Daphnomancy is a form of Pyromancy

Pyromancy

Pyromancy is the art of divination by means of fire.-History of pyromancy:Due to the importance of fire in society from the earliest of times, it is quite likely that pyromancy was one of the earlier forms of divination...

 whereby the future is predicted by burning laurel tree leaves. A loud crackling from the fire is a positive omen, whereas silence is a negative one.

History and Etymology

Daphno is thought to be a tribute to Daphne, an ancient Greek nymph

Nymph

A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...

 turned into the first laurel tree by Apollo

Apollo

Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...

. Originally, the leaves were selected from the Sacred Grove of Apollo, but as time moved on the practice of Daphnomany spread to pre-Christian era Rome and Greece and was thought to be commonly practiced by augurs of both empires.

The original grove from which the Romans took their laurel branches withered in 68AD, which contemporary augurs associated with Nero

Nero

Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....

's death.