Hesse
or HESSEN, GRAND DUCHY OF, formerly known as Hessen- Darmstadt, an independent state of south Germany, consisting of sundry distinct portions; area, 2,966 square miles; pop. about 1,350,000. Of the two main portions, one (forming the provinces of Rheinhessen on the left, and Starkenburg on the right bank of the Rhine) lies immediately to the N. of Baden, the other, Oberhessen (Upper Hesse), is entirely inclosed by the Prussian province of Hessen-Nassau. Much of the soil, particularly in the provinces of Starkenburg and Rheinhessen, is remarkably fertile. The vine forms a most important object object of culture, and fruit is very abundant. Principal towns, Darmstadt, the capital (pop. about 88,000); Mainz, Giessen, Bingen, and Worms. About two-thirds of the inhabitants are Protestants. The grand-duchy of Hesse originated in the division of the landgraviate of Hesse in 1567 (see HESSE). In 1806 the landgraviate was erected by Napoleon into a grand-duchy with an enlarged territory. It was reduced to its present limits in 1866, as the result of the Austro-Prussian War in which Hessen was on the side of Austria. In 1871 Hessen became part of the German Empire. In the fall of 1918 the then reigning grand-duke, Ernst Ludwig, was, HESSE-CASSEL HEWITT together with all the other German ness, 2-3.5; sp. gr. 8.3-8.6. Composirulers, dethroned and Hessen became a tion: Tellurium, 37.2; silver, 62.8 = 100. republic.
HESSE-CASSEL (hes'kas'el), till 1866 a German electorate, since then forming the government district of Cassel in the Prussian province of HESSE-NASSAU (q. v.); area, 3,700 square miles. The landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel was formed by William IV., eldest son of Philip the Magnanimous, who died in 1567. Constituted an electorate in 1803, it was occupied by the French in 1806, incorporated with Westphalia in 1807, and constituted an electorate in 1813. The elector having joined Austria in 1866, Hesse-Cassel was incorporated with Prussia, as part of the province of Hesse-Nassau.
HESSE-HOMBURG (hes'hom-burg), a former landgraviate of Germany; consisted of the provinces of Homburg and Meisenheim. The male line of Hesse-Homburg became extinct by the death of the landgrave Ferdinand, March 24, 1866; the state was incorporated with Hesse-Darmstadt, but later that year was ceded to Prussia and since then forms part of Prussian Hesse-Nassau.
HESSE-NASSAU (hes'nas'sâ), a province of Prussia, incorporated by decree of Dec. 7, 1868, by the union of the province of Upper Hesse (formerly a portion of the grand-duchy of Hesse) with the former duchy of Nassau; area, 6,060 square miles; pop. about 2,500,000.
The most important city of the province is FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN (q. v.).
The province is also known throughout the world for its numerous mineral springs and health resorts, among which the most important are Homburg, Wiesbaden, Ems, and Selters. Its mineral deposits, especially iron ore and coal, are important.
HESSIAN FLY (Cecidomyia destructor), a fly of the family Tipulidæ, of the order Diptera (two-winged flies), the larva of which is very destructive to wheat, barley, and rye crops (it does not attack oats). It is so named from the belief that it was brought over to America by the Hessian mercenaries during the Revolutionary War. The female flies usually lay their eggs on the young plants twice in the year, in May and September, out of which the maggots hatch in from 4 to 14 days.
It has long been a pest in the United States and Germany, but did not appear in Great Britain till the summer of