. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Sio Handbook of Nature-Study. THE WITCH-HAZEL Teacher's Story In the dusky, somber woodland, thwarting vistas dull and cold. Thrown in vivid constellations, gleam the hazel stars of gold. Gracious gift of wealth untold. Hazel blossoms brightly glowing through the forests dark and drear. Work sweet miracles, bestowing gladness on the dying year, Joy of life in woods grown sere. "^ITCH-HAZEL is not only a most interesting shrub in itself, but it has connected with it many- legends.
. Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, based on the Cornell nature-study leaflets. Nature study. Sio Handbook of Nature-Study. THE WITCH-HAZEL Teacher's Story In the dusky, somber woodland, thwarting vistas dull and cold. Thrown in vivid constellations, gleam the hazel stars of gold. Gracious gift of wealth untold. Hazel blossoms brightly glowing through the forests dark and drear. Work sweet miracles, bestowing gladness on the dying year, Joy of life in woods grown sere. "^ITCH-HAZEL is not only a most interesting shrub in itself, but it has connected with it many- legends. From its forked twigs were made the divining rods by which hidden springs of water or mines of precious metals were found, as it was firmly believed that the twig would turn in the hand when the one who held it passed over the spring or mine. At the present day, its fresh leaves and twigs are used in large quantities for the distilling of the healing extract so much in demand as a remedy for cuts and bruises and for chapped or sunburned skins. It is said that the Oneida Indians first taught the white people concerning its medicinal qualities. The witch-hazel is a large shrub, usually from six to twelve feet high, although under very advantageous circumstances it has been known to take a tree-like form and attain a height of more than twenty feet. Its bark is very dark grayish brown, smooth, specked with little dots, which are the lenticels, or breathing- pores. If the season's growth has been rapid, the new twigs are lighter in color, but when stunted by drouth or poor soil, the new growth has a tint similar to the old. The wood is white, very tough and fibrous, with a pith or heart-wood of softer sub- stance and yellow in color. The leaves are alternate, and the leaf buds appear at the tips of the season's twigs, while the blossoms grow at the axils of the leaves. The witch-hazel leaf is nearly as broad as it is long, bluntly pointed at its tip, with a stem generally less tha
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