The Meta-Encyclopedia

Single-source entries: C (133)

Each of these 10 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.

Crinoline

crin'o-lin, a stiff lining fabric composed of horsehair and linen. The name is derived from the Latin words crines, hair, and linum, flax. The so-called crinoline of the present day is made frequently of coarse cotton yarns. In finishing, the fabric is heavily sized to take the place of the natural stiffness of the horsehair fabric. Crinoline was first used about the middle of the nineteenth century to stiffen women's skirts. When the fashion of expanding the skirts grew to the exaggeration that demanded hoops or hoop skirts, the word crinoline was retained in the phrase "wearing crinolines," which implied the wearing of hoops.

Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia

Cripple Creek

a town in Teller co. , Col.; on the Florence and Cripple Creek and the Midland Terminal railroads, 50 miles W. of Colorado Springs. It is the trade center for the Cripple Creek mining district, which was one of the richest gold -mining districts. It has several cyanide mills, smelters and other mining industries , a National bank, and daily and weekly newspapers. It was founded in 1890 , and was nearly destroyed by fire in 1896. Pop. (1910) 6,206; (1920) 2,325.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Crishna

in Hindu mythology, an incarnate deity of perfect beauty. King Canza, being informed that a child of the family of Devaci would overturn his throne, gave orders to destroy all the male infants that were born. When Crishna was born, his nurse attempted to poison him, but failed, and the mother and child fled , and were taken care of by a shepherd. As he grew up, his beauty was so divine that all the princesses of Hindustan fell in love with him, and even to the present hour he is the Apollo of India and the "idol of women."

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Crisp

CHARLES FREDERICK, an American jurist; born in Sheffield, England, Jan. 24, 1845; removed to Americus, Ga.; served in the Confederate army from 1861 to 1864; was admitted to the bar in 1866; 186 was Solicitor-General of the State from 1872 to 1877; he was Judge of the Supreme Court from 1877 to 1882. He resigned the last office accept nomination for Congress, of which body he was chosen speaker in 1891, and again in 1893. He died at Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 23, 1896.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Crispi

FRANCESCO, an Italian statesman; born in Ribera, Sicily, Oct. 4, 1819. He studied law at the University of Palermo and settled at Naples in 1846. Since then he has been an important factor in Italian history. He took part in the conspiracies that led to the overthrow of the Two Sicilies, after which he fled to France for a time; served as a major under Garibaldi in 1860, and in 1861 was returned by Palermo to the first Italian Parliament, and became President of the Chamber of Deputies in 1876. He was made Minister of the Interior in 1877, Prime Minister in 1887 and again in 1893. He was a warm friend of Bismarck. He became unpopular with the people on account of taxation and two attempts were made to assassinate him. He died Aug. 11, 1901.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Critias

one of the 30 tyrants set over Athens by the Spartans. He was of good family, and a man of considerstagnant condition, and then the gradual able talents, but of dangerous principles. He cultivated eloquence and Cicero cites him among the public speakers of that day. He also had a talent for poetry, some fragments of which have reached us. Critias turned his attention likewise to philosophical studies, and was one of the disciples of Socrates. Banished from Athens for some cause that is not known, $85,252,000 he retired to Thessaly, where he incited 121,056,000 228,499,000 an insurrection among the Peneste or 155,239,000 serfs. Subsequent to this he visited Sparta, and wrote a treatise on the laws and institutions of that republic. Returning to Athens along with Lysander, 404 B. C., he was appointed one of the 30, his pride of birth and hatred of demagogues fitting him for that office. After a cruel and oppressive use of the power thus conferred upon him, he fell in battle against Thrasybulus and his followers.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Critical Period of Crops

a period in the growth of plants at which certain meteorological conditions are petigations by Prof. Smith of the U. S. Weather Bureau have shown that the success of the Ohio corn crop is dependent principally on the July rainfall of the State. A five-inch rainfall as compared with one of less than three inches has been found to make an average difference of 27,000,000 bushels in the Ohio "corn belt" as a whole is affected to the extent of 500,000,000 bushels by a difference of one inch in the rainfall of the critical period. The practical advantage of understanding the critical periods of plants in regard to moisture is most apparent in the case of artificially irrigated crops, but other applications the principle have been made by combining the estimates of critical periods with knowledge derived from general climatic statistics.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Critomancy

Divination by means of observing viands and cakes. The paste of cakes which are offered in sacrifice, is closely examined, and from the flour which is spread upon them, omens are drawn.

Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Crittenden

THOMAS LEONI- DAS, an American military officer; born in Russellville, Ky., May 15 May 15, 1819. He was educated for the law, and in 1842 became State attorney for Kentucky. He served as an officer in the Mexican War, and in 1849 was appointed consul at Liverpool. On the outbreak of the Civil War he became Brigadier-General of volunteers, and in 1862 was promoted to Major-General. He distinguished himself at Shiloh, Stone River, and Chickamauga. He was placed on the retired list in 1881. He died in Annandale, N. Y., Oct. 23, 1893.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia

Croatia-Slavonia

formerly a province or administrative division in the S. W. of the Austrian dominions in the Hungarian portion of the monarchy, partly bounded by the Adriatic. Since the World War a province of Greater Serbia (Jugoslavia). Area, 16,417 square miles. Its surface is irregular, the Alps extending into it, and culminating at the height of 4,400 feet. The Drave and the Save divide between them the whole drainage system. In the N. on low sunny slopes, the vine is successfully cultivated; the olive, mulberry, and fig thrive well on the coast. The S. is generally unfertile, and in many parts almost sterile. The principal crops are barley and oats; but the whole country is more pastoral than arable. The inhabitants are Croats and Serbs, with a mixture of Germans, Hungarians, Jews, and Gypsies. About three-fourths of the population are Catholics, the rest belong chiefly to the Greek Church. Capital, Zagrab. Pop. 2,650,000. In A. D. 640 the Croats, a tribe from the Carpathians , settled in Croatia, and gave their name to the country. It long maintained a sort of independent existence, but in 1309 it was incorporated with Hungary. See JUGO-SLAVIA.

Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia