ioi6 



THE NATURE BOOK 



DOGWOOD FRUIT. 



margins are without teeth. The vena- 

 tion, similar to that of the Common 

 Buckthorn, shows three pairs of strong 

 secondary ribs branching from the lower 

 half only of the midrib, and sweeping in 

 graceful parallel curx'es towards the 

 terminal point. 



The flowers are gathered into dense 

 stalked clusters at the ends of the shoots. 

 The creamy-white colour and rounded 

 shape of these flower clusters should 

 distinguish them at once from those 

 of the Privet, with which they are hable 

 to be confounded, especially when seen 

 in the hedgerow. Each 

 flower is complete, 

 ha\'ing four narrow, 

 creamy petals, four yel- 

 low - headed stamens, 

 and a pistil. Nectar is 

 expcjsed and attracts 

 numerous insects, 

 mostly flies. The fruit 

 is globular, bluish- 

 black in colour, 

 bunched at the end 

 of a single branching 

 stalk. Each is a stone 

 fmit with double seed 

 chamber. 



Till-: PRIVET 



This, as a wild plant, 

 has practically the 

 same range as the 

 Dogwood, being founrl 

 chiefly in the chalk 

 and hmestone districts dogwood 



of the south. Its partially evergreen 

 character, its multiple branching, and its 

 adaptability under the shears, render- 

 ing it pre-eminently suitable for the 

 garden hedge, have occasioned its almost 

 universal planting for that purpose. 



The minute buds are protected by 

 about four flattened scales of a purplish- 

 green colour. The leaves, in opposite 

 pairs, are oblong, tapering to a point at 

 either end. The stalks are short. The 

 texture of the blade is smooth and firm, 

 but it lacks the hard leatheriness so 

 characteristic of the true evergreen. A 

 few weak and sinuous 

 secondaries branch 

 off from the main rib, 

 but these are scarcely 

 discernible. Except in 

 very severe winters the 

 leaves, which may 

 become a deep bronze 

 in colour, remain 

 attached till the new 

 buds commence their 

 growth in spring. 



The flowers, gathered 

 into pyramidal clus- 

 ters at the ends of 

 the shoots, are a clear 

 white. Each has four 

 petals forming a short 

 tul)e with turned-back 

 lips, \-ery hke the 

 flower of the hlac, but 

 smaller. Each is com- 

 plete with stamens and 

 LE.WES. pistil. Bees, butterflies. 



