Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Canada. 



357 



This favorite tree occasionally attains the 

 height of 35 or 40 feet with trunk 12 or 18 

 inches in diameter, and when away from the 

 influence of other trees develops a low spread- 

 ing intricately branched top. It inhabits rich 

 well drained soil along the banks of stream.- 

 and often thrives in the shade of other trees. 

 These localities it enlivens in early spring with 

 its showy flower clusters strangely suggestive 

 of so many separate flowers. It is especially 

 effective when seen against a mass of the flow- 

 ers of the Red-bud, with which it is often 

 associated and which flowers at the same sea- 

 son. The Dogwood is again in evidence in 

 autumn on account of the splendor of its red 

 and purple garb and long-stemmed close clus- 

 ters of .shining red berries. 



Its wood is heavy, a cubic foot weighing 

 .'50.41 lbs., hard, strong, very close-grained and 

 admirably adanted to use in turnery, the 

 handles of tools, etc. It is the wood used 

 almost exclusively by metal-spinners for forms 

 who purchase it from supply houses by the 

 pound. Its bitter bark, particularly of the 

 roots, is used in medicine on account of its 

 astringent and aromatic properties.! 



Leaves mostly in clusters at the ends of the 

 branchlets, ovate to oval, cuneate at base, acute 

 or abruptl.v acuminate at apex, entire or obscurely 

 crenate-toothed, thickish, dark green and with 

 scattered hairs above, pale and puberulous be- 

 neath with prominent arcuate veins ; petioles 

 short. Flowers greenish yellow in dense heads 

 surrounded by four large white or pinkish (rarely 

 red) petal-like bracts from buds formed the pre- 

 vious season, conspicuous during the winter, and 

 enveloped by the bracts. Fruit bright searli^t 

 berries in close heads, with mealy flesh and thick 

 walled, 1-few-grooved stone. = 



1. A. W., IV, 88. 



2. For genus see p. 4.">(t. 



