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Handbook of N ature-Study 



THE WITCH-HAZEL 

 Teacher's Story 



In the dusky, somber woodland, thwarting vistas dull and cold. 

 Thrown in vivid constellations, gleam the hazel stars of gold. 

 Gracious gift of wealth untold. 



Hazel blossoms brightly glowing through the forests dark and drear. 

 Work sweet miracles, bestowing gladness on the dying year, 

 Joy of life in woods grown sere. 



"^ITCH-HAZEL is not only a most interesting 

 shrub in itself, but it has connected with it many- 

 legends. From its forked twigs were made the 

 divining rods by which hidden springs of water 

 or mines of precious metals were found, as it was 

 firmly believed that the twig would turn in the 

 hand when the one who held it passed over the 

 spring or mine. At the present day, its fresh 

 leaves and twigs are used in large quantities for 

 the distilling of the healing extract so much in 

 demand as a remedy for cuts and bruises and 



for chapped or sunburned skins. It is said that the Oneida Indians first 



taught the white people concerning its medicinal qualities. 



The witch-hazel is a large shrub, usually from six to twelve feet high, 



although under very advantageous circumstances it has been known to 



take a tree-like form and attain a height of more than twenty feet. Its 



bark is very dark grayish brown, 



smooth, specked with little dots, 



which are the lenticels, or breathing- 

 pores. If the season's growth has 



been rapid, the new twigs are lighter 



in color, but when stunted by drouth 



or poor soil, the new growth has a tint 



similar to the old. The wood is 



white, very tough and fibrous, with 



a pith or heart-wood of softer sub- 

 stance and yellow in color. The 



leaves are alternate, and the leaf buds 



appear at the tips of the season's 



twigs, while the blossoms grow at the 



axils of the leaves. 



The witch-hazel leaf is nearly as 



broad as it is long, bluntly pointed at 



its tip, with a stem generally less than 



one-half inch in length. The sides 



are unequal in size and shape, and the 



edges are roughly scalloped. The 



veins are straight, are depressed on 



the upper side but very prominent 



beneath, and they are lighter in color 



than the rest of the leaf. Witch- Witch-hazel. 



