FLOWERING SHRUBS 
bear on the summits of the branches of the previous year 
the light pinkish flowers, which are three to eight in 
number, on rather long pedicels and drooping in a one- 
sided raceme; the stamens are ten in number and remain 
persistent on the dry berry-like capsule. The leaves are 
shining green above, glaucous-white beneath, and have the 
margins so strongly revolute as to appear almost linear. 
This plant is said to have astringent and narcotic properties 
and to give intoxicating qualities to liquids in which it is 
infused. 
SILKY CORNEL—KINNIKINNIC—Cornus sericea (L.). 
This species is the true Kinnikinnic of the Indians of 
central Canada, the leaves and bark being used by them in the 
place of tobacco, or mixed with it. I have been told it is of 
an intoxicating quality. The bark is used also as a tonic 
and febrifuge. The berries are pale blue; the flowers form 
flat cymes and are greenish-white; the young bark is pur- 
plish. The bush grows to the height of eight to ten feet, in 
low damp rich ground forming dense thickets. There is a 
fine white silky fibre in the leaves, which may be seen by 
breaking the mid-rib across. The thread is as fine and as 
frail as the delicate web with which some spiders envelop 
their eggs—too fine to be turned to any use. 
The silken thread is not confined to this species alone, it 
exists in many other trees and plants. In the nerves of 
several of the Dogwoods it is seen quite as conspicuously as 
in C. sericea. 
PANICLED OR PRIVET-LEAVED CORNEL—Cornus paniculata 
(L’Her.). 
This is a very pretty species of Dogwood found abundantly 
on the Rice Lake plains, on the high dry hills between the 
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