An advertisement in the number for the 27th August, 1801, reminds us that in the early history of Canada it was imagined that a great source of wealth to the inhabitants of the country in all future time would be the ginseng that was found growing naturally in the swamps. The market for ginseng was principally China, where it was worth its weight in silver. The word is said to be Chinese for "all-heal." In 1801 we find that Mr. Jacob Herchmer, of York, was speculating in ginseng. In his advertisement in the Gazette and Oracle he "begs leave to inform the inhabitants of York and its vicinity that he will purchase any quantity of ginseng between this and the first of November next, and that he will give two shillings, New York currency, per pound well dried, and one shilling for green."
At one period, it will be remembered, the cultivation of hemp was expected to be the mainstay of the country's prosperity. In the Upper Canada Almanac for 1804, among the public officers we have set down as "Commissioners appointed for the distribution of Hemp Seed (gratis) to the Farmers of the Provinces, the Hon. John McGill, the Hon. David W. Smith, and Thomas Scott, Esquires."
The whole of the editorial matter of the Gazette and Oracle on the 2nd of January, 1802, is the following: "The Oracle, York, Saturday, January 2, 1802. The Printer presents his congratulary compliments to his customers on the New Year." Note that the dignified title of Editor was yet but sparingly assumed. That term is used once by Tiffany at Newark, in the second volume. After the death of Governor Hunter, in September, 1805, J. Bennett writes himself down "Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty." Previously the colophon of the publication had been: "York, printed by John Bennett, by the authority of His Excellency Peter Hunter, Esq., Lieut.-Governor."
Happening to have at hand a bill of Bennett's against the Government we give it here. The modern reader will be able to form from this specimen an idea of the extent of the Government requirements in 1805 in regard to printing and the cost thereof. We give also the various attestations appended to the account:—
York, Upper Canada, 24th June, 1805.
The Government of Upper Canada,
To John Bennett, Government Printer.
| Jan. 11. | 300 copies Still Licenses, ½ sheet foolscap, pica type | 0 16 6 |
| March 30. | Printing 20 copies of an Act for altering the time of issuing Licenses for keeping of a House of Public Entertainment, ¼ sheet demy, pica type | 0 3 4 |
| April 5. | Inserting a Notice to persons taking out Shop, Still or Tavern Licenses, 6 weeks in the Gazette, equal to 4½ advertisements | 1 16 0 |
| April 16. | 1,000 copies of Proclamation, warning persons that possess and occupy Lands in this Province, without due titles having been obtained for such Lands, forthwith to quit and remove from the same, ½ sheet demy, double pica type | 4 18 4 |
| April 22. | 100 copies of an Act to afford relief to persons entitled to claim Land in this Province as heirs or devisees of the nominees of the Crown, one sheet demy, pica type | 3 6 3 |
| Printing Marginal notes to do | 0 5 0 | |
| May 14. | Printing 1,500 copies of the Acts of the First Session of the Fourth Parliament, three sheets demy, pica type | 45 0 0 |
| Printing Marginal notes to do., at 5s. per sheet | 0 15 0 | |
| Folding, Stitching and Covering in Blue Paper, at 1d. | 6 5 0 | |
| ——— | ||
| Halifax currency | £63 5 9 |
Amounting to sixty-three pounds five shillings and nine-pence Halifax currency. Errors excepted.
(Signed) John Bennett.