WITCH HAZEL 



to the Witch Hazel in its yellow blossoms bring- 

 ing up the rear in the great annual procession of 

 the flowers. In fact, the Witch Hazel prac- 

 tically bridges the chasm of winter, for at no 

 time does the cold cause all the flowers to fall. 

 Their yellow petals curl up like shavings; but 

 they often stay till spring. 



"A witch in old days was a person who did 

 or said things not conventional. Our Witch 

 Hazel has defied the ancient laws of the calendar 

 — a very dreadful thing ! So it comes honestly 

 by its name; and one is inclined to ignore the 

 accepted etymology that the word 'witch* or 

 'wych' in old English means weak, and refers 

 to the sprawling habit of the tree. Surely the 

 observer cannot miss seeing little weazen witch 

 faces grinning at him from all possible angles of 

 the tree, their yellow cap-strings flying in the 

 wind, as if in defiance of the rumor that the 

 days of witch craft are past." 



Sept. 21, 1859. 



"Heard in the night a snapping sound and the fall of 

 some small body on the floor from time to time. In the 



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