ELDER (i tE. cider, Oh% AS. ellen. elder• tree). A tree or shrub of the genus Sambuens, which belongs to the order Caprifoliace:r. There are about 2tt widely distributed species. The common elder of Europe (8mnbucus nigro) is a large shrub or sometimes a small tree. with large compound leaves and dense cymes of cream-col ored dowers. 'The berries are hlack, occasional sports bearing white berries. which have a soh. acid, sweetish, and, to twiny, :In unpleasant taste. They are extensively made into wine and used to adulterate port wine. The wood is yellow; that of old trees is hard, tough. takes a fine pol ish, and is used as a substitute for boxwood. The young wood has a very large pith. The searlet flowered elder (Sum/no-us race/Hos(' I is a native of the colder portions of the Northern 'Hemi sphere, It resembles the eolunton species except in having greenkb-white flowers and scarlet ber ries. This species is very ornamental and is fre quently planted in shrubberies. The dwarf elder or danewort (Smnbucus Owl us) is a pe culiar specie:: occasionally met with in Creat Britain, In the rnited States the common elder Notoloicos ('amolcosis) is greatly re semhling the •11»bUCIIR nigra of Europe. The cynics of the (lowers arc tlat-topped, and the ber ries, which are purplish black, "re used f'ir making wine and occasionally other preparations. This species is a very common shrub aling roads and fenees. The scarlet-frnited species in
rocky situations, and seems to fruit most abun dantly at the north. or where the climate is tool. Saniburns Me•icuna. of the southwestern [nited `states and is a tree attaining, a height of 25 feet or more, with it trunk 12 to 15 inches in diameter. It branches abundantly, and makes a dense shade. :Medicinal properties have been at tributed to the bark and the leaves of the vari.ins sPeciesg though they do not seem to he recognized v the plmrinacopo•as. The dried flowers are used in medicine. They contain a volatile oil, resin. wax. tannin, pectin. etc- and possess ulant, ea nu inat ive.:red (lira phoret ie properties. The fresh flowers are used in the home mann• a and water preparation used in confe•tiomry. A perfume is made by distilling water. eider and reetified spirits. The propiirtions used are tea pound, of elder flowers, two gallons of water, and three ounces of spirits, from which mixture about one gallon is distilled. This dis tillate is used to tlavor wines, jellies. etc. The young tlower-buds are sometimes pickled like capers. Numerous household remedies are pre pa•ed from different parts of the plants. A num ber of other plants are known by the name elder, as wild elder ( truhit hispitht), Marsh elder (I ra frutcseens), box-elder (A4gundo aei (MAN), etc.