The content describes the difficulty of removing sprouts from the base of a dogwood tree, which threatens to overtake the entire garden. Dogwood timber is prized for its density and fine-grained texture, making it suitable for making loom shuttles, tool handles, roller skates, and other small items that require very hard and strong wood. The wood is tough for woodworking, but some artisans use it for small projects such as walking canes, arrow making, mountain dulcimers, and fine inlays. Dogwood wood is an excellent substitute for persimmon wood in golf club heads. Larger items have also been made of dogwood, such as wine or fruit presses. Dogwood twigs were used by pioneers to brush their teeth, as they would peel off the bark, bite the twig and scrub their teeth.