WITCH-HAZEL. 105 
in all directions. They are sometimes shot several 
yards. 
Of course in the woods this shooting is intended to 
start the seed children on their journey in the world. 
The witch-hazel pod bursts open, and the edges turn 
in and press against the smooth seeds with great force, 
so that when they leave the pod they fly as though shot 
out of a sling. Get some witch-hazel pods and see how 
they do it. 
Another name for witch-hazel is hamamelis, and from 
the bark is made a medicine which is put upon bruises. 
A forked twig of witch-hazel is sometimes used as a 
divining rod to find where to dig for water, or for gold 
or silver or other metals. The rod is held in the fingers 
of the diviner, who walks about, and wherever the rod 
turns and points down it is supposed to be the place to dig. 
Divining rods are not much used in these days. Peo- 
ple are not as superstitious, in some ways, as they used 
to be, and they know the rod cannot help them. 
