DOGWOOD 75 



the extremities of the shoots. They open in June. The 

 leaves are in pairs on the stems, broadly egg-shaped. In 

 the early Summer they have a hoary appearance from the 

 numerous small hairs with which they are covered, but 

 when fully developed this feature is not so noticeable. 

 They are very prominently veined, a feature clearly shown 

 in our drawing. In the Summer the foliage is of a clear 

 green colour, but in the Autumn it becomes a full rich 

 crimson. The fruit is globose in form and almost black 

 in colour. In taste it is very harsh and unpalatable, and 

 according to one old writer, who called the plant the 

 dog-berry tree, so nauseous that one would not even throw 

 it to a dog. He thereupon proceeds to declare that that 

 is why the plant is called dogwood, an explanation wholly 

 fanciful, and on a par with calling the hazel the lion-bush, 

 because one would never think of throwing the nuts to 

 a lion. We only quote an explanation so bizarre because 

 incidentally it at least testifies to the acridity of the dog- 

 wood berries. These berries, ripe in August or September, 

 freely yield, when pressed, an excellent oil. 



The wood is very hard and durable, hence it is used 

 for the cogs of mill-wheels and other purposes where 

 strength and endurance are of value. It was once in great 

 demand for arrows, and may therefore fitly be placed in 

 the same drawing as the plant that was in great demand 

 for bows. It was also largely in demand by the butchers 

 for their skewers, hence one old name for it is prickwood. 

 The present name dogwood is a corruption of the old 

 English names dagger-wood or dagger, because the hard 

 stems can be held, when pointed, to be suggestive of such 

 a weapon. It was also called Gatter in mediaeval days. 



