128 Native Trees of Canada 



The twigs are slender and have a more or less zigzag growth. They are smooth, 

 shiny, and either greenish or reddish in colour. 



The winter buds are dark red, sometimes green, smooth, pointed and lop- 

 sided. These one-sided buds are one of the tree's best distinguishing points in 

 winter. 



The leaves are very large, 5 to 6 in. long, heart-shaped in outline, and somewhat 

 one-sided. The margin is irregularly toothed with fine and coarse points, and the 

 veining in the back is conspicuous and with small tufts of brown hair at the junc- 

 tion of the veins. 



The fruit is in the form of tiny, round and woody balls, which look like peas, 

 and which are attached singly or in clusters, by means of a common stalk, to the 

 centre of the midrib of a narrow, leaf -like bract. 



Basswood lumber is the most important of what might be called the "soft 

 hardwoods" ^broad-leaved trees with soft, light wood. Because of its toughness 

 and lack of taste and odour it is used for slack cooperage and boxes. The ease 

 with which it can be worked, and its quality of holding its shape after seasoning, 

 fit this wood for the manufacture of furniture, interior finish, cabinet-work, and 

 vehicle bodies. It is a favourite wood for panel work and veneer. It is character- 

 ized by the variety of its uses. 



THE DOGWOODS 



There are about fifty species of dogwood (Cornus) and all are distributed 

 throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, with the exception 

 of one species in Peru. Most of them are shrubs or small trees and they are tm- 

 important except for their high decorative value. 



A dozen or more species occur in Canada, but only four, since they sometimes 

 attain tree size, need be mentioned here. They are the Cornus flortda, Cornus 

 asperifolia, Cornus alternifolia and Cornus Nuttallii. The last mentioned is the only 

 one of the four found on the Pacific coast. All of them except the C. alternifolia 

 produce their leaves and twigs in pairs from opposites sides of the branches. 



The wood is hard, heavy, and strong, and suitable for small turnery, but the 

 trees are too small to be of much commercial importance. 



CORNUS FLORIDA, Linn. FLOWERING DOGWOOD 



Common names: Flowering dogwood, red willow*, red osier*, 



boxwood*. 

 French names: Cornouiller de la Floride, bois de fleche. 



The flowering dogwood is found in the Niagara district of Ontario, and west- 

 ward to lake vSt. Clair. 



It is a small tree or shrub found growing in woodlands, often planted for or- 

 namental purposes on account of its flowering habit. 



Its twigs and leaves are opposite, i.e., they come out in pairs from the opposite 

 sides of the branqlr, as do those of the maples and ashes. The single pair of scales 



