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Article: Spinning witch hazel into gold: Conn. town finds old-fashioned remedy is key to prosperity
- Article from:
- The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
- Article date:
- October 5, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Boston Globe. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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EAST HAMPTON, Conn. - Nothing signals the presence of a venerable
remedy in this quiet suburb 30 minutes southeast of Hartford. No
garish signs, no proud slogans, no roadside stands proclaim the
world-famous properties of the humble shrub that flourishes beyond
the shores of Lake Pocotopaug.
The only clue is the lone plant growing a dozen feet high in
front of a brown stucco building on Connecticut Route 66. This is
witch hazel, hamamelis virginiana. It stands outside the business
that has made the astringent distilled from the shrub's ridged bark
a household staple for generations.
Native Americans used witch hazel as a cure-all. So did the early
European settlers. Your grandmother used it; ...