THE SPINDLE-TREE 11 



" Kardin.aalsmuts," referring to the colour also, is even 

 more appropriate. 



A good deal of confusion seems to have 

 arisen in popular parlance between this species 

 and the Cornel (Cor'nus sanguin'ea), both trees being 

 of about- the same size, having opposite leaves, hard, 

 tough wood furnishing good charcoal and easily bored 

 longitudinally, and acridly astringent properties in 

 the leaves and bark. Both trees are consequently 

 known as Prick- wood, as Gatteridge, Gaten, or Gaitre- 

 tree, and as Dogwood. The word " gatr," our modern 

 "gaiter," means apparently a cover, and has been 

 supposed to refer to the capsule hanging when burst 

 like a cover over the seed. In this case the name 

 must belong to Euonymus, and has only been 

 extended to Gomus by mistake. It may, however, 

 signify a pipe, and allude to the use of shoots of 

 either tree, three or four feet long, as stems for 

 earthenware pipes, for which purpose they are readily 

 bored, and are employed in both Russia and Germany. 

 The name Dogwood has been derived from the 

 use of the leaves, either dried and powdered or in 

 a decoction, in the treatment of mange or to expel 

 vermin ; but is almost certainly only a corruption of 

 Dagwood. 



Though formerly attaining its largest dimensions, 

 as already stated, in Forfarshire, where the large trees 

 were in considerable demand for turnery and 

 cooperage, the Spindle-tree is, on the whole, of but 

 rare occurrence in Scotland, and local in Ireland. In 

 England, however, its smooth bright green shoots 

 and leaves in summer, and its rose-red capsules in 



