This section is from the book "The Home Cyclopedia Of General Information", by Charles Morris. Also available from Amazon: Home Cyclopedia of Necessary Knowledge.
The American dogwood is a small but very ornamental tree, bearing flowers surrounded with large white bracts, and scarlet berries in winter. The bark is a useful febrifuge. The European dogwood is a shrub whose foliage becomes deep-red in autumn. Its wood is very hard, and is used tor skewers, cogs for wheels, etc., and also makes the best charcoal for gunpowder.
 
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