60 NAT. ORDER. — CAPRIFOLIACEiE. 



niose, naked flowers, are true Cornels. It belongs, with Hedera, to 

 the natural family of Hcderaces. Cornus is the ancient Latin name 

 of the Cornels ; and Jlorida implies that the blossoms are more con- 

 spicuous than in any other species." 



Rafiuesque, in his history of the Cornus Jlorida^ describes it as 

 being a very handsome tree, " enlivening the woods in the spring by 

 a profusion of large white blossoms, and bearing in the fall clusters 

 of beautiful scarlet berries. In Louisiana, where it is called Bois 

 houton, or Bois dejleche (Budwood and Arrowwood), it blo.ssoms in 

 February ; in the middle states in April and May ; and more north- 

 wardly in June. It generally remains for two weeks in full bloom, 

 and everywhere indicates, according to the Indians, when Indian 

 corn is to be planted. The tree grows very slow, and the wood is 

 hard, compact, heavy and durable ; it is white outside, and chocolate 

 color in the cntre, taking a very fine polish, and may be used like 

 boxwood, which it greatly resembles, especially when stained of a 

 light yellow color. A variety of kinds of tools and instruments are 

 made of it, as being preferable to any other wood except boxwood 

 itself. It grows all over the LTnited States, and in almost every soil, 

 from INIassachusetts to Louisiana, and from Florida to Missouri, 

 thriving best and most abundant in swampy and moist woods. 



The bark of the root, stem and branches, is bitter, astringent, 

 and slightly aromatic. By analysis it has been found to contain, in 

 different proportion, the same substances as Cinchona, having more 

 of gum, mucilage, extractive and gallic acid, and less of resin, quin- 

 ine and tannin. The quinine of the Cornus has been called Cornine ; 

 it has all the properties of the genuine sulphate of quinine, but very 

 little is afforded. The double distilled water of Cornus is lemon 

 color; that of Cinchona is reddish. The extract is less bitter and 

 more astringent than that of the best Cinchona, but preferable to the 

 extract of the inferior kinds. This extract contains all the tonic 

 properties ; the resin alone is merely stimulant. The bark of the 

 root is the strongest and best adapted for medicinal uses : it is also 



