ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



221 



[Fig. 142] 



Tlic l'"low<'i-iii^' Dciywood. 



THE FLOWERING DOGWOOD. 



{Cornue Jlornia, L.) 



There are many kinds of Dogwood {Cornus). 

 the most ol' wliich are sln-iibs varyinij- in lieiiilil 

 from five to ten or tifteen feet, and distrihnted 

 over nearly all ])arts of our country. But the 

 most attraelive and showy ot all the Dogwoods 

 is that speeies botanieally railed Corniix forida, 

 L. It is a small tree, growing from tifteen to 

 twouty-tive or tliirty feet high, having a pretty 

 wide range of latitude, froiu 47° N. to Florida, 

 being rare, liowever, iu the northern latitudes. 

 Its natural situation is iu rocky woods, and on 

 the borders of streams. 



It is a very conspicuous object when in flower, 

 from the profusion of large white blossoms, or 

 rather what appear to be blossom.*, for the appa- 

 rent blossoms are not really such. The true 

 tlowers are very small, and clustered togetlier in 

 a small head. Each of these minute flowers lias 

 all the parts proper to a perfect flower, calyx, 

 corolla, stamens and pistil. lumiediatcly beneath 



the cluster is developed four liirg(^ white leaves, 

 looking like petals, but really forming what is 

 called an involucre. These involucral leaves are 

 inversely heai't-shaped, and about an inch and a 

 half long. At a distance they look like the pro- 

 per petals of a single flower, while the snnill 

 head of true flowers which they surround looks 

 like the central organs of a floAver. A close ex- 

 amination will readily detect the true nature of 

 these parts. 



The wood ot the Dogwood is very elo.se-graiiied, 

 hard, capable of an excellent polish, and useful 

 for the manufacture of u\any articles re(iuiring 

 durability and firmness of texture. The bark of 

 the tree is bitter, and has long been known and 

 employed as a substitute for, or adjuvant of, 

 Peruvian bark and quinine in the treatment of 

 ague and malarious diseases. 



The tree is well deserving of cultivation from 

 the showy appearance of the snow-white flowers, 

 or floral appendages (Fig. 142), which contrast 

 finely with the lively green of the foliage, and 

 from the bright red berries which succeed the 

 flowers. 



