Andesite
a group of volcanic rocks, gray, reddish or dark brown in color.
The ground-mass of these rocks is usually composed of feldspar-microlith, scattered through which are abundant crystals of plagioclase feldspar. Hornblende and augite, one or both, are generally present, together with magnetite, which is often very abundant. Andesite occurs chiefly in Tertiary and more recent strata, and is found in Hungary, Transylvania, Siebengebirge, Santorin, Iceland, the Andes, the western part of the United States, etc. a ANDIRA, genus of leguminous American trees, with fleshy plum-like fruits. The wood is well fitted for building. The bark of andira inermis, or cabbage-tree, is narcotic and is used as an anthelminthic under the name of worm bark or cabbage bark. The powdered bark of andira araroba is used as a remedy in certain skin diseases, as herpes.
ANDORRA (an-dor'a), a valley in the eastern Pyrenees, between the French department of Ariége and the Spanish province of Lerida, part of Catalonia. It is inclosed by mountains, through which its river, the Balira, breaks to join the Segre at Urgel; and its inaccessibility naturally fits it for being the seat of the interesting little republic which here holds a kind of semi-independent position between France and Spain. Area (divided into six communes), 175 square miles. Population, 6,800. The former abundant forests have been much thinned for fuel; there is much excellent pasture; vines and fruit trees flourish on the lower grounds; and the mountains contain rich iron mines, unwrought lead supplies and mineral springs. springs. The chief occupations are agriculture, cattle breeding, trade in wood, charcoal and wool, and especially smuggling. Andorra is said to have been declared a Free State by Charlemagne. Now the state stands under the common protectorate of France and of the Bishop of Urgel. The Republic is governed by a sovereign council of 24 members, chosen by certain heads of houses, and the council elects a President for four years, a syndic, under whom is a second syndic. Since 1882, the interests of France in the state are represented by a permanent delegate. The Andorrans are good-natured, ANDRASSY hard-working mountaineers, hospitable, moral and devoted to liberty. They are of the Catalonian stock, and speak a dialect of Catalonian. The capital is Andorra la Vieja (pop. 600).