CORNEL TREE. 



CORNUS. 



CAPRIFOLIACEff. TETBANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Cornus, from cotmu,a horn, on account of the horny hardness of 

 the fruit : it is familiarly called Cornel-tree, and Dogwood-tree. — 

 French, cornouiller ; Italian, corniolo, the fruit cornole. 



The Cornus mascula, or male Cornel, familiarly called 

 the Cornelian Cherry, in its wild state seldom exceeds 

 five feet in stature ; but when cultivated, will grow as 

 high as eighteen or twenty feet. It has yellow blossoms, 

 which appear before the leaves, growing in umbels. The 

 leaves grow opposite in pairs ; the fruit is of the size and 

 form of a small olive, and of a bright scarlet colour ; but 

 the greater part of the flowers drop off without producing 

 fruit. 



In mild seasons, the blossoms v/ill begin to open early 

 in February ; they are not handsome, but as they appear 

 early, are abundant, and produce a handsome fruit, the 

 tree deserves a place in the shrubbery. Formerly it was 

 cultivated for the use of its fruit, which was used for 

 tarts, and kept in the form of a conserve in the apothe- 

 caries' shops. " The preserved and pickled cherries," 

 says Evelyn, " are most refreshing, an excellent condi- 

 ment, and do also well in tarts."" He likewise observes, 

 that the wood is much commended for its durableness in 

 wheel work, for pins and wedges, &c. in v/hich it exceeds 

 the hardest iron ; and relates what he very justly terms 

 an odd notion of another author : " Though Matthiolus 



