These 11 listings are so strange that each appears in only one of the 7 encyclopedias we compared. They include such classics as Caladium, Calambuco, Calamianes.
a genus of endogenous plants, the typical one of the family caladiex. They are cultivated in greenhouses here, and flourish in warmer parts of the world . The leaves of the Caladium sagittifolium are boiled and eaten as a vegetable in the West Indies. The rootstocks or rhizomes of others are eaten there and in the Pacific, the process of cooking destroying the dangerous acridity.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a city, port of entry, and county-seat of Washington county , Me.; on the St. Croix river, opposite St. Stephen, N. B., and on the St. Croix and Penobscot and the Canadian Pacific railroads; 120 miles E. of Bangor. It is the extreme N. E. seaport of the United States and is connected by steamship lines with Boston , Portland, and St. John, N. B. It has a large lumber trade and numerous foundries , machine shops, shipyards, and other extensive mechanical industries; a national bank, several newspapers, high and grammar schools , electric lights, a public library, etc. Pop. (1910) 6,116 ; (1920) 6,084 !
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a fortified seaport town of France, in the department of Pas-de-Calais, on the Strait of, and 25 miles S. E. of Dover, and distant 184 miles by rail from Paris. The Old Town or Calais proper has a citadel, and was formerly surrounded by fortifications; but the modern suburb of St. Pierre les Calais having been amalgamated with Calais proper, both are now surrounded with forts and other works, lend additional to which morasses strength. Extensive harbor improvements have been carried out. Calais has considerable exports of grain, wine, and spirits, eggs, fruit and vegetables; but the town derives its principal importance from its being the chief landing place for English travelers to the Continent. It has important manufactures of cotton and silk bobbinet lace. In 1347 Calais was taken by Edward III. of England, after a siege of 11 months. In 1558 it was retaken by the Duke of Guise, being the last relic of the French dominions of the Plantagenets, which at one time comprehended the half of France. In the World War it played an important part as a port of embarkation and disembarkation for the British forces in France and Belgium. It was shelled by German destroyers and bombed by German aeroplanes at numerous occasions, without, however, suffering severe losses, either in life or property. Pop. about 75,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a very durable tree, indestructible by ants, used for shipbuilding and farming implements; grows in the island of Luzon, Philippines.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an island group of the Philippine Archipelago. Their surface is mountainous, and richly wooded, producing rice, wool, cacao, the birds' used food. Busuanga, Calamian, and Linacapan are the largest of the 98 islands. Area about 677 square miles; pop. about 20,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
. See Sweet Flag
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
the reed pen which the ancients used in writing, made of the stem of a reed growing in marshy places, probably Arundo Donax, of which the best were obtained from Egypt. The stem was first softened, then dried, and cut and split with a knife (scalprum librarium), as quill pens are made. To this day the Orientals generally write with a reed (Arab. Kalam).
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the traditional name of the sweet flag (acorus calamus), which is no doubt the "calamus aromatic aromaticus" of Roman authors, and probably the sweet calamus and sweet cane of Scripture, although it has sometimes been attempted to identify calamus with one of the fragrant grasses which yield the grass-oil of India. The sweet flag, although resembling Iris in habit, belongs to the order Aroideæ, and is widely distributed through the Eastern palæarctic region, and is also indigenous to North America. The root-stock yields an aromatic stimulant and tonic, which has fallen into disuse in regular medicine, but is still of high repute in the East. It is in fact cultivated in Ceylon and Burma. It is sometimes used to flavor beer, and in the perfuming of tooth powder and snuff; and was masticated to clear the voice and sweeten the breath. It is also made into confections and used in the preparation of liqueurs in Germany, etc. The plant was formerly used to strew floors instead of rushes, and particularly in cathedrals on festival days. The name calamus is also given to a genus of palms.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
an Indian philosopher much esteemed by Alexander the Great. At the age of 73 (B. c. 323), being seized with illness at Pasargada, he caused a funeral pile to be erected, which he ascended with a composed countenance, and expired in the flames, saying, that having lost his health and seen Alexander, life had no more charms for him. (kä-lä-tä-fe'mē), CALATAFIMI a ruined Saracenic castle. Neard it is the of near its W. end, with a scene of Garibaldi's first victory over the Neapolitans in 1860. Pop. about 11,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
A poisonous multiform monster of Irish legend. This creature was composed of a father and his twenty-seven sons, any one of whose weapons could, by the merest touch, kill a man within nine days. This monstrosity was sent against Cuchulain, who succeeded in catching its eight-and-twenty spears on his shield. The Clan, however managed to throw him down and ground his face in the gravel. Cuchulain was assisted by the son of an Ulster exile, who cut off the creature's heads while Cuchulain hacked it to pieces.;
Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism
Guadiana, 12 miles N. E. of Ciudad Real. a ruined city of Spain, on the al. Its defense against the Moors, undertaken by Raymond, abbot of Fitero, and Diego Velasquez in 1158, after it had been abandoned by the Templars, is famous on account of its having originated the Order of the Knights of Calatrava, which was instituted at Calatrava in 1158, by King Sancho III. of Castile, and was at several periods associated with the Cistercian monks. Their almost uniform success against the Moors gave rise to rashness, and in 1197 they were defeated and nearly exterminated, the survivors transferring the seat to the castle of Salvatierra. In 1523 the grand-mastership was transferred to the crown by a papal bull, the knights being permitted to marry once by way of compensation for their loss of independence, Since 1808 the body has been continued as an order of merit.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia