State

The Fine Points Of Dowsing “Water, water, if you're there, bend the twig and show me where.” By MARIE B. MELLEVGER Water has always been essential to rural life. The early pioneers located their homes near springs, or free- flowing streams. Some used a wooden ram. to push the water from the spring to their dwellings. More depended on child-power to carry buckets of drink¬ ing water "up to the house". Washing was often done near the spring, or stream, with water heated in a big pot over an open fire. Water was also es¬ sential as power for grist mills. Many people still prefer to have their grain ground by a water-powered mill. Those settlers who did not have a good spring, or nearby stream, dug wells. They might depend upon a dowser (a man), or a water witch (a woman) to locate the site for their well. Using a forked, or у stick, the witch, or dowser, would walk slowly over the ground. When he. or she neared the source of water, the stick 14 would bend, and the point would indi¬ cate where the well should be dug. The Preferred Sticks Dowsers still argue about the profi¬ ciency of various trees for use as di¬ vining sticks. Some insisted that the stick be from a green tree. Others, who claimed to have "real power" were not so particular. Any divining stick made from a tree of the apple family seemed to be good. An old apple, especially a Northern Spy. was favored. Divining sticks could be cut from peach, wild crab apple, or wild cherry. Other dow¬ sers used whahoo elm. willow, or maple. Willow twigs could also be used to find diamonds, or lost jewels. Most water witches preferred witch hazel. The witch hazel rod could also find gold, or other valuable minerals. It has been suggested that the name of this shrub was originally "wych" meaning a “bending twig." or "switch". Is the witch hazel really the most efficient twig for dowsing? The witch hazel keeps her counsel, as all good witches do. The twig should be cut from a limb facing east, land of the spirits. Dowsing is so popular in this coun¬ try that there is an American Society of Dowsers, w ith some 25.000 members. Many people would not think of dig¬ ging or drilling a well without first con¬ sulting a dowser. Shoron Neill witching tor woter. Some folk» still de¬ pend upon a dowser (mon) or a woter witch (o women) to locote the site tor their well. Some Dowse Barefooted Why do some individuals have this special power? No one really knows. A Dr. Karagulla suggests that energy rises through their feet. Some witches, or dowsers, do prefer to dowse barefooted. It is also suggested that dowsers have a special affinity for things of the earth. Master dowser Philbrook Paine said. "It must be he Dowsers disogree on the proficiency ol vorious tree» tor use os divining sticks, but moil woter witches preferred witch hoxel. cut from a limb toeing eoit. THE STATE. MAY 19$3