Witch Hazel

an ornamental American shrub six to thirty feet in height. Yellow flowers appear late in autumn. Later the handsome green foliage assumes autumn colors. It is not a hazel at all. The witch of the name is said to be allied to weak, and is often spelled wych, meaning feeble or drooping, as in the case of the wych elm. Formerly forked or Y-shaped branches were used to find water. The operator seized a branch in each hand and went about holding his divining rod straight in front of him. When he came over a supply of water the stem of the hazel was supposed to become agitated and to point downward toward the water. There the well must be dug. In a well watered country the diviner seldom failed to locate a good well. The notion may not have died out yet. A decoction of witch hazel bark is used as a remedy and is a grateful lotion for the face, especially after shaving. The botanical name of the witch hazel is Hamamelis Virginiana. The witch hazel is not related to the nut-bearing hazels.