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Show The Witches' Tree. In many rural communities the elder eld-er is still called "the witches' tree," though no longer deliberately planted near homes and barns for the express purpose of keeping away the witches. The idea that the elder should not be allowed to grow near a well, for fear the water will be spoiled, is not extinct. ex-tinct. Anciently other than ignorant and superstitious persons regarded the elder askance and Evelyn wrote: "I do by no means commend the scent of it, which is very noxious to the air." Cattle rarely touch the elder, and the mole appears to be driven away by the scent. Teamsters frequently place branches on their horses' heads to keep away the flies. Nothing seems to grow well in the Immediate proximity prox-imity of elder trees, and when they have been removed and the roots carefully care-fully grubbed it is some years before the ground becomes perfectly sweet and good for other plants. The wood of the elder Is particularly particular-ly good for skewers and the berries, besides affording a splendid bird food, make a wine most highly esteemed in our grandmothers' day and still occasionally occa-sionally to be found in country homes. Harper's Weekly. |