324 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



incised petals resembling - snowflakes. Leaves, scapes and flower- 

 buds showed well by April 19. Some of the first blossoms were 

 out April 30, 1901. 



Family 71. Hamamelidace^e. Witch Hazel Family 



391. witch-hazel 



HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA L. 



Quite abundant, forming a long narrow patch or copse along 

 the low bluff which borders the east shore of the outlet of Lost 

 Lake back of Green's. A number of bushes also on the high bank 

 by McOuat's east of the Lake. It seems to thrive best in a some- 

 what sandy soil. 



Even scattered bushes of the witch-hazel are attractive and in- 

 teresting, and the habit of putting out blossoms late in autumn 

 when the leaves are falling or are wholly fallen, when no other 

 shrubs or even herbs with conspicuous flowers are in bloom, makes 

 it an especially desirable plant for parks. It is among flowers what 

 Indian summer days are to the year. It is not so often found in 

 parks as one might expect; we have never seen it in any of the 

 Chicago parks ; there are one or two in the Department of Agri- 

 culture grounds, but in none of the other Washington parks, not 

 even in the Botanic Garden, though the Japanese witch-hazel, which 

 blooms in early spring, is there. The individual blossoms are small 

 and inconspicuous, but on a particularly floriferous bush they grow 

 in such abundance that they cover the tree with a golden haze, con- 

 siderably more effective than the Carnelian Cherry, Cornus mas, 

 which blossoms in early spring, and which we have taken the 

 trouble to import from Europe for park purposes. 



The witch-hazel exhibits a good deal of variation and indi- 

 viduality, and the more showy individuals should be selected for 

 planting. 



The clump along Lost Lake was really one of the features of the 

 region, and indicated how it should be planted for the best gen- 

 eral effects, i. e., in large clumps. 



An element that always makes the witch-hazel especially inter- 

 esting is that of uncertainty as to just what it will do. Blooming 

 as it does, late in autumn or early winter, when inclement weather 

 is likely to occur at almost any time, it has to adapt itself to cir- 

 cumstances. A warm, favorable autumn brings it out more or less 

 all at once, and the blooming season, though fairly long, is consid- 

 erably shorter than under more unfavorable conditions. In 1906 

 the bushes of Lost Lake copse were beginning to be full of bloom 



