Sambucus The Elder. 15 



it inclines to naked stems and branches and such as are by 

 no means graceful. In fact, as ordinarily grown, its beauty 

 consists only in the numerous large white flowers in April or 

 May ; and these are not of long continuance. It has cer- 

 tainly been overpraised in some of the catalogues, but is well 

 worthy a place in the border or shrubbery. It has been 

 suggested that lower and more bushy plants be grown in 

 front and around it to hide its faults, while securing the 

 full benefit of its blossoms, which alone make it worthy of 

 planting. 



SAMBUCUS The Elder. 



TH E elders are closely related to the viburnums and 

 honeysuckles, which are among the most useful 

 and attractive ornamental plants. There are not 

 far from twenty species belonging to the family, and some 

 of them have done and are still doing good service to 

 mankind as useful plants, while a few, especially of the 

 varieties, are exceedingly beautiful in leaf and blossom. 



6". nigra, or black elder, is a native of Britain, and is 

 found growing freely all over the continent, where its fruit 

 has long been much used in the manufacture of wines and 

 the preparation of medicines, and sometimes as an article 

 of food. The regard which was had for this shrub was 

 well expressed by Evelyn when he wrote : " If the 

 medicinal properties of the leaves, bark, berries, etc., 

 were thoroughly known, I cannot tell what our country- 

 men would ail for which he might not fetch a remedy 

 from every hedge, either for sickness or wound." This 

 high estimate of its virtues may not have continued to 



