WITCH-HAZEL FAMILY 



closes a large and bony seed in each cell, opens elasti- 

 cally and projects the seeds. 



Julia A. Rogers, writing of the Witch Hazel, 

 says : 



"Every tree has its supreme moment of 

 beauty. This usually comes when the foliage 

 is in its prime or when the flower buds burst in 

 spring. The Witch Hazel is an exception to all 

 rules. When the crisp autumnal atmosphere 

 warns all plant life to get ready for winter, the 

 Witch Hazel puts a new construction on the 

 message. As if by magic all up and down 

 through the woods they burst into bloom, each 

 flower bravely flaunting four delicate petals like 

 tiny yellow streamers. The woods are fairly 

 sprinkled with these starry, gold-thread blos- 

 soms, and a rare fragrance breathes upon the 

 languid October air. The ripening leaves second 

 and intensify the color of the flowers, which often 

 thickly fringe the outstretched twigs and cover 

 up the green fruit-buttons. 



"It is a far cry from March to October; from 

 furry tassels of blossoming aspens and willows 



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