling his own ginseng as
well as that of others—J. H. K.) Mr. Kirk then said, that there were
1353 buyers in New York and referred to them as a disease that the as-
sociation would have to fight; that if he could have gotten $8.00 per
pound, he would have been glad to take it, but that the buyers said no to
him and told him, “Send this stuff in through the regular way. We can’t
pay you the price unless you send it in through the regular way.”
But he said, “We have to recognize these buyers in some way, they
are hunting the market for us every day. ***** We have to deal with
them. *****They have men in their places of business that are Chinese
and we can’t ignore those men.” The Chinaman would not buy from
him; they told him, ““We cannot buy except through the regular chan-
nels.” Mr. Kirk said, “You cannot sell to a Chinaman to save your
neck.”

Mr. Kirk admitted that the association is a good thing, saying,
“The buyers will buy from them as quick as they will from an individ-
ual, rather quicker, because they like to buy in large lots, they will
give you a better price.” He admitted further, that the centralized
brotherly system of the Association in sticking together was an advan-

6

ee HK) not be gotten rid of (apparently regretting this fact.

Mr. Kirk indicated further that the buyers had a system or an
agreement that they would not overbid each other, for all offers for
his samples were exactly alike, no matter where he would go. (They
apparently saw him coming.—J. H. K.) And he indicated that the
association will have to sell to the same New York buyers, just as the
individual.

Mr. Kirk said further, “This matter of one member having one
vote doesn’t amount to anything. ***** Your officers are elected. *****
What is the voting for? ***** When there is a man to be elected, he is
elected ; it is done somehow or other, and so the voting question doesn’t
amount to anything.” (He ignores the fact that the Directors are only
servants of the members of the association and that they are not fix-
tures but subject to be removed by a majority vote, if they do not do
their duty satisfactorily.—J. H. K.)

Mr. Vining: What is your idea of our ability to get right into
the Chinese market? :

Mr. Kirk: I don’t believe we will ever be able to get into China
at all, and Mr. Koehler will agree with me. *****

Mr. Dressle: When you had those samples and went to sell
your seng, I think you said they were marked by number?

Mr. Kirk: Yes; no names to them at all. I had the names
in my pocket.

Mr. Dressle: Ihave done similar things in my nursery business.
Now, have you tried changing those numbers to find out by doing that
whether or not this thing might not have been telephoned from one to
the other?

Mr. Kirk: Oh, no, they never saw those numbers. (Must have
been blind.—J. H. K.)

Mr. Dressle: Lots of times those things are understood and
passed along by telephone in a few minutes’ time. If you changed
those numbers around, you might find out whether they were doing
that or not.

Mr. Kirk: There was only one case of that kind. I sent this
man out to find a market, and he had one peculiar sack that was colored
differently from the others and he had it down in a Chinese store. Ther
happened to be a buyer, and when that buyer came to my room and
looked at the sample, he said, “I saw that sack down in Chinatown yes-
terday.”” That was the only instance of that kind. I had every tag
sewed to the bottom of my sacks so that nobody could have seen it.
(Of course, it was impossible to see the bottom of the sack.—J. H. K.)

Mr. Dressle: So you made sure of that point?

Mr. Kirk: Yes. I was very careful not to let them get onto
that part of it.

Mr. Goodspeed: Is it your opinion, from what you saw there,
that there is a strict combination between the dealers?

Mr. Kirk: There is a unity of understanding between them.
One won’t bid against another, he won’t go into another one’s place of
business to buy.

Mr. Goodspeed: But supposing you went to one dealer and

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failed to make a sale, have you any idea that another dealer would
be governed entirely by the first dealer’s offer.

Mr. Kirk: Not unless he told him and described me secretly.

Mr. Goodspeed: I never have believed that there was any com-
bination among the dealers. There is sharp competition.

Mr. Kirk: —Seng was down from 80c to a dollar a pound when
I was to the market, except the last day, it bid up a quarter more. *****
I went toa place to bid a man good-by, and he said, “Kirk, I am feeling
pretty well today; it is up a little today.—But,” he says, “there is no
day but what I make some money in here. *****” (Of course, he had
reasons to feel good, for he was that day turning the ginseng at a pro-
fit—the ginseng you had forced upon him at a time when he did not
want it—J. H. K.)

Mr. Goodspeed: had not intended to enter into this discussion
at all, but one circumstance that happened last fall will throw light on
this matter of competition between dealers. I cannot remember just
the date, but I think it was the latter part of September, a man by the
name of —--—-————— of Kentucky sent me a sample of his ginseng
and told me how much he had. I made him an offer of somewheres
about $5.00, and I didn’t hear anything for some little time. One
Monday morning he came into my office, introduced himself, a man I
never had seen, and he told me that he had sold his ginseng in New
York. He was one of the typical mountaineers of the South,—however,
an educated man. He stayed two or three days and we got well
acquainted. He told me his experience in New York. The first man
that he struck was a dollar below the offer that I had made him. Then
he went on telling me the various offers that the different ones made
to him. He said he finally sold it to Mr. ———————— for twenty
cents on the pound more than I had offered him. But there you see
there was a $1.20 range in the competition as between those dealers, and
I know of hundreds of circumstances almost identical with that, and
they have led me strongly to believe that there was no real combination
of the dealers. As I have said many times in “Special Crops,” if there
is, I don’t know anything about it, and I certainly am not connected
with it.

Mr. Kirk: I have several other reasons that make me think
there is this combination. I don’t know that I have any positive figures
to convict them of being in an organization, but that fact, that you
cannot sell it only through the regular way, means something.

Mr. Goodspeed: There was another circumstance that might
bear on Mr. Kirk’s idea of the situation. Two or three years ago,
there was a man by the name of ———-—————, who sent out some
circulars, advertising he would pay $12.00 a pound for wild ginseng.
The Chinamen got hold of that and they immediately boycotted Mr.
—_____—_—_, and in their organization bound themselves to forfeit
$1,000. for any Chinaman that went into Mr. ————————— place of
business or bought an ounce of root of him, or bought of anybody that
had bought from Mr. —————————_. That shows there was some
combination among the Chinamen, but there was sharp com-
petition among the dealers. What the Chinamen objected to was, that
Mr. ————————— made that high price to the growers. Now the

8

Chinaman does enter into that end of it; if one of those dealers down
there in New York makes a big, extremely high price on wild roots,
the Chinamen kick up a row about it every time.

Mr. Kirk: This stuff that sold for $12.50, they sold it the next
day and got more than that for it.

Mr. Knowles: I understand Mr. Kirk says the Chinese are
going to have it and they won’t buy it only through the regular channels.
What would be the result if the growers would not give it through the
regular channels? They might as well tell them that now as to keep on
selling through the regular channels and quit after some years.

Mr. Kirk: You are right about that, but you have got to drop
pte or fourteen hundred dealers who have the market for this
stull.

Mr. Knowles: It is not necessary for a few growers to support
thirteen hundred dealers in New York. The Chinese will buy the stuff
from us, if they can’t get it from the dealers.

Mr. Kirk: I am simply stating the market as I found it and
have seen that we will either have to sell to those fellows or make a
new deal with the Chinese.

Mr. Knowles: I believe the new deal is the only deal.

Mr. Vining: We could do better if we could get sixty-five
or seventy-five per cent of the growers to come with us in this Associ-
ation. We could just tell those Chinamen they have got to buy of us.
But, of course, if we cannot get enough of them, they will stand against
us.

Mr. Rose: We wouldn’t have to say a word to the Chinamen, if
we had enough of us standing together.

Mr. Goodspeed: Do I understand there are 1300 of these deal-
ers in New York City?

Mr. Kirk: Yes, sir, and they sell to about twenty and they sell
to one.

Mr. Knowles: And they are all buying ginseng?

Mr. Kirk: They are all there. They all buy a little stock of
ginseng or a little goldenseal or something else, and it comes into a
few hands. They do not all advertise, but they will all buy.

Mr. Koehler: Mr. President, I don’t believe I have much to
say. Officially, I haven’t anything to say but what I have said in that
prospectus and a little pamphlet I have sent out recently to all those
who called for information. But I have found this,—a friend of mine
told me one time that if a man wants to know who he is and how he
stands, all he has to do is to enter into politics, or accept a position of
trust, and he will soon find out who he is and what he is. I have
found out, since you gave me this position, that I am a crook and
everything else that is bad.

The speaker, (Mr. Kirk) made the remark that he was kept in
ignorance of what is going on in matters of the AMERICAN GIN-
SENG GROWERS ASSOCIATION. I wish to defend myself there
and say that he has been given every information firsthand, everything
that has been done in this movement so far as I am concerned. He
further sarcastically said, that our By-Laws are indefinite as to the

9

part of the country we take in. I take it that Canada is on the Ameri-
can continent and is therefore included.

The speaker should, if he has the welfare of the association at
heart as he tries to make believe that he has, refer such inquiries to me,
for he certainly knows that I am in charge of the affairs of the asso-
ciation. However, as the speaker was present at every meeting until
the matter was turned over to me at Chicago, and as a copy of the
prospectus, minutes of all other meetings, etc., has been sent him,
he knew exactly what was going on. But I did ask him not to publish
the prospectus or minutes of meetings, thinking it not good business to
publish anything of this nature in a public publication and also I had
no authority to allow him to publish minutes of meetings, which are
rightfully the private property of the members of the association and
not public property The fact is, it seems the speaker (Mr. Kirk) does
not want to give any information about the association. I have received
letters from people indicating as much. One man writes:

“T have been waiting to receive printed matter and
instructions, etce., relative to the new association, as I gave in-

structions to Mr. Kirk to give you my name, as I was anxious to
become a member of the new organization.— ——”’

Mr. Kirk has never sent me such names. And has anyone ever
noticed anything in his journal indicating that he favored the associa-
tion outside of what was published by the association and paid for?

The speaker (Mr. Kirk) calls the present middlemen a disease.
Now, whenever I have said anything publicly, I think, unless I was
asleep, and I usually am not, I have never accused the middlemen, the
present buyers of ginseng, as a class of being swindlers. I have never
dealt with a fairer set of people, and I have trusted them absolutely. I
thought that some asked for a larger credit than they are entitled to. For
instance, some that are rated in the commercial report at $3,000. to
$5,000, would not accept a C. O. D. shipment. One man asked me to
entrust him with a $15,000. shipment and I did and he has treated me
fair. Once one showed a yellow streak and last fall there was a little
of that inclination with another, but I will withhold judgment. In the
latter case, the agreed price was $4.80 per pound and when the ship-
ment reached him, the claim was made that the roots were not up to
the sample. We were to blame in letting him have it for $4.00. It
was not the buyer’s fault, it was my associates’ fault. It was our fault
that it went for less than it was worth, it was not the buyer’s fault.
We do not propose, at least I, as a grower, do not propose to antagonize
any one of the present middlemen. The trouble with the growers has
been this. Many have insisted on selling them the goods when they did
not want them. Can you blame a man for buying cheap if he is not
ready to receive your goods? Who wouldn’t do the same thing ; we are
all after money. If there is anybody here that says he isn’t, I think
he is a hypocrite. ;

The speaker (Mr. Kirk) said, that I would agree with him, that
we could not sell direct to China. I do agree with the speaker, that so far
as individual growers selling their individual crops in the Orient is con-
cerned, or taking a trunk full of samples there, that that would be folly,
and not practical ; but collectively, joined in an association, there is no
reason in the world why the association can not sell its product direct to

10

the retailers in China and I say this association can and will sell ginseng
direct in China.

I admit, and I think your representative, Mr. Olney, will admit,
that our By-Laws are not yet perfect: That is why we want your co-
operation to help us make them perfect. I believe you could puncture
them all to pieces, but we did the best we could, the best we knew how
at the time. That is about all I have to say, unless you want to ask
some questions.

Mr. Kirk: By way of explanation, when I said when we have
a disease we have got to argue the matter along the line of health, I
did not mean anything that had any reference whatever to the buyers.
I did not speak of them as being a disease,—as a pest, but I did infer
that we had a market that was unsatisfactory and we have got to
argue from the line of health in the market in order to get it where we
want to get it. That is what I meant exactly.

Mr. Goodspeed: It is my desire while here to help if I possibly
can. I want to leave the convention now soon, and before I go, I
think I will tell you a little experience that I have had in selling direct
in China. I have been shipping direct to China now for twelve or
thirteen years. The only way that I have been able to sell direct to
China is by using a Chinaman at the other end of the route, for the
Chinese are opposed to dealing with foreigners. My deal is con-
summated with an Englishman. That Englishman has a Chinese
manager, and the only one that the Chinese consumer knows and rec-
ognizes in that deal is the Chinese representative over there in Fou-
chow. You have a long hard struggle before you if you expect to deal
as an American firm located in China. There are several people that
sell there on commission, and I imagine, that as an Association, you
might possibly, in the course of two or three years, by associating
yourselves with a Chinaman in China, establish a direct sale to the
Chinese. But if you go there to sell as Americans, establishing your
house there in China under the management of a foreigner, you have a
hard proposition on your hands.

Mr. Koehler: We realize that we have a hard nut to crack. I
also want to say that I agree with what Mr. Goodspeed said a while
ago. I do not believe there is any conspiracy or any combination be-
tween the buyers in this country, the so-called middlemen,—I haven’t
found any. But there is a very strong Oriental organization that we
are up against and we have slept too long. I quoted from one consular
report in our prospectus, which report was published in 1913, which
sets forth very plainly, I think in so many words, that there is such an
Oriental organization. Asa result of that organization, their produc-
tion, their output and all output, goes through one channel for the
purpose of upholding prices which they have set, thus crowding out of
the Oriental market all foreign dealers. After they have accomplished
that, they will be in a position to tell consumers over there that there
is no more “Melican” ginseng to be had. The result will be that the
prices of the Oriental product will go up and we “Melicans” will have
nothing to do with our ginseng but to make soup of it. Some seem to
be under the impression that they want our ginseng so badly tnat they
were willing to relieve us from the trouble of shipping it across the

11

water. In my opinion they have another purpose in mind, and that is,
to crowd out of the Oriental market the so-called foreign dealer and
simultaneously the American ginseng.

History tells us that the consumers have wanted our ginseng
for two hundred years, they have bought every ounce we have pro-
duced and there was never an over-production for all those two hund-
red years, and I believe that they will still buy it, if we come over
there and show them that we have the goods. For a while they might
make it hot enough for us; they will make it appear, if they can, that
we cannot sell one pound of ginseng, but even so, if we find out nothing
else, except that they do not want to buy our ginseng, we will have
accomplished something. I, for one, want to know whether it is time
to stop growing ginseng, or to go ahead. Either way will satisfy
me, but I believe I would rather see it stop altogether than go on under
present conditions.

Mr. Goodspeed: I believe that if you could only get a majority
of the ginseng growers firmly united as a solid body and then simply
lie back,—do nothing,—I believe the matter would work out and the
trade would come to you; but just so long as you have not a balance of
power, the thing is going the other way.

Mr. Kirk: ‘There isn’t any doubt about it, it is a difficult
thing to sell.

Mr. Devlin: Why should the sale of American grown ginseng
to the Chinese differ from that of other American products in China.
We have the largest pharmaceutical houses in the world in America
and I know of at least a dozen that have branch houses in China,
supplying their products by the thousand to the Chinese people.

Mr. Goodspeed: May I interrupt to ask if those branch houses
are under the control or management of foreigners, or are they im-
mediately managed by Chinese?

Mr. Devlin: They have their own offices and representatives.
They employ men who are very familiar with Chinese methods and
people, I admit that; but what I want to know is why this proposition
should differ so greatly from any other of the same kind. We are
exporting millions of dollars worth of stuff every year in China.

Mr. Goodspeed: It would not differ if you get it worked up
to the point that those other things are worked up to.

Mr. Devlin: It will never be worked up till it is started. You
have to have a starting point.

Mr. Goodspeed: Most certainly.

Mr. Devlin: Of course there is one difference in the fact that
the method of supplying it has been for a long time through Chinese
buyers in New York City and their co-called middlemen, as it is today ;
but I fail to see why an Association cannot be formed, with head-
quarters in Hong Kong, or some other real Chinese port, and transact
business direct. I would like some enlightenment on that subject, why
that should differ from any other business proposition. You all know
that we have scores of houses in this country that have branches over
there. I do business with the Chinese myself, and not through New
York at all,—have done for the past eighteen years.

Mr. Rose: I can’t see why that central house needs to be over

12

in China. If we have, say, 75 per cent of the growers with us and
make up our minds to control the market in the United States, why
couldn’t we control that market in New York just as well as to have
it over in Hong Kong? I can’t see why we want to go out of our native
country to control our market.

Mr. Koehler: My only answer to that question would be that
we have slept too long. The time may have come that that Oriental
combination can furnish the immediate demand for ginseng without our
American ginseng, and in that event, it would be necessary to prove
to the consumer that the American ginseng can be had by showing it
to them. As an individual—I am not speaking officially—as an indi-
vidual, I would say that I think our first tryout ought to be here, not
go across the water; but if they show signs that it must go over there
through the regular channels, we will go right there, go to the place
where they want the goods, and show them that the goods are to be had.
American ginseng will sell on its merit. While I was writing that
prospectus, a letter came from a high authority in China, wanting to
buy all the ginseng seed I could spare, and buy it at any price I should
ask. Why should they want that seed if our product is not the right
quality? American ginseng will sell on its merits if the selling is
properly handled.

Secretary Wilder: We certainly have not solved this problem
of market yet, but we do know that, with a centralized organization,
it can be solved. This National Association does not know yet
just the way to get the most profit in the selling of its ginseng, but
they will find out, they will study conditions the same as any other
seller ; they will go where they are getting the most for it; they will
have more of an incentive to go where they can get the most for it,
because they are producers.

Mr. Koehler: Referring once more as to whether there exists
a combination between the buyers,—the so-called middlemen of this
country: 1 really believe, had the middlemen combined, we growers
would have been better off, but their interests are not as vital as ours
as growers. We have, besides our money, our reputation at stake,—
we are considered crazy fools,—while the middlemen had nothing at
stake. I think, if they had associated in a combination, working to-
wards the upholding of prices, we would have fared better at their
hands. Somebody has referred here in a sarcastic way to these Jews.
I believe we should not use that name, “Jew,” in an antagonizing way.
The Jew is just as proud of his ancestors as we are of ours. I am
not ashamed of being a German descendant, and the Jews have a right
to be proud of their ancestors. Furthermore, I believe that this
association, after we get it going, can make no better selection of a
salesman than to employ one of those very Jews to handle our sales
for us. Get the one who has made the most money out of us, for the
man that is able to make money for himself is a good man to employ,
while the one who is not even able to make anything for himself is
not worth having.

Mr. Goodspeed: I believe that there is one way that this Asso-
ciation can be handled successfully. My idea would be, a strong or-
ganization financially to concentrate your ginseng and if a man has got

13

to sell his ginseng, needs the money, make your Association strong
enough so you can advance him, say, 50 per cent of a reasonable price
on his ginseng. Then concentrate your ginseng, get it together, don’t
be in a hurry to sell. There are so many people that want to sell just
as soon as the market opens in the fall, and when they insist upon doing
that, that knocks the price down. I believe your strength should be
along the financial line. Get in shape so you can advance a man, that
has to sell, a reasonable percentage of what your best judges would
call the value of his ginseng. Get your root together and hold it and
the Chinaman will come to you, if you get in that position; he is bound
to come to you.

Mr. Kirk: May I read a few lines of this consular report,
which will dispose of the question of the method of getting into China?
It is direct from Mr. Cunningham. He says:

“The ginseng sold in the Hankow market is dried and
clarified, and the dealers know nothing of the distinction
between wild and cultivated ginseng. The-price of ginseng is
lower at the present time than at the corresponding period of
last year or for some years preceding. The local firms rarely
import direct, but through Hong Kong firms, and as the trade is
strictly in the hands of Chinese it is exceedingly doubtful about
your being able to make any local connection for the sale of this
article in this district.”

That was my authority for saying we have got to go through
the regular channel, and we will never get into China in any other way.

(I don’t believe that is a consular report at all. I think I have
seen all consular reports regarding ginseng and never saw one like it.
I believe it is nothing but personal correspondence. What I understand
by a consular report is an official report made by our foreign repre-
sentatives through our commerce department at Washington, D. C.,
and not what someone might say off-hand to some one-horse newspaper
man in order to get rid of being annoyed by him. Further, what is
true, locally, in one district, does not necessarily govern all over China.
Still, your correspondent shows you plainly that you might establish
yourself at Hong Kong. I have heard no one say that we expect to
establish ourselves at Hankow.

This calls to mind an incident of some years ago when an ex-
consul, who apparently had a grudge against the ginseng industry of
this country, wrote to a Minnesota paper asking the publication of an
article knocking the industry and asked that other papers copy the
article so as to set the minds of the American people right on the
ginseng craze. He said that it was a fake and that there was absolutely
no sale for American ginseng in China. I made investigations and
found that in the very same year 5,000 pounds of ginseng had been im-
ported into that same city and what is more, seventy-five per cent of it
was American. So you see that sometimes these so-called consular
reports are not altogether reliable—(J. H. K.)

Consul E. Charlton Baker, in his official report to Washington,
dated March 29, 1915, after explaining how ginseng prices are manipu-
lated in China by the dealers, says:

“American ginseng producers should, if possible, have
their own agents at Hong Kong and get the business into their

14

own hands to prevent this sort of manipulation, It appears
that ginseng cannot be treated properly in America and must
be clarified, as well as graded, at Hong Kong. There is no rea-
son, however, why American dealers cannot combine to take over
the business in China and adjust prices in such a way as to en-
courage the use of their output.”

Mr. Koehler: As said before, so far as selling individual crops
direct to China, that is not at all practical. I have sold some ginseng
directly in China at $13.00 a pound, but that was not selling an entire
crop by any means. Lach little retailer has his little trade educated
up to a certain quality—a certain kind—for their wants. The moment
he offers roots that are different from those, his customer becomes
skeptical ; he thinks that it is not as good as what he is used to and he
doesn’t want it, though it may be ten times better. I have for years
sold ginseng on the Pacific Coast, at from $10.00 to $10.50 a pound
for a quality that I could not get over $5. at New York; but it must
be a certain class. But that we cannot sell direct to China at all, that
is ridiculous ; of course we can sell there. If we can’t sell it ourselves,
we can hire a Chinaman to do it for us, but under our own management

Mr. Goodspeed: I imagine that you might interest some of the
commission houses over in Hong Kong and get in touch with the trade
in that way.

Mr. Koehler: Just how these things are to be done, we are not
prepared to say officially. So far as we have gone in this National
Association movement, the management is left to a Board of Directors.
Just as soon as enough applications for membership have come in,
creating a capital sufficient so that, in the judgment of the Board
of Directors, the Association can hope to do business successfully, then
the Board of Directors will get together and agree on a working plan.
Personally, I wouldn’t care to teil you at this time my ideas in the
matter ; I don’t believe any of the Directors would ; but we would like to
hear from some of you as to how you think we should handle things.
Then your representatives will get together when the time comes and
work out these working plans. If you don’t like them, oust your
Board of Directors,—they are not fixtures,—and get somebody who
will do better.

Mr. Kirk: I believe one Board of Directors will do as well as

another. I have no objections to the Board of Directors that are in
there; do not understand me to say that I have. They are as good
business men as you can find anywhere.

Mr. Vining: Then the quicker we get to doing business and
let this Board of Directors get to work, the better. This rag-chewing
and brotherly-love talk doesn’t accomplish anything. I want to make
application for membership and take some stock.

Secretary Wilder: I believe that this Association ought to put
their official approval upon this movement.

I move that we, as an Association, approve of and adopt the
plans of the AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
and will use our influence to further it.

Motion supported and carried with no negative votes.

Mr. Olney: Mr. President, we have not any detailed working

15

plan yet of this thing. What we are offering you gentlemen, is
an opportunity to come in and help us to form a strong company,
which will be solid financially, sufficiently so to be recognized as a
business proposition, and then, after it is financed, it will be up to the
Directors to study the market conditions and decide whether they will
go to China and sell ginseng or whether they will sell it on this side
of the water—we cannot tell yet, we don’t know, we have to study the
conditions. When we have done that, then we will be in position to
map out a line of work to follow. But it is going to take constant
study to keep that up. If you are manufacturing nails, you are not
going to a grocery store to sell your goods, or to a tailor store; you are
going to a hardware store. We have to get our product through some
channel before the party that uses it. It is going to be up to the
Directors to study this question carefully and find the channel through
which we can sell it at the least expense. Another thing, we have to
study the requirements. You can’t sell a man nails if he wants gro-
ceries. If a man comes into a store and wants horse shoe nails, you
have to sell him horse shoe nails, not ten-penny spikes. If a man wants
a long, slim root, you have to sell him that. We can find, I believe,
an outlet for every kind of root we have. We can’t do it in a minute.
Whether this Board can work it out.or not, I don’t know. If we can’t
it is up to you to fire us.

The Chairman: I believe there have been some very good sug-
gestions made here. As it looks to me, I don’t see how any ginseng or
goldenseal dealer on the American continent can see anything wrong
with a movement of this kind. It is just such movements, having
been properly made and put through, that have achieved the greatest
successes in all kinds of business. See what the California Fruit
growers were up against. You can take any line of business that is
properly organized and conducted, and it is the surest and quickest
way to success. In the past, we have been divided; you might say
that the growers were in competition with one another. United, we
will stand; divided, we will fall. And I, for one, want to become a
member of the AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIA-
TION. Ihave a little money, I haven’t much, but what money I have
to spare, I am going to buy stock with.

Mr. Goodspeed: Jam here, not to take notes; I have not taken
any and I shall not go home and print anything in “Special Crops,”
excepting such as the officers of this Association may see fit to give.
I think very likely Mr. Kirk will feel the same way about it, I do not
know as to that. But I will not write up anything and have not written
up anything. I would like your Secretary, after consultation with the
Officers of the Association, to write me concerning this matter and
send me just what you like to have printed.

Mr. Koehler: In behalf of the National Association, I want to
thank Mr. Goodspeed from the bottom of my heart for the promise
he makes, not to publish anything except what is given him officially.
Your attitude is appreciated, Mr. Goodspeed.

Mr. Goodspeed: Thank you.. I will say in addition to that,
“Special Crops” is open to this Association and to the National Asso-
ciation at any time; there is no charge for advertising, or anything

16

else ; it is open to you; that is, so long as you do not call one another
names, or anything of that kind.

Mr. ioehler: The reason why I appreciate your attitude is
this: until we, as Directors, get together and frame definite working
plans, if we all talk in a haphazard way, our ideas are bound to differ
and by talking too freely about our ideas, we are liable to cross our
wires and cause suspicion and shatter confidence in place of establishing
confidence, and, gentlemen, confidence, between the growers and their
association, is what we need, or our undertaking is not going to be suc-
cessful. You all know that there is bound to be some difference of
opinion among men, and it is always better that they get together in a
small circle and thresh out their differences among themselves and then
come out with one idea.

Mr. Dressel: I look at this talk to be something like when we
are in Scripture reasoning. We seem to differ considerably, but
after all, when you come to simmer it down, we are all after the
same point where we want to agree to join in this thing and go ahead
in backing up this Association.

Mr. Warren: I can’t see but what the results are pound to
be satisfactory and the proper thing now is for each one of us to come
up, make application for membership and subscribe for stock in this
thing and get your neighbors to do it also. I will take $100. worth
of stock in this proposition, and I want to do it because we, as growers,
are down and out unless we do something. And if we can get 60 per
cent of the growers together, we can do something. It may be con-
siderably later before we are able to handle any of our root; in the
meantime we are at liberty to sell our root as best we can.

Mr. Goodspeed: ‘There is a possibility of merging the New
York buyers with you.

Mr. Koehler: That can all be considered when we come to the
point of doing business.

Mr. Custer: (Called upon) I have been listening to this
discussion and, personally, I haven’t got a great deal out of it. There
has been a good deal said. For the last five years, I have been attend-
ing these sessions and working and taking notes and suggestions and
even paying out money for men that were investigating diseases and
so on, and we started in with quite a fine prospect of ginseng. There
must be something in our soil that seems bound to bring us down and
out. It wouldn’t be any use for me to go into this Association until
you can insure me that I can raise ginseng in some way; I have done
all in my power to raise it and I can’t do it.

Mr. Koehler: 1 would like to say in answer to that, that so
far the talk has been on lines which indicate that this is only a selling
organization. It is not. In fact, I believe, that a very important
point is, that we may co-operate in methods of growing and over-
coming our troubles in the growing of the plants as well. We all
know we cannot hope to sell an inferior article at a big price. We will
have to have the right product in the first place, and, collectively, we
can of course handle those diseases much better than we can indi-
vidually.

Mr. Vining: There is one point that has not been touched on.

17

I rather think, from reading the literature that I got from Mr. Koehler,
that it is proposed, after receiving subscriptions for stock, that if the
Board of Directors finds it is impossible to go through with this thing,
that our money comes back to us, except such amount as is necessary to”
defray expenses up to that time.

Mr. Koehler: Yes, that is the idea. You see, we didn’t know
whether this thing could be pulled through and we thought it necessary
to make a provision of that kind. There is no use in our trying to do
business with a few hundred dollars; it simply couldn’t be done. It
was advocated by some, that capital was not needed, but I never saw
yet in any other business, that anything could be done without capital.

Mr. Brigham: This talk has all been about ginseng. Does it
include goldenseal, too?

Mr. Koehler: Oh, yes; it is mentioned in the By-Laws, ginseng
and other medical plants. We made that very broad so that we can do
most anything.

Mr. Brigham: My interest is so small that I don’t know that
I ought to say anything. But it seems to me that you have a pretty
large proposition when you undertake to organize the ginseng growers,
especially to control the market. While I believe this movement is
right and that it ought to be worked out, still you will have to think
the matter over pretty carefully and have your plans pretty well laid,
and it seems to me, you must have some arrangement, whereby, if
necessary, the ginseng, belonging to growers, can be held for one or
two years, until they know that they over there have to buy it through
the Association and there must be enough of it in that body to make it
an object. If you haven’t a method of holding it for one or two years,
you cannot do that.

Mr. Goodspeed: I have ginseng in my home that has been
there for a year and a half; I have somewhere from fifty to sixty
barrels there that do not belong to me; it is held in trust for different
individuals. If your Association gets onto its feet and gets the con-
fidence of growers, I do not believe you will have a particle of trouble
along that line. The grower of ginseng is of greater intellignce than
the average farmer. If he is assured of getting benefits in the end,
he is not-afraid of holding his product even for one or two years, if
you can show him any good reason. If this Association gets on its
feet and gets the confidence of the growers, I believe 75 per cent of
the growers will be perfectly willing to trust their product in the hands
of their own Association. I think it is true, that a large percentage of
the growers would be financially in position to hold their product. But
my idea is, that this Association should be sufficiently strong so that,
if the grower must have it, it can advance him a certain per cent of the
value of his ginseng.

The Chairman: If the ginseng output for one year, say,—start
in with the 1917 crop, hold that back,—supposing we are sufficiently
organized by the first of next September so that there will be 7 5) per
cent of the 1917 ginseng crop to be held in trust with this National
Association, the chances are that, if 75 per cent of the American gin-
seng crop is held in one place, there will be somebody looking after it
and wanting to know why they are not getting hold of it. For my

18

part, I do not believe we would have to go without selling our ginseng
more than one year, and my opinion is that, by doing so, we would be
mighty well paid for hanging onto it; that we would get mighty big
interest for our money. But we can’t do anything unless we all stand
together.

Mr. Koehler: It is very true, as Mr. Goodspeed suggests, that
we ought to be in position to advance a small percentage on the crop
of small growers. I advocated that in Wisconsin, but it was claimed
we could not get sufficient capital interested. However, I think that
if we would show the dispensaries of credit that the Association in-
tends to do business strictly along business lines, we will have no trouble
borrowing from the banks. These banks are in the market to loan
money, they want to loan it and get the interest. When we have a
million dollars worth of ginseng stacked up somewhere and they know
we are doing business along business lines, we will get some money.
The farmers are getting it on their wheat certificates.

Mr. Kirk: Mr. President, this idea is all right and charitable,
but there is another question involved. If a man has good, first class
ginseng that will sell well, the Association doesn’t need to hold it; it
will sell on its merits. It is only the inferior product that is likely to
pile up. However, I don’t think this matter of holding up the stuff
of poor growers would bother us very much.

Mr. Goodspeed: My idea would be that the price the root
should be sold for should be left absolutely with the Board of Directors.
The grower, if he throws his root onto this Association to be handled,
I do not believe he should fix the prices, because I do not see how that
could work out at all. I think the good root should be held identically
with the poor root and when your executive committee should see
fit to sell, why, sell the two kinds of crops.

Mr. Koehler: There would be no first or last so far as the
small or the large growers are concerned. The price would have to
govern that.

The Chairman: Sure. When the price is right to sell, the
stock on hand should go.

Mr. Koehler: For instance: if we have, say, ten grades. If
one or the other grade sells more readily, we will know that we should
raise the price on those grades; supply and demand would govern.
I believe as Mr. Goodspeed, if you are going to do any business, you
should leave the fixing of prices with your Board of Directors.

Mr. Brigham: I agree with that, but evidently there will have
to be some means of taking care of this root until it is sold. I also
think that committee should not be too large a committee.

The Chairman: As I understand the proposed By-Laws of the
Association, the Board of Directors is empowered to do all those
things. We are trusting to their best judgment.

Mr. Koehler: That should be thoroughly understood, when you
become a member of this Association, that you have left the manage-
ment of its business to the Board of Directors, and if you do not like
the present Board of Directors, oust them and put in another Board.

Mr. Kirk: If a man had all his money in this Association and

19

the Association didn’t see fit to let him have it back, he would be hard
up.

Mr. Goodspeed: He should consider that before he submits
himself to the Association.

(That is where you, if you are a member, get busy with your
vote, Mr. Kirk. Not, however, to vote whether, or when, a certain
crop of roots shall be sold, or at what price it shall be sold. All that
you have left to your representatives. But if your representatives do
not do their duties properly—do not conduct the affairs of the Associa-
tion to the best interest of its members, whose servants they are,—then
you vote to oust them and to put others in their places. This will per-
haps set your mind at rest as to what voting is for. I think I have
heard or read where you have ridiculed and asked what voting is for,
and said that voting is unnecessary.—(J. H. K.)

Mr. Vining: Suppose I am a member of the Association and
I have a bunch of ginseng and I need the money and some of the
present middlemen say, “I will pay you a certain price,” and that price
was very attractive and I sell to him, being still a member, what does
the Association do to me?

Mr. Koehler: We would proceed against you according to the
terms of our By-Laws.

Mr. Vining: Under the By-Laws, I have obligated myself to
pay into the treasury of the Association ten per cent of the amount
received for such sale and in addition thereto such other expense as
the Association may have incurred in attempting to effect a sale of the
product sold.

Mr. Koehler: Yes, perhaps we can afford to allow you to do
that. But in extreme cases, you also forfeit all interest in any product
that you may have in the custody of the Association, as well as your
shares of the stock. Or, if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors,
it becomes apparent, that your application for membership was made
with the intent to secure stock in the Association to its detriment, you
have authorized the Board of Directors to cancel your stock certificate
and return to you the money paid for it. So you see that you can be
ousted.

Secretary Wilder: I don’t believe there will be any trouble in
regard to advances, if we get the Association on a business basis,
where the members will be able to get what money they need, where
they will be able to borrow at the banks, if necessary, on their crops.
That is one thing that has bothered ginseng growers, the ginseng
business has not been on a business basis.

The Chairman: There is one little point that has not been men-
tioned. With the Association we would be sending our roots to men
empowered by ourselves to handle them. Heretofore we have been
shipping to strangers. Sometimes our roots have been entrusted to
men whose financial responsibility is less than the value our roots re-
presented. I am sure I would have more confidence in entrusting my
crop of ginseng and goldenseal to men I helped empower to handle it.
For, I am part of the organization.

Mr. Koehler: You are simply trusting yourself.

20

Mr. Goodspeed: I want to thank you for the cordial greeting
you have given me. Iam glad to have met with you and I hope at some
future time we will meet again. Iam very glad to have met you.

(Recess of a few minutes to bid Mr. Good-
speed good-bye. )

Mr. Koehler: In regard to the prospects for the success of the
AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION, I am pleased
to be able to report that they seem good. Less than one month ago,
the first prospectus, By-Laws and application blanks were sent out and
already thirty-six applications for membership have come in, together
with payments for shares of stock.

You will perhaps recall, that in our prospectus and in “Special
Crops” it is mentioned, that it was a man’s size proposition and one
requiring brains and push to put it over, and the question came up,
whether we might have available material of this kind among the
growers. In this connection it might be said, that could you be at my
office and read some of the letters that are coming in, I assure you, you
would have no further doubt. I find that we have the finest kind of
material. It is most remarkable, the talent that is displayed in the way
of wit, humor and sound business sense. Yes, it makes me feel as
though I have to step aside and let someone else who knows how do
the work. In fact, it seems as though everybody is working.

It would seem from some correspondence that some of the
growers had an idea that this Association was to be solely a marketing
organization. It this connection it might be said that the intentions
are to co-operate not only in marketing, but to cover all phases of the
business of growing ginseng and goldenseal from the seed to the ma-
tured root.

One or two inquiries have come in asking how the Association
proposes to manage its business. This question is answered in the
prospectus and in the By-Laws. Furthermore, all questions of that
kind will receive prompt attention when asked, whether by letter or in
person. It might be added, however, that whatever will be done will
be done strictly along the lines and in accordance with good business
principles. Absolutely no fogie methods will be followed.

Gentlemen, the prospects are good. I think the eyes of the
growers of America are on this meeting today ; they are waiting to see
what is done here. The applications to date have not come in from
Michigan as much as from other States and I think the growers of the
other States are waiting to hear what you are going todo. They knew
this matter was to be discussed here. The applications so far are
from Wisconsin, 17; Minnesota, 6; Indiana, 3; Missouri, 2; Michigan,
2; Ohio, 1; West Virginia, 1; South Dakota, 1; Kansas, 1; North
Carolina, 1 ; Tennessee, 1.

Mr. Vining: It is quite a compliment to you that you are getting
so many applications from your home State; it looks as if you had the
confidence of your fellow growers. If you had had only one applica-
tion from Wisconsin, I should have been a little suspicious. You are
evidently not as big a crook as certain sources would have us believe.
I want some stock.

21

Mr. Koehler: When it was announced in our home paper, that
Koehler had been appointed to put into effect this National Association,
* one grower came in and said, “I want some stock, $50. now and $50.
later on.” He has a little garden in the back of his lot in the city of
Wausau.

The Chairman: I suggest that the time is ripe, there is no
time like the present, fellow growers, to get busy and fill out the neces-
sary blanks and come across for as much stock as our means will allow.

Mr. Koehler: 1 suggest that you make your applications and if
you haven’t the money today, you can remit it promptly upon your
arrival home. It is the intention to follow up the literature, that has
been sent so far, with some follow-up literature and I want in that
literature to be able to say by whom applications have been made and
how much has been subscribed. I think that will help wonderfully to
establish, and in some cases to re-establish, confidence.

The Chairman: And if, for instance, one man takes one or two
or three shares and wants to take more later on, that should be men-
tioned. I want to take some now and more later. I want to have my
amount of shares consistent with my means and with the size of my
garden or the income from my garden. If every grower here would
do that same thing, there would be no trouble getting enough money.

Mr. Koehler: To those who are coming in, we want it under-
stood, that the books will be thrown open and shown to any member. As
to my personal business integrity, as well as financial responsibility, I
am pleased to be able to refer you, by permission, to the National Ger-
man. American Bank of Wausau, Wis. I could refer you to a half
dozen other banks, but as I do most of my banking business with this
bank, it should be in better position to give you reliable information.
Those of you who are conversant with business methods, know how this
is done. And those of you who are not, go to your home banker and
if your own credit is good, he will be pleased to find out for you whether
or not Koehler is a crook.

You simply need to sign the application blank and turn over
$10. for every share you subscribe for. We prepared application
blanks in duplicate so you can keep a copy and know what you have
done. Checks should be drawn payable to J. H. Koehler, Acting
President.

(A recess followed during which fifteen of those present, who
had money with them, made application for membership, subscribing
for a total of thirty-seven shares and others promised to send in their
application immediately upon their arrival home.

It should perhaps be mentioned that Mr. L. B. Hetrick, of In-
diana, who, it had been announced, was to be present at the Lansing,
Michigan, meeting and take part in the discussion of the National
Association, did not attend in person, but was represented by an able
paper, bringing out some vital points, indicating that he is heartily
in favor of co-operation. Of course, Mr. Hetrick is a member and
naturally would be in favor of it, unless he wished to be termed a
drone or a traitor, and we know he is not of that kind.

22

A high authority on co-operative associations defines a drone as
a grower who joins a co-operative organization and then refuses to
patronize it, and adds: “He can not even excuse himself on the ground
of bad management, for it is his duty to help secure proper conduct of
the business.”

___ And the same authority defines a traitor as being a “man who
joins a co-operative enterprise and then, through subtle ways, endeav-
ors to obstruct its progress and defeat its purposes.”

But as said before, we know Mr. Hetrick should not be a man
of that kind.

We would have been pleased to quote Mr. Hetrick’s paper
literally, but owing to its length (containing about 3000 words), we
had to refrain from doing so. But if anyone is interested, we will,
upon request, be pleased to prepare and mail a typewritten copy. It
is good reading and should have the tendency of making an association
enthusiastic of the one reading it—(J. H. kK.)

PROGRESS

The progress of our association is quite gratifying. It is only
three months ago since the first Prospectus, By-Laws and application
blanks were sent out and already 103 applications for membership and
shares have come in, subscribing for from one to ten shares each. The
total shares subscribed for up to the date of this writing, April 1, 1917,
is 190 shares. The applications are coming from North, East, South
and West; growers from seventeen different states and two provinces
of Canada have become members.

This growth, we feel, is very gratifying considering the adverse
conditions under which we have been working. The growth may not
have been as rapid as some may have expected; but to us, it is very
encouraging. An undertaking of this magnitude could hardly be ex-
pected to be pulled off without serious opposition. We should not ex-
pect that the middlemen, who have annually, for the past two hundred
years, pocketed the snug sum of about one half million dollars in profits
on ginseng and goldenseal, would step aside and let the growers have
this “rake off’? without most serious protest. They want that “rake off”
to continue for themselves and we cannot blame them. But the grow-
ers are more justly entitled to it. They can get it, and more too; it is
within their reach. United effort through co-operation in the AMERI-
CAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION is the way to get it.
And it 1s the only way.

There are said to be about 4000 people in the United States
and Canada who are more or less interested in the culture of ginseng
and goldenseal. We have so far only a small portion of these names.
Help us to come in contact with all of them by sending us the names
and addresses of all growers you know of so that we may send them
literature relative to our association. Many have done this, why not
you also? By doing this, you will do them, as well as yourself, a favor.
The benefit will be mutual.

Do not fear that names of growers you may send us will be used
for any other purpose than for the promotion of our, your, association.

23

They will not be used for personal gain. If you ever find that the
names you send to your Acting President are being willfully used for
personal gain, for the purpose of selling ginseng nursery stock, you
are hereby not only permitted, but requested, to say so publicly. This
statement should give you ample protection ; for if violated, it will give
you a clear case of breach of trust against your Acting President, which
you would have no trouble to make “stick” legally. For, if you will
make commercial investigations, you will find that your Acting Presi-
dent is amply responsible, financially, for anything he does and says.

If you have the welfare of our, your, association at heart, send
us names of growers. The writer has contributed his own list of about
three thousand names, which will perhaps mean a personal loss to him
of several thousand dollars. But he is gladly making this sacrifice for
the general good of the cause. Others have contributed their per-
sonal mailing list. All State Associations have sent their list of
members; the Ontario Ginseng Growers’ Association of Canada has
also sent us a list of its members.

Another loyal friend of the growers, who has the welfare of our
association at heart, has recently promised to furnish ts a list of two
thousand names.

CANADIAN GROWERS WANTED AS MEMBERS

The question has been asked whether ginseng and goldenseal
growers residing in Canada can become or are wanted as members of
this association, and as there may be others who do not even write us,
we wish to explain, for the benefit of all, that Canadian growers are
most welcome to join us in this movement. In fact, it is apprectated
that they approve of our oragnization and show their willingness to
join us in this undertaking. The name of the association, we thought,
would be sufficient to indicate that Canadian growers are welcome as
members, it being the American Ginseng Growers’ Association, and
Canada is in America. So, come ahead, neighbors, send us your name
and postoffice address and we shall be pleased to furnish you literature
and application blanks.

ALLOWED TO SELL ROOTS

Another question has come up. Some have written that they
heartily approve of the movement, wish to become members of the
association, but as it is indefinite when the association might be ready
to accept their patronage, they did not wish to bind themselves at this
time, for they have roots which they might want to sell before the
association becomes active.

In answer to the above, we had thought that the minutes of the
Chicago meeting contained in the pamphlet with the By-Laws would
imply that no member can be bound by the By-Laws while the associa-
tion is still in a tentative form. It is plainly stated in the minutes on
page 13 of the pamphlet that the association is not to become active
until enough members have come in, creating a capital sufficient, so that
in the judgment of the Board of Directors it can hope to do business
successfully. And certainly as long as the association 1s not in posi-

2

tion to accept the patronage of a member, such member could not be
legally or morally held by the By-Laws.
However, to remove ary doubt, your Board of Directors has
taken the following action in the matter:
i Whereas, It is not clearly stated in the By-Laws of
this Association whether or not members, during the time while
the association is still in a tentative form, shall be allowed to

ces their product through channels other than this association,
an

Whereas, It could hardly be expected that members
hold their product until this association becomes active and in
position to accept the patronage of such members, be it

Resolved, That so long as this association is in a tentative
form and not in position to accept the patronage of its members,
that each and every member be allowed to market their product
through channels other than this association.

So those of you, who have been in doubt as to the above ques-
tion and have hesitated to become members at this time on that account,
need not hesitate any longer.

WILL JOIN LATER

Some few inquiries have been received at this office saying in
effect that they approve of the movement, and while they do not wish
.to become members at this time, they will come in later on. To such
we would like to say and ask the question, “Did it ever dawn upon you
that if all the growers acted thus, that there would, and couid, be no
association for you to join?” If this movement should fail to be a
success, it will be on account of those of you who have been hanging
back and waiting to see what the other fellow will do. Of course,
such hanging back is to be expected. It is so in most undertakings.
Still it should not be so in this undertaking. For no one member is to
receive any special benefit. The benefit will be mutual. Everyone will
benefit alike. Absolutely no one is feathering his own nest. It seems
that some have the idea that they are being “worked” for their money,
while the fact is, those of us who are promoting this movement are
working for you, for your interest; we are your servants. Through
your representatives at Chicago, you have asked us to do this. Why
should you then hang back and retard the progress? Do you not think
you are a queer boss, tell us to do something and then refuse to act
according to your dictation?

From the above paragraph you might get the impression that the
growers are not taking hold of this thing very readily. But such is not
the case. While the fact that some people are hanging back is in a way
discouraging, we also have other growers who come to the front
promptly, which more then offsets the other kind.

For instance, one member, recently, wrote to us as follows:

“Enclosed you will find my application for membership
and remittance, $50.00, for five shares of stock. I must say
that this association will be a great help to ginseng and golden-
seal growers.’ Adding, “I have never sold any roots yet and
have never been tricked. im

You will note here is a grower who has just started a ginseng
garden and the first thing he does is to look out fora market. He has

25

nothing to sell at the present time, does not expect to have anything for
three or four years, yet he prepares for the future. Do you not think
that some of you older growers, who have roots piled up ready for the
market, should take a little more lively interest in this matter ?

._.,» DISTRUST OR LACK OF CONFIDENCE

For some reason or other, it seems there exists a certain distrust
or lack of confidence in the minds of some of the growers. It seems
they have not full confidence in the honesty, business integrity or finan-
cial responsibility of those active in the promotion of our association.
That this, if allowed to spread, is liable to prove a serious handicap in
the association’s progress, retard its growth and prolong the time of its
becoming active, can hardly be doubted.

For instance: One grower writes in a sarcastic way: “Iam too
_/tupid to see how you are going to raise a lot of money and not tell
the growers what you are going to do with it. ” We presume
this grower meant no harm, but the trend of his letter indicated to us -
that we did not have his confidence. We further presume that his
mind had been poisoned against us by the slander of our opponents,
who, in their efforts to hinder the progress of our association, are work-
ing hard and who, with a sanctimonious air, under tte guise of the
“good shepherd,” continuously preaching “brotherly love,” are resorting
to all sorts of subtle means, hoping in their despair that they might
defeat our purpose. In order to lend prestige to their contentions, they
even quote scripture to substantiate their claims. But when investigated,
their motives are found to be purely selfish.

The writer does not at all object to the knocking of our oppon-
ents; for, he believes, that the knocker is really our best advertiser. A
fair minded person will not be influenced by a knocker. Henry Ford’s
automobiles are being ridiculed at every turn; it is the best and cheap-
est advertising Mr. Ford gets. The more people knock, the more auto-
mobiles he sells. But in our case it might have the tendency of retarding
the progress for a time.

We touch upon this subject fearing that there might be others
who harbor such distrust and knowing that, if such should be the case,
it might retard the progress of our association, we wish to invite and
urge investigation to assure yourself of the business integrity, as well as
financial responsibility of your representatives.

As at present, while the association is still in a tentative form,
the writer, your Acting President, is above all the one you are asked
to trust, you should, for the welfare of our association, as well as for
your own welfare, as a grower, make investigation of his standing. It
is an easy matter to do. If you are not familiar with the customary
method of finding out one’s honesty, dishonesty or business ability, let
us assist you by telling you how such things are done. You go to your
local banker, your lawyer or merchant, (the banker is the better, for
the lawyer will perhaps charge you a fee, while merchants often do
not know how to proceed in the matter and as it is not in their line of
business, they are likely to be careless and give you their individual
opinion simply to get rid of you.) But go to your banker. If your
own credit is good, he will be more than pleased to find out for you the

26

standing of the person whom you are asked to trust, no matter where
that person may be, whether in this or some foreign country.

So if you harbor any doubt as to the business integrity, etc., of
your representatives, please make the proper investigations.

Your Acting President is pleased to be able to refer you, by per-
mission, to the National German American Bank of Wausau, Wiscon-
sin. You may also inquire of any of the following: First National
- Bank, Marathon County Bank, Citizens State Bank and Wisconsin Val-
ley Trust Co., all of Wausau, Wis., but as most of his business is being
done through the first named bank, that institution should be in better
position to give you reliable information. He could also refer you to
Chicago banks, as well as banks on the Pacific Coast, but the above
should suffice.

Please do not think that the writer feels in any way slighted,
because people, who do not know him, should harbor distrust. But
before letting such a thing keep you from helping yourself, by joining
the association, make investigations and thereby do yourself, as well as
other growers, a favor.

WHAT MONEY RAISED FOR SHARES IS TO BE USED FOR.

This question is answered in part in the Prospectus and By-
Laws. But in order to give more light on the subject, it might be
stated that the first thing that money will have to be used for after
enough has come in, so that, in the judgment of your representatives,
our association can hope to do business successfully, is for the purpose
of making investigations of the market. This may necessitate sending
a man or a delegation of men to China. The fact is, some growers
have already written us, saying in effect that we should waste no time at
all in making investigations on this side of the water, but go to the seat
of our trouble, to China, at once. The writer agrees with them, for as
the market for ginseng is in China, that is the only logical place to in-
vestigate. But what some few of us think the best way of procedure,
_will not govern. It is a matter for your Board of Directors to settle.
And your Board of Directors, having no desire of spending their own
money and that of a few growers in a hopeless effort, will not meet to
discuss this matter until enough applications for membership have
come in, creating a capital sufficient, so that the association can hope
to do business successfully after the investigation of the market has
been made.

The writer wishes to assure you that he will endeavor to conduct
the affairs of the association in such manner that, whatever will be the
outcome, no one may have reason to point at him with scorn or shame,
except perhaps our mutual enemy and in his case, we would suggest
that when he does the pointing, he should stand before a mirror to see
whom he is pointing at.

This may look rather gloomy to some of you, but not so to us.
“Just cheer up, the worst is yet to come.”

RULES: TOO STRICT

Some few have written us indicating that the rules of our associ-
ation as set forth in our By-Laws are too strict. With all such we

27

wish to plead most earnestly and ask them to try to get out of their
mind that an association of this magnitude can be conducted without
strict rules based on sound business principles. Strict rules avoid all
future controversy and disagreeabilities, where on the other hand,
flimsy or fogie rules lead to failure.

___ Let us profit by what others have done. We are not leaders
in this co-operative movement. The California fruit growers, for in-
stance, through their patient efforts covering a period of about twenty
years, have developed a most remarkable co-operative marketing asso-
ciation. It is said, that in 1892, the farmer, who is now president of the
California Fruit Growers’ Exchange, sold his oranges at 10c a box. It
had cost him 50c to raise them. Through co-operation, the growers
have eliminated the unnecessary middlemen and while in spite of the
production of fruit having increased manifold, the growers, through
intelligent co-operation, are today receiving a very handsome profit for
their labor.

And talk about strict rules! Members of that association bind
themselves by an “iron-clad’ contract, agreeing to market their crop
through the association. And failure to do so, gives the association
not only the right to exact a fine, but under the contract the association
is legally authorized to enter the orchard of its members, at the mem-
ber’s expense harvest the fruit and sell it.

That association, in its early days, undoubtedly also tried out
the “brotherly” method, but it was not until after it adopted strict
rules and conducted its affairs along the lines of sound business princi-
ples that its undertaking became a success.

ARE THE GROWERS IN NEED OF AN ASSOCIATION?

Some few seem to be of the opinion that no association is neces-
sary. We hardly know how to answer; for, anyone who has given the
matter any thought, cannot help but come to the conclusion that the
growers are in most urgent need of an association.

Co-operation in marketing should appeal to every one, especially’
to the smaller grower. Have you ever noticed how a buyer will slight
a small lot of roots, from a few pounds to a hundred pounds? You
tell him about it and he will say: “It is hardly worth bothering with,
but you send them in and we will pay you a good price,’—the good
price part being left entirely to the buyer. If, however, all these small
lots were put together at one central point, they will make a large lot
and the buyer will be very glad to give it the proper consideration.

Marketing these small lots individually has another more serious
bad feature. It has a tendency to lower the price of ginseng in general,
which comes about partly because the buyer cannot afford to trouble
buying up these small lots separately, except at a low price, and also it
is as a rule the small grower who first loses his courage in times of a dull
market and he Jets go at any old price and congratulates himself for
being lucky enough to dispose of his roots before the bottom dropped
out entirely and before the Chinese quit using ginseng altogether. The
result is, that the buyers, by buying up many of these small lots at low
prices, find that all these small lots, when put together, make a big lot
and their immediate wants being supplied, they dread paying a higher

28

price for the larger lots ; consequently, a tendency of a general reduction
in prices. But this is not yet the end. The buyer who bought the
roots at a low figure is thereby in turn enabled to sell at a low figure
to the Chinese exporter, and so on down the line to the consumer. We
need co-operation, and need it badly, if we want to successfully con-
tinue the culture of ginseng.

To date most growers have not gotten rich at growing ginseng.
Some of the growers have not even played even in the undertaking.
They may think they have made a profit, but they have not. They
have considered the gross receipts a net gain, when, if they had
charged up the business with the labor, shade arbor, etc., they would
find themselves lucky if the account did not in reality show a net loss.

The writer is personally acquainted with a firm, which, on an
investment of $3700.00 in the growing of ginseng, in eight years’ time,
made a net profit of over $41,000.00. Its gardens covered only
three-fourths of an acre of ground. So that the money was not made
so much in the growing, but was made in the marketing end. Its pro-
duct was not sold at any old price or at any old time, but was sold judi-
ciously. The prices the firm received for its dried roots were never
less than $4.00 per pound and reached as high as $10.50 per pound or
averaging about $6.00 per pound.

It would seem that such a successful concern would be amply
able to continue marketing its own product, would not bother at all
about a co-operative association. But we find it is heartily in favor of
our association, for it realizes that, if the present slipshod methods of
marketing, practiced by many growers, continues, the time is not far
hence when it cannot obtain more for its product than the average
grower.

What applies to ginseng, equally applies to goldenseal, so far as
marketing is concerned. While the prices obtainable for goldenseal to-
day are fair, it is only a matter of time, unless we co-operate in market-
ing, when the middlemen will get the profits justly belonging to the
growers. Even now, the middlemen are getting more than their just
share. The writer recently sold a little less than $2000.00 worth of
goldenseal (mostly fibers) at $4.90 per pound, but upon investigation
found that the druggist was at that time paying $6.85 per pound to the
wholesale druggist. So you see there is $1.95 per pound going to the
middleman even now, most of which should and will go into the pockets
of the growers if we co-operate through our association. _ ;

Owing to the pressing of the writer’s personal business during
the months of February and March, he has been unable to give the
association matters the attention that it should have received, any
further than taking care of the correspondence, which, by the way, has
been quite extensive. For the next month or two, we expect to be able
to give more time to the affairs of the association. ans

Please do not let the fact of our being busy make you hesitate to
send in your application for membership or write us and ask questions.
Let them come right along, both will receive prompt attention.

We would like to be in position to give you at least a monthly
report. But, as this would entail some expense, we will, unless the
present members think best to go to such an expense, have to contend

29

ourselves with a brief monthly report in “Special Crops,” whose editor,
Mr. Goodspeed, has kindly offered to publish anything our association
might wish to say free of charge. But as there are some things that
for business reasons should not be published in a public publication, it
being information that only members are entitled to, we can not tell you
all through that publication.

Of course, after our association is once beyond its tentative
form, has become active, then it will have a publication of its own,
through which its members will be kept constantly informed.

However, if it is the wish of the present members to begin issu-
ing a private publication at this time, advise us to that effect and the
matter will be taken up for consideration by your Board of Directors.

Thanking all those of you who have become members for your
prompt response, and trusting that we may not only have the application
for membership of many others by early mail, but that we may have
your contniued good will and co-operation in the future as well, we beg
to remain, Yours very truly,

AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS ASSOCIATION,
By J. H. Koehler, Acting President.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT
AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
April 30, 1917.

By stock subscriptions to date____------- $1910.00
ombeun Kack for advertising. 22. Oe ee Sj. RAS
Wigplettenaes. owe oe ek cee eee cer eee 85
To Secretary of State, Incorporation fees___----- 10.00
To Stenographer fee at Chicago meeting___------- 3.20
To Recording Articles of Incorporation-__------- 20
To; book. (name recister) 222 oe os Te eee BG)
To Mrs. A. L. Kelley, stenog. service at Lansing,

idel a peed rt eee eee ee eee 35.10
‘Te: Postals) iso so 17.55
Docroastace Stamps. 2-0-2 ee 28.10
Te Stamped jHnvelopes, 22-20 ue 8 2 es 21.06
og Statiamay. Sa. ok. te BE ae eee ake Ee 5.68
Worntelesmams:\ ooo st oe Coa ee Roa eee 5.58
To. Gicculars. and Hnyelopes; 22 os es eee
To Balance due on stock subscriptions___-------- 102.00
To Nat. Germ. Amer. Bank Certificate of Deposits

bearme 737% tifiterest, 22a eee ee 1200

To Nat. Germ. Amer. Bank deposit subject to check 248.63
$1910.00 $1910.00

Respectfully submitted,
By J. H. Koehler, Acting President,
AMERICAN GINSENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION.

30

- State of Wisconsin }
t SS.
Marathon County J ;

J. H. Koehler, Acting President of the AMERICAN GINSENG
GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION, being duly sworn, deposes and says
that the above is a true and correct statement as taken from the records
of said association.

J. H. Koehler.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of April, 1917.

Chas. E. Parker,
Notary Public, Marathon County, Wis.

My commission expires Jan. 26, 1919.
State of Wisconsin ]

t SS.
Marathon County | J
H. G. Flieth, Cashier of the National German American Bank of
Wausau, Wisconsin, being duly sworn, deposes and says that the
amounts of money on deposit to the credit of the AMERICAN GIN-
SENG GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION in said bank is true and correct
as stated in the above statement.
H. G. Flieth.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of April, 1917.
Chas. E. Parker,
Notary Public, Marathon County, Wis.
My commission expires Jan. 26, 1919.
P. S.—Since the above statement was made Jul. Voltz, of Wis-
consin has subscribed and paid for 5 shares. Also $50.00 have since
come in on account of balance due on stock subscription—May 10, 1917

LIST, OF MEMBERSHIP

Following is a list of names of those who have made application
for membership to April 30, 1917, arranged by States, together with
the number of shares subscribed for by each. It might be stated that
while many have subscribed for one share only, many of these have
stated that they want more later on.

CONNECTICUT Schuemer Barmey 2-0 ese ow 5
No. of Shares MICHIGAN :

Seema roo Brehm, Gites fees ee cc es
ek aap ANA Brigham, Dexter vb 2 20 Sea 1
. Brown; Busenes Ou sss ee 1
Peermicw ds, Be 202 3 Discher. W 5
fansttatn theo... 2... ---.-4 2 Gee Eh NN nase ea rie ia
Resse: By 2a ees eS eee os 1

IOWA Enterprise, Ginseng Coie. 2 ss 5

feirson, Peter My! 2. 2222. 2

Grant; folra(h 2 sa2 ea 1

meron, Andrew —.-.---.----- 1 ia Ve ee eee ae 1
KANSAS Hayden, Joe soe oak See 1

Morgan, Benjamin H. --------- Viticimbach, Dn Wiel 1
MISSOURI Weezer Walter? Pocus ee 1

@rverton. mobert 5B. ..-2-22--2: Wi ienowies, rane 20 20 ee fe

31

Raewies “1... Fee ae 2
yordan && Bovee 2 oso oS

Nutting, Burt

Olery, Be Bo ee ee 5
Phatera st. Bs ss 2G eas a 1
Prerees Bale Sy 2 ee 3
Reynolds, Ws Wo oo ee 1
Vy CaS Se Ra os Seat ead eal 1
Warren VW Wc ee ee 10
MINNESOTA

RSUINCLE WAN C!s ao eee ha 1
Wartinag, (sear: Boson oo 2
Bttrich) Mugen¢? oes 220.

POP, asec te ra ae 1
IPaGtar Coles) cok Ses oS

SU VOMIGE Se es fo ee

PUAIPEE Ode en oe ee 2
Piennine: Drs. fo An ooo ses 1
eOsen er 4. a Ne 1
BSE Bee WC ge 3 Re ore Ea 1
Kiinkenberg, (CR. 955 1
ers ea et es a as 1
Penren WW 6 eet os 5
il gu SON a pa Oc ee A INE 1
Witten Meda es ees oe ees

NORTH CAROLINA

Sandidge & Gibson Ginseng Co. ae
Weich, yeni: Toss os oS A
NEW YORK
Cooke i ae N ahs ese ae 1
OHIO
Mleming: it. Wi eo
Hetrick): Tracy? ee ee
Mercer, Wi) Aaa co ee 1
RHODE ISLAND
Hantke, Ernest Wm. ~-------.- 5
SOUTH DAKOTA
Pauh Miiltoniots iosor 2 Lae te
Koehler, Mrs. Amp. jf Soe 1
Koehler, (8.1 pesca ee 1
Koehler, Walter: 2220-2 ess
eoehler,”"T.. digsien 2 os 5 cee 2
TENNESSEE
Davis, RA giant fea ise ee 5
VIRGINIA
Merrifield, aati a ee 2

Brice, W. C.

WE -” BR
Heldreth; J: Al. ae 1
Lehman, ‘Otto «2 260

WASHINGTON
Gove, D. Av La ee
WISCONSIN
Aderhold, EF. G. 222 1
Ames, J. W.. =. 522 2
Anderson, Christ: 2222223 1
Bergeson, Joh F. -icuo 2 eee 1
Buck, ‘Harry. E. ~---22 33 1
Crow, Frank M. ~i3. 22 2
Dainon,: B.D. 222 i232 1
Eberlein, M. G. i222 See 5
Ebert,-Etnest J. 2.22 5
Foxen,:S. 'T. 022.5 eee 1
Greenfield, J. Emerson ~-~--2__= 1
Griesbach; (Wine F222 eee 1
Hultman, John Mi; 22-2 2e eee 1
Johnson, August; 222. ee 1
Jackson, T.)}. 235 1
Kaufmann; Joseph 25-223 1
Kirchmeyer, Andrew.)2222 1
Koehler, J. H.-3 oo 5
Koehler, Bernhardt: 22.2 eee 1
Kurth, ‘Frank 202 3
L| Lehnkering; C, -F. 23a 2
Leykom, (CoS. 22 a 3
MacLachlan,’ W.‘G, 2-23. Se t
Norin; ‘Geo. ‘W.. 222.2252 1
Roy, Charles N. 2 23 eee 1
Schwede, J..G. 22553332 1
Schuchard, ‘Percy 2-22 2
Seering, Chas. 2.0 eee 1
Smith, ‘Ole “M, 3242 Soe 5
Steeps; HY Jy 2.3 St eee 1
Stumpf, Paul 3.29222 ee 1
Taggart, James loo
Ullmeyer, Christ: 22.2 eee 2
Vogedes, James 2052 ee 1
Wagner, Mathias:.~2° 22 ae 2
Westphal’ & Smith —222) eee 5
Zahl, W. Joc. ees eee eee F.
Zielsdorf, ‘William, =22025- eee 1
CANADA
Guillaume, ‘“AvdGa) loge 1
Nicholas, John “W. :--l-. ee 1

LIBRARY UF CONGRESS