Show I Ii i PLANT DESERVING OF F PRAISE Witch Hazel Has Many Qualities Which Entitle It to Commendation Commenda Commenda- tion Valuable tion-Valuable Valuable In Medicine In an article On Natures Nature's Trail In Boys' Boys Life Dr Edward S S. S BIgelow writes of the time last flower of the season season sea sea- son the witch hazel as follows If wo we should look at nt the witch hazel as the last flower of the season to It we wo would award d the booby prize But If It we consider it In connection with Jt braving of the cold weather In an effort to beautify the woods we would give It the first prize No other flower of the he year so 50 bravely ely withstands the cold weather It begins begins begins be be- gins to bloom In November or even evena a little earlier and clings persistently to It Its twigs until the first of January or even later sprinkling the shades of ot the woods with Its feathery dainty golden bloom It is said also that It has valuable medicinal qualities It now Is one of the time Ingredients of varIus various vari van ous ens us well-known well extracts Of tit witch hazel There Is also a curious old- old time superstition in regard to Its uncanny uncanny uncanny un un- canny ability as a divining rod It Is said to be able to point out underground underground underground under under- ground deposits of ot water and of ot precious ores That myth probably originated rpm a misunderstanding or ora ora ora a misconstruing of Its name This Is not primarily witch but wych which had some relation to a n salt snIt spring or dairy dalry house and was sometimes spelled spell ed wick |