CORNEL-TREE, CORNELIAN CHERRY, or Dog-wood: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the tetrandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 47th order, Stellatae. The involucrum is most frequently tetraphyllous; the petals above the receptacle of the fruit four; the fruit itself a bilocular kernel.

Species. Of this genus there are five species; the most remarkable are the following. 1. The mas, or cornelian cherry-tree, hath an upright tree-item, rising 20 feet high, branching, and forming a large head, garnished with oblong leaves, and small umbels of yellowish-green flowers at the sides and ends of the branches, appearing early in the spring, and succeeded by small, red, cherry-like, eatable, acid, fruit. 2. The sanguinea, bloody-twigs, or common dogwood: hath an upright tree-item, branching 10 or 12 feet high, having blood-red shoots, garnished with oblong pointed nervous leaves two inches long; and all the branches terminated by umbellate white flowers succeeded by black berries: of this there is a kind with variegated leaves. 3. The florida, or Virginian dogwood, hath a tree-item branching 12 or 15 feet high, and fine red shoots garnished with large heart-shaped leaves; and the branches terminated by umbellate white flowers, having a large involucrum succeeded by dark red berries. Of this species there are several varieties, chiefly distinguished by the colour of their berries, which are red, white, or blue.

Culture. All the species may be propagated by seeds, which ought to be sown in autumn, otherwise they will lie a year in the ground. When the plants come up, they should be duly watered in dry weather, and kept clean from weeds. The following autumn, they may be transplanted into the nursery; and having remained there two or three years, they may then be removed to the places where they are to remain. They may also be propagated by suckers, of which they produce great plenty, or by laying down the young branches.