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Show PLANT DESERVING OF PRAISE Witch Hazel Has Many Qualities Which Entitle It to Commendation Commenda-tion Valuable In Medicine. In an article "On Nature's Trail" In Boys' Life, Dr. Edward S. Blgeiow writes of the last flower of the season, sea-son, the witch hazel, as follows: "If we should look at the witch hazel as the last flower of the season, to it we would award the booby prize. But If we consider it in connection with Its braving of the cold weather In an effort to beautify the woods, we would give it the first prize. No other flower of the year so bravely withstands the cold weather. It begins be-gins to bloom In November or even a little earlier, and clings persistently to its twigs until the first of January or even Inter, sprinkling the shades of the woods with its feathery, dainty golden bloom. It is said also that It has valuable medicinal qualities. It now Is one of the Ingredients of various vari-ous well-known extracts Of witch hazel. There Is also a curious -id-time superstition In regard to its uncanny un-canny ability as a divining rod. ft Is said to be able to point out underground under-ground deposits of water and of precious ores. That myth probably originated from o misunderstanding or a misconstruing of its name. This Is not primarily witch but wych, which had some relation to a salt spring or dairy house, and was sometimes spelled spell-ed wick." |