ELDER, Sambucus, a genus of shrubs or small trees and a few perennial herbs of the natural order Caprifoliacea'. There are about 20 widely distributed species characterized by opposite, pinnate leaves, small white flowers usually in compound cymes, and black, red, white or green, juicy fruits (berries or drupes). Many of the species are used in ornamental planting, since they are readily propagated by root and stem cuttings, succeed well upon nearly all soils, are of rapid growth, graceful form, and are attractive both in flower and fruit. The best-known species in America is S. canadensis, the common or sweet elder, which is frequently seen in fence-rows, along roadsides, and on the margins of woods throughout southern Canada and the greater part of the United States. It attains a height of 10 feet or more, bears abund ant fragrant flowers in midsummer and black berries in early autumn. These fruits are used where they can be obtained plentifully for mak ing pies and elderberry wine. Several horti cultural varieties have been introduced for their golden or variegated foliage, and one variety with large fruits was introduced in 1890. The
flowers are used for making a wine, a perfume, and a '''water' used in confectionery. Eco nomically this species ranks as a minor fruit. Like some other members of its genus, it has also been used in medicine, but is rapidly giving place to other drugs. Probably S. nigra, the common European elder, ranks next in im portance. It is much larger, often attaining a height of more than 20 feet. The yellow, hard, tough wood is readily polished and is used for making skewers, fishing-rods, needles for mak ing fish-nets, and as a substitute for boxwood. It is also employed for the same horticultural and economic purposes as the preceding species, and has numerous fancy-leaved varieties. Other well-known species are the scarlet elder (S. racemosa), an Old-World species, and the red berried elder (S. pubens), a native of North America, considered by some botanists to be identical. There are also several unrelated plants which are popularly known as elder, as box elder (Negundo aceroides), wild elder (Aralia hispida), also known as bristly sarsapa rilla, and marsh-elder (Iva frutescens).