202 The Divining Rod. 
of electricity and magnetis 
We find in our own country, many decided friends of the 
divining rod. Our public journals not unfrequently contain 
letters of respectable correspondents, stoutly maintaining its 
character for truth and integrity. 
t is asubject of eager curiosity to some, and is not perfect- 
ly understood by any. It admits of bemg explained to the 
most moderate capacity ; and it is hoped this paper will fur- 
nish every reader both with facts and arguments, to sustain 
him in right views of the divining red, and to enable him to 
disprove the false. 
_ It begins with a description of the rod, and a general no- 
tice of the present state of the art in our own country. 
The divining rod is a forked branch of any tree whose 
bark is smooth and whose fibre is very elastic. The witch 
hazel is in the highest esteem, not merely for its potent name, 
but also for the convenient size and ready forks of its plente- 
ous branches, and the uncommon elasticity of its fibre. 
peach and the cherry are often used. The limbs of the fork 
should be 18 inches or 2 feet in length, and of the diameter of 
a pipe stem. When used, it is taken thus : 
unfolded their resemblance to the admirable and uniform laws 
m 3 
the pailas#-of the Ektsiising thinmit-tpwards B 
e F a . Butwhen the 
diviner, apprehending the action of the hidden imfluence- 
