Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-19
WITCH HAZEL EXTRACT.
Cos'h Of Industry in Connection
Towns.
Farmers Find a Ready and Profitable
Market for The Brush.

rev persons who use witch hazel ex-
ISL LOT many purposes TO which it is
put are aware Of the way in which il
IS manufactured. 1t has for years beer
USED as an ingredient for toilet aaC
surviving soaps ana owing to its great
heallng properties IL is many times
c'lled golden treasure. The name
witch hazel, CT wfGh hazel. known
oy the Latin name OF Eana,re,is
'lrglnlana. tame from the early
settlers from England where witch
hazel or wych hazel. Is the name
applied to an elm which grows in con-
SIDERABLE quaat.ty. The leaves OF this
sarub or small trea resemble those OF
the ha2el and its wood is often used to
MAKE the chests or boxes for prov isions.
formerly called wyches.
Inc American haZel Is found in damn
woods Irom Canada to Louisiana. (;
is shrub with long and plant branches
which sometimes reach the height of
Wenty feet, but usually not over ten
lee'. Ahe flowers, from buds formed
iuiihs the summer open lust as the
leaves are falling in October ana No
'th1pei, It's yellow retdiel flowers
olcsso,liilG at this time of year Cive il
4 strange appearance, which together
With its healing properties helped t.
1aslen HrCn the name witch hazel. TIL;
tfult WnIch is a two-sae led capsale,-
natures the following summer. Tha
wood is white and close and the bark
and leaves contain large amount &,
tanniE. The trunks are usually twisted
ana owing to the spotted bark. aIatist
and white, the shrub is known through
out New England at least, as spot.cl,
alder. The small branches are oftsn
used as divining rods in locating lvntal.
so great is the faith put in the Shrub.
sometimes it grows TO be as thick
through AT the butt as a mans arm. but
usually it is from one to five inches il
diameter and this is the size desired by
the witch hazel distillers,
While witch hazel is found generally
throughout Connecticut it grows much
more thickly in some places than 9TH
ers' for instance. Sirsbury is rich in
this shrub and in Parts of Litchfield
County it abounds 1t is also found in
goodly quantities along the valley of the
Connecticut and on the hi towns near
by. So great has been the demand for
brush that it has been largely cut off
in many places in Mid Ilesex county
especially along the river towns and
the manufacturers are reaching back
into the country towns beyond To Sc
cure their supply. 1t usually takes
from three to five years for d new crop
to grow where cut off.
Essex is really the home of the witch
! hazel di5tillerleS, for there it has been
distilled for many years, and also il
neiGhboring villages. Essex is the
home of the largest distii + or ore o.
the largest distillers in Amer.ch, +. f.
Dickinson, haIi ing made his inoaey
chiefly in the witch hazel business.
His father. Rev. Thomas Dickinson,
distilled in small Way, witch hazel
and black birch, tie latter for Oil.
Today the extract is shipped to every
part Of the civilized world and it is US
well known III Care Town as in Paris.
The business Increased with such
rapidly that others br. nched out into
the trade, but Dickinson being in the
lead continued on while others dropped
to the rear. However, q few continued
and there are other plants scattered
along the Connecticut River towns in
Chester Higganum and Haddam, as
well as in other parts Of the country.
About five gallons OF alcohol to every
barrel of extract is used. The securing
of the brush has proved n profitable
business for the farm RS. us it is gath
cred ii the fall and winter. AS high as
$500 pounds has been carted at on@
load. The brush delivered brings $'.50
q ton. Where it is purchased standing
the price Naries rs to conditions in
gathering, etc, from 80 cents to II per
ton. It's yield can be imagined when i
is known that about eight tons have
been cut from sixteen acres. 1t is easy
to cut and being left in piles. is @atn-
cred up, openings being llft Tor the
wagons to COM ,urouGn.
In order to meet the demand inCre
brush was reeded, so cutting mills ara
ho;ns established in towns where the
ar,e'} bounds. After looking over
several places. East HAMPTON was
decided upon by Superintendent q. A.
Rathhun as a suitable place for erect
ing chonpinS mill. A building has
Jten erected on the Gates lot situated
on sur track OF the New York. New
Haven 4 Hartford railroad and d com
bination engine ard boiler nut in. a
powerful chopper or cutting machine
manufactured by n Vermont fir n
cuts the brush to bits and ever,
pat is utilized. TIL; cut-ur brush
is loaded into cars and shipped
10 the Essex plant where it is
put throu-h q secret process of dis
thing. After being properly treated
and naked with the necessary amount
O., alcohol the extract is ready for
market and is sent out in quantities.
from gallon key to a barrel. Travel
ing men cover all parts OF the United
States and agents in Europe and other
foreign countries find ready market
for the product. The Paris and other
manufacturers of fine toilet articles
use a vast amount of the extract
Those interested in the manufacture of
the extract experienced considerable
difficulty at first in getting the farmers
to engage in the work of furnishing