Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1893-01-13
WlTCH-HAZEL.
ERowTH AND PEGULIARITtEs
or ~ MEDICINE TREE.
lt Grows in Damp. Rocky Soil
Collecting tho Shrubs and
Leaves for Distiliation--
Its Medicinal Uses.
years ago tho distilla-
y 49,. 1,f ,..;tal, -harnl for its

The owners OF IA proprietary meuiclne
to possess the knowledge OF eS-
tracing from the bark OF shrub in
digenous to tho soil of the Northern
States, Virginia, aud North Corolina,
balm for very many of the ills that HUI
man flesh has as heirlooms, aud the pos
session of this exclusive bit of knowl-
edge was of great pecuniary advantage
for n number of years. Since the secret
was allowed to escape, however, the
business of making this extract has been
divided up until it has grown to large
proportions and gives occupation to hum
dreds of people.
Witch hazel is shrub that everybody
in New England, who goes into the
woodland, knows at sight. Its botani-
cal term is Hamamelis Virginica, given it
many years ago in honor Of the early set
tiers of Virginia, who-bofore ascertain.
ing the medicinal worth of the leaves
and bark, used the twigs with success as
divining-rods. 1t grows in damp, rocky
soil aud reaches height of from eight
to fifteen feet, at the age Of five or six
years. In this respect the witch hazel
differs from the other hazel shrub, or
tree, which seldom attains n height of
moro than five feet, and often is no more
than mere bush. Inscriptions gath
erers of witch hazel leaves and bark have
frequently tried to palm off the ordinary
hazel, but the fraud is detected ut once
by the taste. There is similarity in
appearance of the leaves and bark, but
the flavor is almost as different rs chalk
is from cheese.
When tho wltch-hazel has reached its
maturity, or in other words, when tho
stalk is about two and one half inches in
thickness, it is considered to be suitable
for distillation, although it is gathered
in all stages of its growth. Witch-hazal
grows rapidly the first four years of its
development, but, when cut off and
allowed to sprout again, it creeps up
slowly, often taking five or six years to
reach a height of even five feet. Such
is the popularity of the shrub.
Late in the fall, say about the first of
November, there may be seen on all
witch hazel trees tiny yellow flower,
which expands rs the season advances.
land that blossoms in November. The
first of these blossoms is nubbin, re-
sembling halle nut, but it does not
ripen until the next autumn. These nuts
are frequently found mingled on the
twigs with the blossoms.
incidentally witch.hazel is an astrin-
gent. Both bark and leaves contain
tanzic acid in large quantities, bat the
greater percentage is in the bark. For
purposes of disrillation the bark is
stripped off in the spring, about the
time the sap is beginning to run. Taken
when the leaves are forming the bark is
readily removed; but If put of until
June, thu bark has to be cut. Spring
stripped witch. hazel bark is better
than that obtained later in the season,
since all t,nnic properties are retained
in the wood from tha deposits of the
previous year. The leaves of the witch
hazel have taste similar to that of
| slippery elm, while the bark has n
sweetisn bitter, pungent aud astr;ngent
taste.
Botanic druggists who distill witch
lazcl have already begun their collec-
tons, and their agents are haunting the
localities where the shrubs grow plenti-
fully. 1t must not be supposed that
these persons break off twig here and n
twig there; on the contrary, they cut
down the whole tree, whether it be
eight feet or twenty in height. This
they chop aud cut into small pieces,
which are taken to the still. There the
weighing is done, tho wood placed in
recepticles until needed for the vat. Col
lecting witch-hazel lasts nearly all win
ter, and offers moro or less rcmunerative
employment for large number Of men
and boys, until tho buds appear.
Leaves are collected in the months OF
juno, July and August, principally the
latter two. They are dried and packed
into bales contairihg any where from
ten to three hundred pounds and sold
to druggists. Leaves IRE not distilled,
but are used incidentally in their dried
state. Nearly, all, If not all, the witch
hazel leaves consumed in the Northern
States, come from North Carolina, where
the shrub grows profusely in the noun
tains.
/ By the process OF dietillation in use
nowadays not only is the bark put IN
the still, but the stalk, after it has been
chopped into pieces. AT first only the
bark WIS used, but experiments proved
that the wood, also, contained the same
properties, though not in such proper
lions, perhaps, Moreover, there is nc
waste. After distillation the, tannie
properties are yet retained in the wood
but as the process through which it ha.
been put has discolored 1t, the bark and
wood have lost their commercial value,
and find their why to the furnace.
Distillation brings out species Of
OF! called wood-oil. This mingles freely
with the condensed steam that passc:
over the worm. aud produces what ie
called hamamelis. There is no flavor,
not in the slightest degree, of the witch
hazel in this product, popularity oil
the shrub which enabled the secret te
be preserved so long time, o couple Of
decades ago. To this extract, thus OBJ.
tanned, is added about fourteen per
cent. of alcohol, precaution necessary