VOA慢速英语 Agriculture Report - Growing Ginseng in the US

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

We have a question from Malaysia -- really, two questions. How is ginseng grown and harvested in the United States? And is it used as a traditional medicine by Americans or just Asian-Americans?

Some growers of American ginseng say it takes five to ten years to produce the best roots. Ginseng can be grown from seeds or roots. The seeds take two years to sprout¹ up through the ground. Many growers like to start with two to three year old roots instead. A warning: the root must not be cut into smaller pieces. It has to be whole to grow.
　
Ginseng root

Ginseng needs a place where it will not get much sunshine. It does well in areas of eighty percent shade. It especially likes to grow in forests. The soil should be full of loam², a mixture of sand, silt³, clay and organic material.

American ginseng grows naturally in forests in many eastern states. But wild populations have been reduced by too much harvesting.

Growers can plant the roots during spring before they develop buds. If the roots are planted in the fall, they should be left alone until the following spring. Weeding and watering are not needed during that time. But the plants should be protected from wildlife.

The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension explains that forest landowners can grow ginseng using two different methods. With the wild-simulated method, seeds are planted thinly in the forest. They are left to grow naturally so the most desirable roots -- those most similar to wild ginseng -- are produced.

With the cultivated method, the ginseng is densely⁴ planted in raised beds. But this process is more costly⁵ and labor⁶ intensive.

Wild-simulated ginseng is planted in the fall. Seven years is the average time to harvest. Experts at the Ohio State University Extension say most people use a device with a short handle called a mattock or sang hoe. Extra care is needed not to break up the twisted, strange-looking roots; that could make them less desirable.

Asian-Americans are not the only ones who use ginseng. Some people say it increases their energy. Others say it helps their memory. Studies have shown differing results about the health benefits.

Different products may contain ginseng, but government rules limit health claims that marketers can made.

For example, one company that makes bottles of tea sells a popular green tea with ginseng and honey. Its Web site simply says: "Just the right amount of ginseng."

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.

1 sprout   

n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条

参考例句：

• When do deer first sprout horns?鹿在多大的时候开始长出角？
• It takes about a week for the seeds to sprout.这些种子大约要一周后才会发芽。

2 loam   

n.沃土

参考例句：

• Plant the seeds in good loam.把种子种在好的壤土里。
• One occupies relatively dry sandy loam soils.一个则占据较干旱的沙壤土。

3 silt   

n.淤泥，淤沙，粉砂层，泥沙层；vt.使淤塞；vi.被淤塞

参考例句：

• The lake was almost solid with silt and vegetation.湖里几乎快被淤泥和植物填满了。
• During the annual floods the river deposits its silt on the fields.每年河水泛滥时都会在田野上沉积一层淤泥。

4 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。