THE WITCH HAZEL 135 



plish. The lining of the two-celled pod is believed to 

 shorten and produce a spring that drives the seeds forth 

 with surprising force when they are loosened from their 

 attachment. This occurs when the lips part. Frost and 

 sun seem to decide just when to spring the trap and let fly 

 the little black seeds. 



A young botanist went into the woods to find out just 

 how far a witch hazel tree can throw its seeds. She chose 

 an isolated tree and spread white muslin under it for many 

 yards in four directions. The most remote of the many 

 seeds she caught that day fell eighteen feet from the base 

 of the tree. 



The Indians in America were the first people to use the 

 bark of the witch hazel for curing inflammations. An in- 

 fusion of the twigs and roots is now made by boiling them 

 for twenty -four hours in water to w^hich alcohol has been 

 added. "Witch hazel extract," distilled from this mix- 

 ture, is the most popular preparation to use for bruises and 

 sprains, and to allay the pain of burns. Druggists and 

 chemists have failed to discover any medicinal properties 

 in bark or leaf, but the public has faith in it. The alcohol 

 is probably the effective agent. 



Witch hazel comes honestly by its name. The English 

 "witch hazel" is a species of elm to which superstitious 

 miners went to get forked twigs to use as divining rods. 

 No one in the countryside w^ould dream of sinking a shaft 

 for coal without the use of this forked twig. In any old and 

 isolated country district in America there is usually a man 

 whose reputation is based in his skilful use of a forked 

 witch hazel twig. Sent for before a wtII is dug, he slowly 

 walks over the ground, holding the twig erect by its two 

 supple forks, one in each hand. When he passes over the 



