THE HAZEL. 241 



made of loam and straw, do to this day inclose divers 

 humble cottages, sheds, and out-houses in the country." 



The Hazel was formerly, and indeed in some of the 

 mining districts of England is still, believed to have an 

 affinity for metals, being employed in the discovery of 

 mines. The professor of this questionable science, as it 

 was deemed, selected for this purpose a forked Hazel-rod 

 (called a dowsing-rod), a branch of which he held with 

 each hand in front of his chest, with the other end slightly 

 pointing outwards. He then walked forward over the 

 ground to be examined, and when he reached a spot under 

 which there lay a load or mass of metal, the end of the 

 rod, in spite of his utmost efforts to restrain it, bent clown, 

 and pointed towards the buried mineral. Still more 

 wonderful properties were attributed to the Hazel in 

 Evelyn's time ; but he expresses himself on the subject 

 very cautiously: — "Lastly, for riding switches, and divi- 

 natory rods for the detecting and finding out of minerals ; 

 at least, if that tradition be no imposture. By whatsoever 

 occult virtue the forked stick, so cut and skilfully held, 

 becomes impregnated with those invisible steams and 

 exhalations, as by its spontaneous bending from an hori- 

 zontal posture to discover not only mines and subter- 

 raneous treasure, and springs of water, but criminals guilty 

 of murder, &c., made out so solemnly, by the attestation 

 of magistrates, and divers other learned and credible 

 persons, who have critically examined matters of fact, is 

 certainly next to a miracle, and requires a strong faith." 



The usual form of the Hazel in its wild state is a 

 straggling bush, consisting of a number of long flexible 

 stems from the same root. The bark on the young 

 branches is ash-coloured and hairy, that on the old stems 

 mottled with bright brown and grey. The leaves are 

 rounded, stalked, and rough, and furnished at the base 

 with oblong stipules, which soon fall off. The flowers are 

 among the very earliest harbingers of returning spring, 

 reminding us, that though winter is the season of rest with 

 M 



