This section is from the book "The Gardener's Monthly And Horticulturist V27", by Thomas Meehan. See also: Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long.
In a quotation from Mr. L. H. Bailey's book (on page 220) it is intimated that the name wych-hazel (or witch-hazel or elm) for Ulmus montana is due to the wood having in olden times been used in the construction of wyches or chests. That is Dr. Prior's explanation of it. The Old English wyche, wiche, is from A. S. Wice, from wicen, pp. of wican "to bend" (whence also wicker). The name alludes either to the branches of the tree being pendulous, or, more probably, to their having in olden times been used for making long bows, the archer esteeming them next to those of the yew for that purpose. Clinton Place, New York.
 
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