The south-east of England is in the grip of a drought at the moment with bans on the use of hosepipes and sprinklers. Lawns will die.I've no doubt the sight of this hydrant spurting away in Lancaster Gate, West London, this morning, caused some angst. I've no idea what they were up to - probably flushing out a contaminated main although the more paranoid amongst the population might think it was some form of water torture; this vital liquid running free while begonias wilt, bluebells tremble and the Chelsea Flower Show is abandoned in favour of floral origami.
On the subject of water, what's dowsing all about, then? Like many people, I can do it. I use old iron rods and, to be honest, I'm very skilled at finding drains and suchlike. Yet I've seen the research; there is no rational or scientific evidence in its favour. Unfortunately, since I still have most of my faculties, I cannot believe it’s down to leylines, earth spirits or the subterranean march of fairies moving back and forth with cast-off milk teeth.
It's a mystery.
Probably all in my mind.
5 comments:
In America everyone has someone in their history who will voutch that they were the master of "the diving rod". The science behind this is attributed to the fact that the willow will seek water. So they only used "water witches" that were made of willow. I have seen my Grandfather at work, seeking water. The rod was shaped like a sling shot, and held plams up......whether or not it got some help "dipping" from the master dipper, I don't know, but it appeared to work.
you might be amused to learn i close ties to a local water company, so i also cringed at the sight of the gushing water. our family used a dowser to find the right spot to drill a well on our property... three dry holes later we sold the property. wish we'd known you then; you would have found the water.
Our home is, unusually for England, supplied with water from a well. It's pumped electrically now, but in bygone days it was raised by hand.
Sadly we can't drink it, because intensive farming has saturated the water table with nitrates over the past few decades.
As for dowsing, I watch summer dragon flies searching in vain for filtered rainwater stored in large undergound brick cisterns. The concrete yard obscures their view, but I suppose they can sense it in other, older ways.
Science may not have found the answer yet, Dave, but that may be just as well. Mystery is good for us. I worked for the Society of Dowsers in Danville, VT for some years. Met some fascinating (and some downright kooky) folks. It always rained the three days of the Dowser's Convention...
Hi Nea. I've not tried it with willow, only iron rods. I believe hazel is used as well. It's all very interesting.
Snowsparkle, I'm not sure I would have liked to have been put to thst sort of test. For me it's a bit of fun although I did find a damaged sewer not long ago which was useful.
I've had a go at your cistern, Peter, it was a bit confusing, as I remember. Perhaps I'm better with linear water features.
You may well be right, Pauline. we shall have to wait and see if anyone divines the answer.
Lee, that's very cruel - people in Surrey won't be able to get their Rollers washed.
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