THE ELDER TREE. 391 
rough exposures, it is very valuable, but only as a shelter. 
As a fence, apart from shelter, it is objectionable in many 
situations : not only is it apt to get bare near the surface of the 
ground, but its roots take a wide range, and have a powerful 
influence in subduing the crops in their vicinity. For this 
purpose it is far inferior to the hawthorn, beech, and many 
other hedge plants. But as a screen-fence or shelter on poor 
dry soil where there is difficulty in growing the ordinary sorts 
of hedge plants, it is very useful, provided it is frequently 
pruned, say twice or three times a year, which renders it 
compact and good-looking. 
The elder is readily propagated from young shoots ; the buds 
or joints of these are commonly from six to ten inches apart. 
Each cutting or slip should be formed with a joint close to its 
lower extremity, from which the roots will spring; another 
joint should exist near to the top of the slip, the buds of which 
will form the branches of the plant. The slips should be from 
eight to twelve inches long, and inserted about half their length 
into the ground, any time from the beginning of November 
till the first of March. They readily take root, and frequently 
grow several feet in height during the first summer. Their 
distance should be a foot apart in the lines, and the lines nearly 
two feet asunder. The plants are usually fit for removal at 
the age of one year, and never improve in nursery lines after 
being two years old. 
The wood of the young tree is brittle, and contains a large 
pith. When old, it is hard, of a glossy yellow, and susceptible 
of a high polish. It is employed in forming articles of turnery, 
in the manufacture of mathematical instruments, combs, shoe- 
makers’ pegs, and generally for the same purposes as box- 
wood. 
S. n. virescens (Dec.) differs from S. nigra only in its bark 
being whiter, and in its berries being of a green colour. Its 
growth is equally vigorous. The other leading sorts connected 
with the common elder are the gold and silver blotched, and 
the parsley-leaved, all of which are of comparatively stunted 
growth, and only cultivated as ornamental varieties. 
