In the early history of the country where settlements were made so far from springs as to make it desirable to locate a well, there was a very wide-spread popular superstition relating to the location of the proper site for the well.

The "water witch," so called, or "wizard," and his divining rod, were important adjuncts to the location of the farm house. By means of the divining rod the so-called water wizard was supposed to locate a subterranean stream of water so that in digging the well there would be no possibility of not striking a vein of flowing water. It is not surprising that the water " witch" achieved great credit as being accurate in his prognostications, since it is well known that it is almost impossible to dig a well anywhere in ordinary geological formations without striking water at a reasonable depth. The fresh branches of various trees were supposed to possess the magic property of indicating water. Witch hazel was the tree whose branches were usually preferred, though the apple was very much in vogue. The divining rod was a twig with two equal forks which were cut at convenient lengths. The forks were held in the hands of the "wizard" and the branches extended in a horizontal direction. It was the popular superstition that in passing over a stream of subterranean water the branch or twig would be pulled toward the earth, thus indicating to the "wizard" the proper locality for the well. An interesting description of the use of the divining rod is furnished by Professor F. H. King (Rural New Yorker, September 14, 1907). This is an account of an experiment conducted by Professor King together with Professor T. C. Chamberlain of Chicago. The "wizard" with whom the experiment was made was regarded as an intelligent, conscientious and honest man. He was interested in nature and particularly in geology, and he thoroughly believed that he possessed the power of locating veins of subterranean water with the aid of the divining rod. Before starting upon his search it was his custom to look carefully over the field and he would fix his eyes upon a certain spot in the field. As he neared this objective point the stick and his eyes changed their angle together, so that as he crossed what in his judgment was a vein of water both his eyes and the twig were looking downward. After locating a vein of water by crossing and recrossing at various points he believed himself able to locate where the flow of water would be more or less vigorous. To the scientists who accompanied him it appeared that he was disposed to locate the veins of water in localities where his trained eye had learned that they were most apt to exist, and his predictions of the veins of water and espedaily of where they would give the strongest flow usually coincided with the conditions of topography which would tend to concentrate the underground flow. Although the twig was repeatedly observed to bend it was attributed to the unconscious muscular effect of the operator, since both observers were of the opinion that this motion was entirely unconscious on the part of the "wizard" himself. The "wizard" in question was very confident of his ability to predict the places where water was to be found. He had much less faith in his ability to predict the distance below the surface. Mr. J. C. Hodges of Tennessee takes issue with Chamberlain and King in regard to the divining rod being altogether deceptive, and makes a strong argument in its favor. (Rural New Yorker, October 12, 1907). Mr. Hodges is quite of the opinion that the explanation given that the man by his experience would naturally locate a stream in a given position is erroneous. He believes that the various streams, especially those which are found in the Appalachian regions, can be found by the man with the divining rod with almost absolute certainty. This is common every-day experience. Not only are there places where Wells may be bored, but the depth and size of the streams are told with certainty. Mr. Hodges himself claims that the divining rod in his hands is practically reliable. He relates an instance where he was blindfolded and led in this condition until he located a small stream. In succession a large number of streams was located, each being marked with a peg when the divining rod indicated the presence of the water. In this way he was led three times to the same place and a peg was driven each time. After the bandage was removed it was found that the three pegs which were put down in this way were less than three feet apart. Mr. Hodges claims that the force with which the divining rod is drawn toward the earth is a measure to the magnitude of the stream. The witch hazel, in his opinion, is the only divining rod which can be relied upon. The term "water witch" therefore should be applied rather to the divining rod itself than to the man who carries it. It would be if applied to him, a water wizard. He records other instances to justify his belief in the efficacy of the water witch. He confesses that he is not able to explain the phenomenon but he is sure that it is of an electric character, some men being charged with electricity as others are not. Mr.

Hodges further asserts that the belief in the divining rod has not been confined to the ignorant alone and many instances of its power have been recorded by scholarly men. In spite of the eloquent argument of Mr. Hodges it must be admitted that modern science can have little or no faith at all in the divining rod. It is one of the superstitions which has had a long vogue but which is rapidly dying out.