Rafflesia
named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the typical genus of Rafflesiaceæ. The first and finest species discovered was R. arnoldi, found by Raffles and Dr. Arnold in Su 1818. The flower (there is no stem) is Sumatra in more than a yard across . an RAFFLESIACEÆ, rafflesiads; order of rhizogens. Stemless plants, having flowers immersed among scales, and growing directly from the surface of leaves. Perianth globose or campanulate, superior, limb five-parted, the throat surrounded by calli either distinct or constituting a ring. Column salvershaped, or globose, with a row of anthers one or many-celled. Ovary inferior, one-celled, with parietal rietal placentæ, and many seeds; fruit indehiscent. Parasites from the East Indies and South America. Known genera five, species 16.
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Raft
a sort of float or framework, consisting of logs or other pieces of timber fastened together side by side, for convenience in transporting them down rivers, across harbors , etc. Also a floating structure made and used in the emergency of shipwreck . Rafts are made of materials usually accessible on shipboard, spars lashed together by ropes, the flotative power being increased by empty casks lashed in the structure. When made and furnished as a part of a ship's equipment they are constructed with pontoons , and provided with stanchions and ropes, which form a protection against persons falling or being washed overboard . Such a raft is carried in a collapsed condition for compact stowage, and is launched in that less bulky condition; after it is in the water it is brought into working shape by the purchases. chases. Also more readily a large collection of timber and fallen trees, which, floating down the great rivers of the western United States are arrested in their downward course by flats or shallow places, where they accumulate, and sometimes block up the river for miles.
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Rafter
in building, one of the pieces of timber which follow the slope of the roof, and to which are secured the laths into which the shingle or slate nails are driven. Rafters, though all performing the same general duty, have specific names according to their particular functions; as hip-rafter, jack-rafter, etc.
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Ragatz
a spa of Switzerland, in the S. E. corner of the canton of St. Vol. VII-Cyc Gall, 68 miles S. E. of Zurich and 13 N. by W. of Chur (Coire), at the mouth of the ravine leading to Pfäfers, from which town it gets its healing waters by long. Schelling, the German philosomeans of a pipe (1838-1840) 2½ miles pher, is buried in the parish churchyard.
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Ragee
or RAGGEE, an Indian grain probably the least nutritious of all ( Eleusine coracana ), very prolific, but grains. In the form of cake or porridge it is the staple food of the poorer classes in Mysore and of the Neilgherries. to institutions founded during the 19th RAGGED SCHOOLS , a name applie century for the moral reclamation and Christian instruction of the juvenile and adult necessitous poor in England. jec epic, attributed to Kálidása. The subject is similar to that of the Rama Rama's ancestors, "the family of Ragyana," but begins with an account of
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Raghuvansa
a great Sanskrit hu," an (Oudh). The text, with a Latin transancient King of Ayodhya lation, was published by Stenzler (Lond. 1832). LORD, a British military officer; born RAGLAN , FITZROY SOMERSET, Sept. 30, 1788. He was the son of the 5th Duke of Beaufort . He joined the went with the troops to Portugal, and 4th Light Dragoons at the age of 16, fought in all the great Peninsular battles, winning the notice and strong rega made him first his aide-de-camp, and gard of the Duke of Wellington , who then his military secretary. At W loo he lost his right arm. of the Duke of Wellington, Raglan was At Waterappointed Master-General of the Ord- On the death nance, and, at the outbreak of the war between France, England, and Russia, the forces ordered to proceed to the he was selected to take the command of Crimea, commanded at the battles of the Alma, Balaklava, and Inkermann, and shal. Grief at the unsuccessful attack on was promoted to the rank of field-marthe Malakoff and the Redan, and the loss of life which it entailed , preyed on his mind. He died in 1855.
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Ragnarok
rag'na-rek, in Old Norse mythology, the twilight of the gods, or doomsday of the gods. Ragnarok was the time when gods and men were to be destroyed,-when in a great battle with the powers of evil, the universe would be utterly consumed by fire. Certain warning signs of the evil day will appear. Then winters broken by no summer will come. War and discord will spread throughout Jotunheim, Alfheim, and Midgard. The earth itself will tremble. Feuris, the wolf, will break his bonds, the Midgard serpent will rise from the sea. Feuris will slay Odin and be himself slain by Odin's son. Thor will kill the serpent, but die from the combat. Loki and Heimdall will fight till both fall dead. While roaring flames fill all space, the "sun will grow dim, the earth sink into the ocean, the stars fall from the sky, and time will be no more." This is Ragnarok.
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Ragout
a dish of meat stewed and highly seasoned . ceous rock, breaking into rag-like frag-
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Rags
worn-out cloth. The rags collected in the cities are assorted and baled. Cotton rags are sold to paper mills for use in making commercial stationery, known in the trade as rag paper. Linen rags go to the same destination to be used in making stationer's linen or correspondence papers. The woolen rags go to the shoddy mill to be unraveled, picked into the original wool, recarded, spun and woven, either alone or mixed with new wool, into cheap cloth. See Shoddy
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Ragstone
in geology, a rough siliments. It is well adapted for sharpening steel instruments. its origin among the colored people of RAGTIME , syncopated music, having the Southern States and enjoying great characteristics are achieved by exaggervogue in vaudeville and dance halls. Its ated noise and strongly marked accents 27 imitative of the effect produced by the elementary musical instruments in use among the natives of Africa.
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