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tually done so, had he not been diverted from it by Intelligence that the far greater part of the knights were either killed or wounded. This having determined him to try his fortune once more, the command of his forces was turned over to the bashaw Achmed, with orders to push the attack with all, imaginable vigor. Achmed instantly obeyed, raised a battery of seventeen large cannon against the bastion of Italy, and quickly after made himself master of it, obliging the garrison to retire into the city. The grand master was now forced to demolish two of the churches, to prevent the enemy's seizing on them; and, with their materials, caused some new works and entrenchments to be made. The Turks, however, gained ground every day at length, on the 30th of November, the last assault was to be given. The bashaw Pyrrus, who commanded it, led his men directly to the entrenchments, and this attack would have proved one of the most desperate that had yet been made, had not a vehement rain intervened, which carried away all the earth which the enemy had reared to serve them as a rampart; so that being now exposed to a continual fire they fell in such great numbers that the bashaw could no longer make them stand their ground. This last repulse threw the sultan into such a fury that none of his officers dared to come near him; and the shame of his having now spent nearly six whole months with a numerous army before the place, and having lost such myriads of his brave troops with so little advantage, had made him quite desperate. Pyrrus at length, having given it time to cool, ventured to propose offering the town a capitulation. This being relished by the sultan, letters were immediately despatched in his name, exhorting the city to submit, and threatening the knights with the most dreadful effects of his resentment if they persisted in their obstinacy. Other agents were employed in different places: to all of whom the grand master ordered his men to return this answer, that his order never treated with infidels but with sword in hand. At last, however, he called a council of all the knights, and informed them himself of the condition of the place. These all agreed, particularly the engineer Martinengo, that it was no longer defensible, and that no other resource was left but to accept the sultan's offers. These were in fact so advantageous that they immediately exchanged hostages; and Achmed, the sultan's minister, who knew his master's impatience to have the affair concluded, finally agreed with them upon the following terms: 1. That the churches should not be profaned. 2. That the inhabitants should not be forced to part with their children to be made janissaries. 3. That they should enjoy the free exercise of their religion. 4. That they should be free from taxes during five years. 5. That those who had a mind to leave the island should have.free leave to do so. 6. That, if the grand master and his knights had not a sufficient number of vessels to transport themselves and their effects into Candia, the sultan should supply that defect. 7. That they should have twelve days allowed them, from the signing of the articles, to send all their effects on board. 8. That they should have the liberty of carrying away

their relics, chalices, and other sacred utensils belonging to the great church of St. John, together with all their ornaments and other effects. 9. That they should likewise carry with them all the artillery with which they were wont to arm the galleys of the order. 10. That the islands belonging to it, together with the castle of St. Peter, should be delivered up to the Turks. 11. That, for the more easy execution of these articles, the Turkish army should be removed at some miles distance from the capital. 12. That the aga of the janissaries, at the head of 4000 of his men, should be allowed to go and take possession of the place. From this time the island of Rhodes has been subject to the Turks; and, like other countries subject to that tyrannical yoke, has lost all its former importance.

Rhodes is separated from the south-west extremity of Anatolia by the channel of Rhodes, from three to four leagues wide. The north coast is low, but rises inland to a high mountain, flat at top. The soil is in general sandy, but well watered and tolerably fertile, producing corn, wine, oil, fruits, honey, &c. The island abounds with hares, woodcocks, partridges, snipes, and wild ducks. The climate is mild and healthy, the winter having neither frost nor snow, and the summer heats are tempered by the westerly sea breezes in that season.

The chief town, of the same name, is situated on the north-east point of the island, and built amphitheatrically on the side of a hill; it is surrounded by thick walls with towers, which give it an appearance of much greater strength than it possesses. The streets are narrow and crooked, and the houses mean. It has two ports; the smallest, named Dasca, has its entrance from the east, and is covered by several rocks, leaving only a channel for one vessel at a time; it has also jetties, but is filling up daily, and at present can only receive small merchant vessels. The second port, named Rhodes, faces the west, on which side it is sheltered, but is open to the north and north-east. It receives vessels of eighteen feet draft, and here Turkish vessels of war have been built of the pines the island affords.

The other places of any note are Lindo, on the east, at the head of a deep bay and at the foot of a high mountain, on the site of the ancient Lindus, celebrated for its temple of Minerva, of which some remains are still to be seen on the summit of the hill behind the town. On the south side of the bay is good anchorage, in eight to twelve fathoms, opposite a little village named Massary, where is shelter from the south-west winds, which often blow with violence during winter. Uxiticho is on the south-east. Cape Tranquille is the south point of the island. Off it is the isle of St. Catherine. Limonia (Teutlussa), Karki (Chalce), Piscopia (Telos), Nisari (Nysirus), and Madona, are between Rhodes and Stancho. Nisari, the most considerable, produces wheat, cotton, and wine, and has warm springs.

In the centre of the island of Rhodes rises mount Artemira, the ancient Atabyrus, a steep and lofty summit, commanding a most extensive view, not only over the island, but over all the surrounding seas and coasts. It is, in fact, a

pinnacle of a range of mountains, on which grow those forests of pine which supplied the ancient navies of the Rhodians, and were long sent in great quantities to the arsenal at Constantinople. They are now, however, greatly thinned. Beneath this range rises a tract of lower hills, which still produce some of that perfumed wine so much prized by the ancients. This culture might easily be greatly extended, as a great part of the hills fitted for it are at present neglected. The tract beneath, forming the greater portion of the island, slopes gradually down to the sea, and being watered by numerous streams, descending from the higher regions, is capable, under proper cultivation, of producing luxuriant crops. Rhodes, which might be the granary of the neighbouring islands, was very lately obliged to import a considerable portion of the grain which it consumes. The pacha, having assumed the monopoly of this article, found it his interest to perpetuate the poverty on which it depended. The consequence is, that a great part of the Island is almost entirely waste. In travelling over it,' says Savary, 'you have the mortification of passing through several fine valleys, unadorned with either cottage or hamlet, and discovering no marks of cultivation. Wild roses hang around the foot of the rocks; beds of flowering myrrh perfume the air; tufts of laurel roses adorn the banks of the rivulets with their gaudy flowers. The husbandman here suffers the earth to waste her strength in pouring forth a profusion of weeds and useless plants, without taking pains to direct her fertility, and to enjoy her favors. Besides corn, there is a deficiency of olives for the consumption; and the quantity of cotton raised is barely sufficient for the supply of the island. The exportation of wine, figs, and other fruit, is, however, considerable.

Savary found the capital inhabited chiefly by the Turks; and five towns and forty-one villages inhabited by Greeks. The families in the island he states at 4700 Turks, 2500 Greeks, and 100 Jews, making in all 7300 families, which, at five persons to each family, would amount to 36,500. Mr. Turner, a more recent traveller, calculates the whole number at 20,000. The Greeks, he says, inhabit forty-two villages, containing, in the whole, 14,000 of that nation. The rest of the population, consisting entirely of Turks and Jews, reside in the capital. But see our article GREECE, vol. x. 640.

RHODIGINUS (Lucius Caelius), a learned Venetian, born at Rovigo, in 1450. He was the instructor of the celebrated Julius Cæsar Scaliger. He wrote many works, the chief of which is Antiquæ Lectiones, first printed at Basil. He died in Padua in 1525, aged seventy-five.

RHODIOLA, rose wort, in botany, a genus of the octandria order and diccia class of plants, natural order thirteenth, succulentæ: MALE CAL. quadripartite: COR. tetrapetalous: FEMALE CAL. quadripartite: COR. none; nectaria four; pistils four; and there are four polyspermous capsules. There are two species,

1. R. minor, a native of the Alps, has purplish flowers, which come out later than those of the rhodiola rosea; it is also of a smaller size.

2. R. rosea grows naturally in the clefts of the

rocks and rugged mountains of Wales, Yorkshire, and Westmoreland. It has a very thick fleshy root, which, when cut or bruised, sends out an odor like roses. It has thick succulent stalks like those of orpine, about nine inches long, closely garnished with thick succulent leaves indented at the top. The stalk is terminated by a cluster of yellowish herbaceous flowers, which have an agreeable scent, but are of short continuance. Both species are easily propagated by parting their roots, and require a shady situation, and dry undunged soil. The fragrance of the second species, however, is greatly diminished by cultivation.

RHODIUM, in chemistry, a metal first discovered by Dr. Wollaston among the grains of crude platinum. The mode of obtaining it in the state of a triple salt combined with muriatic acid and soda has been given under the article PALLADIUM. This may be dissolved in water, and the metal precipitated by zinc in the shape of a black powder. This powder exposed to heat continues black; but with borax it acquires a white metallic lustre, though it remains infusible. Sulphur and arsenic, however, render it fusible, and may afterwards be expelled by continuing the heat. The button, however, is not malleable. Its specific gravity appears not to exceed 11.

Rhodium unites easily with every metal that has been tried, except mercury. With gold or silver it forms a very malleable alloy, not oxidised by a high degree of heat, but becoming incrusted with a black oxide when slowly cooled. One-sixth of it does not perceptibly alter the color of gold, but renders it much less fusible. Neither nitric nor nitro-muriatic acid acts on it in either of these alloys; but if it be fused with three parts of bismuth, lead, or copper, the alloy is entirely soluble in a mixture of one part nitric acid with two parts of muriatic.

The oxide was soluble in every acid Dr. Wollaston tried. The solution in muriatic acid did not crystallise by evaporation. Its residuum formed a rose-colored solution with alcohol. Muriate of ammonia and of soda, and nitrate of potash, occasioned no precipitate in the muriatic solution, but formed with the oxide triple salts, which were insoluble in the alcohol. Its solution in nitric acid likewise did not crystallise, but silver, copper, and other metals precipitated it. The solution of the triple salt with muriate of soda was not precipitated by muriate, carbonate, or hydrosulphuret of ammonia, by carbonate or ferroprussiate of potash, or by carbonate of soda. The caustic alkalis, however, throw down a yellow oxide, soluble in excess of alkali; and a solution of platina occasions in it a yellow precipi

tate.

The title of this product to be considered as a distinct metal was at first questioned; but the experiments of Dr. Wollaston have since been confirmed by Descotils.

RHODIUS (John), an ancient 'Danish physician, born at Copenhagen in 1587. He published Notes on Scribonius Largus, and other works; and died in Padua in 1659.

RHODODENDRON, dwarf rose-bay, in botany, a genus of the monogynia order, and decandria class of plants, natural order eighteenth,

bicornes: CAL. quinquepartite: COR. funnelshaped; stamina declining; CAP3. quinquelocular. There are ten species; the most remarkable are,

1. R. chamæcistus, or ciliated-leaved dwarf rose-bay, a low deciduous shrub, a native of Germany. It grows to the height of about three feet; the branches are numerous, produced irregularly, and covered with a purplish bark. The leaves are oval, spear-shaped, small, and in the under surface of the color of iron. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches in bunches, are of a wheel-shaped figure, pretty large, of a fine crimson color, and handsome appearance. They appear in June, and are succeeded by oval capsules containing ripe seeds in September.

2. R. chrysanthemum, a new species, discovered by professor Pallas in his tour through Siberia. In Siberia this species is used with great success in gouty and rheumatic affections.

3. R. Dauricum, the Daurian dwarf rosebay, is a low deciduous shrub, and native of Dauria. Its branches are numerous, and covered with a brownish bark. The flowers are wheelshaped, large, and of a beautiful rose-color: they appear in May, and are succeeded by oval capsules full of seeds, which in England do not always ripen.

4. R. ferrugineum, with smooth leaves, hairy on their under side, is a native of the Alps and Appennines. It rises with a shrubby stalk nearly three feet high, sending out many irregular branches covered with a purplish bark, and closely garnished with smooth spear-shaped entire leaves, whose borders are reflexed back ward; the upper side is of a light lucid green, their under side of an iron color. The flowers are produced at the ends of the branches, are funnelshaped, cut into five segments, and of a pale rose color. These plants are propagated by seeds; but, being natives of barren rocky soils and cold situations, they do not thrive in gardens, and for want of their usual covering of snow in the winter are often killed by frost in this country.

5. R. hirsutum, with naked hairy leaves, grows naturally on the Alps and several mountains of Italy. It is a low shrub, which seldom rises two feet high, sending out many ligneous branches, covered with a light brown bark, garnished closely with oval spear-shaped leaves, sitting pretty close to the branches. They are entire, having a great number of fine iron-colored hairs on their edges and under side. The flowers are produced in bunches at the end of the branches in May, having one funnel-shaped petal cut into five obtuse segments, and of a pale-red color. They make a good show, and are succeeded by oval capsules, containing ripe seeds, in August.

6. R. maximum, the American mountain laurel, is an ever-green shrub, and a native of Virginia, where it grows naturally on the highest mountains, and on the edges of cliffs, precipices, &c., where it reaches the size of a moderate tree, though with us it seldom rises higher than six feet. The flowers continue by succession sometimes more than two months, and are succeeded by oval capsules full of seeds.

7. R. ponticum, the pontic dwarf rose-bay, is an evergreen shrub, a native of the east, and of most shady places near Gibraltar. It grows to the height of four or five feet. The leaves are spear-shaped, glossy on both sides, acute, and placed on short foot-stalks on the branches; the flowers, which are produced in clusters, are bellshaped, and of a fine purple-color. They appear in July, and are succeeded by oval capsules containing seeds, which in this climate seldom attain to maturity.

RHODÒMAN (Laurence), a learned German, born at Sassowerf, in Upper Saxony, in 1546. He studied at the college of Ilfield six years; and became an eminent Greek scholar. He wrote Greek verses, which are much admired. He translated the Greek poem of Quintus Calaber into Latin. He also translated Diodorus Siculus into Latin. He became professor of history in the university of Wirtemberg; and published

several other works. He died in 1606 at Wirtemberg.

RHODOPE, a high mountain of Thrace, extending across the country, in an east direction, nearly to the Euxine Sea.

RHODOPE, in fabulous history, the wife of Hamus king of Thrace; who, preferring herself to Juno in beauty, was metamorphosed into the above mountain. Ovid vi. 87, &c.

RHODOPE, a celebrated Grecian courtezan, who was fellow servant with sop at the court of the king of Samos. She was carried to Egypt by Xanthus, and purchased by Charaxes of Mitylene, the brother of Sappho, who married her. She afterwards sold her favors at such a price that she collected a sum of money, with which she built one of the pyramids. Ælian says that one day, as she was bathing, an eagle carried away one of her sandals, and dropped it near king Psammetichus at Memphis, on which he made enquiry after the owner, and married her. RHODUS. See RHODES.

RHOE, two of the Shetland Isles of Scotland, thus distinguished: Little Rhoe, lies near Mickle Rhoe, and contains about fourteen inhabitants, whose sole employment is fishing. Mickle Rhoe lies on the south of Mainland, and belongs to the parish of Delting. It is about twenty-four miles in circumference, and its inhabitants are chiefly employed in cultivating the fertile spots of the island, and in fishing. They also rear a number of sheep and black cattle, which have excellent pasture among the heath.

RHOECUS, in fabulous history: 1. One of the giants, killed by Bacchus in the war against the gods; 2. A centaur, who attempted to offer violence to Atalanta: also killed by Bacchus, at the marriage of Pirithous. Ovid. Met. xii. 301. RHOMB, n. s. Fr. rhombe; Lat. rhombus ; RHOM BIC, Gr. ρόμβος. A quadranRHOM BOID, N. s. Sgular figure, formed by two equal and right cones joined together at their base: rhombic is, shaped as a rhomb: rhomboid, a figure approaching that shape.

See how in warlike muster they appear, In rhombs and wedges; and half moons and wings.

Milton.

Many other sorts of stones are regularly figured: the asteria in form of a star, and they are of a rhombick figure. Grew.

[blocks in formation]

RHOMBOID, in geometry, a quadrilateral figure whose opposite sides and angles are equal, but which is neither equilateral nor equiangular. RHOMBOIDES, in anatomy, a thin, broad, and obliquely square fleshy muscle, situated between the basis of the scapula and the spina dorsi, so called from its figure. Its general use is to draw backward and upward the subspinal portion of the basis scapula.

RHOMBUS, in geometry, an oblique-angled parallelogram, or quadrilateral figure whose sides are equal and parallel, but the angles unequal, two of the opposite ones being obtuse and

two acute.

extensive. This department belongs to the diocese and jurisdiction of the royal court of Lyons, and is divided into two arrondissements, Lyons the capital, and Villefranche. Inhabitants

330,000.

RHONE, MOUTHS OF THE, Bouches du Rhone, a department of France, formed of a part of Provence, and bounded by the Mediterranean and the departments of the Gard, the Vaucluse, and the Var. Its superficial extent is about 2000 square miles, traversed by a branch of the Alps, and for the most part an undulating plain, watered by the Rhone, the Durance, and other rivers. The climate is mild, producing wine, fruit, olives, soda, sumach, and silk-worms; along the coast are made quantities of salt. The wine made, though large in quantity, is used chiefly for home consumption. The culture of the olive was formerly extensive; but the winter of 1788 and 1789 destroyed a vast number of trees, and reduced the produce of the department to a fourth of its former amount. Silk is exported annually to the amount of £40,000, and wool to the value of £30,000. The department has pasture for sheep, but little for large cattle. Butter is almost unknown; there is likewise a deficiency of wood, and of corn. It belongs to the diocese and jurisdiction of the royal court of Aix; and is divided into the arrondissements, viz. Marseilles the capital, Aix, and Tarascon. Population 293,000.

RHONE, an important river of the south of Europe, rising in the central and highest part of Switzerland, at the foot of Mount Furca, and about five miles from the source of the Rhine. It flows in a western direction through the Swiss canton of the Valais, here called the valley of the Rhone, after which, swelled by numerous mountain streams, its turbid waters mingle with those of the lake of Geneva. Issuing in a purer stream, the Rhone now flows southward, and forms the boundary between France and Savoy, until approaching Chamberry, it turns to the west and north, and, reaching Lyons, is joined by the Saone, a river of equal length of course, but of less copious stream. From Lyons the Rhone holds a south course, all the way to the Mediterranean, receiving a number of streams east and west the largest of these are the Isere and Durance. After a course of nearly 500 miles, the Rhone discharges itself, by three mouths, into the gulf of Lyons. It is the most rapid river in Europe: between Geneva and Lyons its channel in some parts is extremely narrowed by RHOPOLA, in botany, a genus of the monorocks, and at one place, about sixteen miles below gynia order and tetandria class of plants: CAL. Geneva, it loses itself underground for the space none; petals four, oblong, obtuse, and narrowof sixty paces. Though not so long in its course ing at the base; stamina four, inserted in the coas the Loire, it exceeds it and all the other rolla, and having large antheræ; unilocular, and rivers in France in size. The navigation down the containing one seed. There is only one species, stream takes place with great ease; the upward viz. R. montana, a shrubby plant growing in can be performed only by draught or steam. It Guiana, and remarkable for the great number of deposits so large a quantity of earth at its mouth branches sent off from its trunk in every direc that a light-house, built on the shore in 1737, tion, and for the fetid smell of its wood and is now three miles distant from it. bark.

RHONE, a department of France, including the former provinces of Beaujalois and Lyonnois, and bounded by those of the Saone and Loire, the Ain, the Isere, and the Loire. It has a superficial extent of 1050 square miles, somewhat mountainous, and, owing to the vicinity of the Alps, the climate is more inclined to cold than heat. But the southern part, along the Rhone, furnishes excellent fruit, and wine, called from the exposure of many of the vineyards, coterotie. North-east part, along the borders of the Saone, there are extensive meadows; and in the central part corn is produced. The inhabitants of the mountainous districts are employed in spinning and weaving of cotton. The manufactures, particularly in Lyons and its vicinity, are

RHOPIUM, in botany, a genus of the triandria order and gynandria class of plants: CAL. monophyllous and sex partite: coR. none, and no stamina; the three antheræ are each attached to one of the styli: CAPS. tricoccous and sexlocular, each cell containing two seeds. Species one only, viz. R. meborea, a native of Guiana. This is a shrub rising about three or four feet in height. The flowers grow in the form of a corymbus; they are of a yellowish-green color; the capsules are black.

RHOTAS, an extensive district of Hindostan, province of Bahar. It is chiefly situated between the rivers Soane and Caramnassa. The southern part is hilly and covered with wood; but the northern parts level, well watered, and fertile. The principal towns are Sassaram, Serris, Bogwanpore, and Rhotas.

RHOTAS, a fortress of Hindostan, the capital of the district of this name, province of Punjab. It is situated on the western side of the Jhylum or Hydaspes, and is said to be very strong; it has not been visited by any European, but was seen at a distance by Mr. Elphinstone, in the year 1809. Long. 72° 55′ E., lat. 31° 55′ N.

RHOTAS, or ROTASGUR, a celebrated fortress of Hindostan, in Bahar, on the top of a table

mountain. The only entrance is a very narrow road, cut through a steep ascent of two miles, and defended by three gates at a distance from each other. The edge of the mountain is surrounded by a parapet, at the back of which are collected heaps of stones, for the purpose of rolling down on the assailants. The surface is ten miles square, containing a town, and several reservoirs of water, to irrigate the fields, were it requisite; but, as the climate is considered unhealthy, they are abandoned, and the fortifications are falling to decay.

RHOTENAMER (John), an eminent Italian painter, born in 1564. He studied after Tintoret, and settled at Venice. His works are remarkable for brilliant coloring and high finishing. RHOXALANI, an ancient nation who resided on the north bank of the Palus Mæotis, between Europe and Asia, on the confines of both.

RHUBARB, n. s. Lat. rhabarbara. A medicinal root, referred by botanists to the dock.

What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug Would scour these English hence? Shakspeare. Having fixed the fontanel, I purged him with an infusion of rhubarb in small ale.

Wiseman.

RHUBARB. See RHEUM. RHUMB, in navigation, a vertical circle of any given place, or intersection of such a circle with the horizon; in which last sense rhumb is the same with a point of the compass.

RHUMB LINE, the line which a ship describes when sailing in the same collateral point of the compass, or oblique to the meridians.

RHUNKEN, or RHUNKENIUS (David), a celebrated German critic, was born at Stolpen in Pomerania, in 1723. Intended for the clerical profession, he passed some time at the university of Konigsberg, devoting himself to classical literature; he then removed to Wittemberg, where he took the degree of LL. D., and afterwards to Leyden, where Hemsterhuis procured him the situation of a tutor, and through his advice he published an edition of the Greek Lexicon of Timæus. He subsequently went to Paris, and in 1757 became assistant to Hemsterhuis at Leyden and in 1761 he succeeded Oudendorp as professor of Latin and of history. He died much regretted in 1798. His chief works are a eulogium on his friend Hemsterhuis; an edition of Rutilius Lupus on Rhetoric; and of the history of Velleius Paterculus.

RHUS, sumach, in botany, a genus of the trigynia order and pentandria class of plants; natural order forty-third, dumosæ: CAL. quinquepartite; petals five; berry monospermous. Species thirty-five, of which the most remarkable

are,

1. R. Canadensis, with winged spear-shaped leaves, grows naturally in Canada, Maryland, and several other parts of North America. It has smooth branches of a purple color, covered with a gray pounce. The leaves are composed of seven or eight pairs of lobes, terminated by an odd one; the lobes are spear-shaped, sawed on their edges, of a lucid green on their upper surface, but hoary on their under, and are smooth. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches in large panicles, composed of

several smaller, each standing upon separate foot-stalks; they are of a deep red color, and the whole panicle is covered with a gray powder.

2. R. Carolinianum, with winged leaves grows naturally in Carolina. This is by the gardeners called the scarlet Carolina sumach; it rises commonly to the height of seven or eight feet, dividing into many irregular branches, which are smooth, of a purple red color, and covered over with a grayish powder, as are also the foot-stalks of the leaves. The leaves are composed of seven or eight pairs of lobes, terminated by an odd one; these are not always placed exactly opposite on the midrib, but are sometimes alternate. The upper side of the lobes is of a dark green, and their under hoary but smooth. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches in very close panicles, which are large and of a bright red color.

3. R. copallinum, the narrow leaved sumach, grows naturally in most parts of North America, where it is called beach sumach, probably from the place where it grows. This is of humble growth, seldom rising above four or five feet high in Britain, dividing into many spreading branches, which are smooth, of a light brown color, closely garnished with winged leaves, composed of four or five pairs of narrow lobes, terminated by an odd one; they are of a light green on both sides, and in autumn change to purplish. The mid rib, which sustains the lobes, has on each side a winged or leafy border, which runs from one pair of lobes to another, ending in joints at each pair, by which it is easily distinguished from the other sorts. The flowers are produced in loose panicles at the end of the branches, of a yellowish herbaceous color. The resin called gum copal is produced from this shrub. See COPAL.

4. R. coriaria, the elm leaved sumach, grows naturally in Italy, Spain, Turkey, Syria, and Palestine. The branches are used instead of oak bark for tanning of leather; and it is said that the Turkey leather is all tanned with this shrub. It has a ligneous stalk, which divides at bottom into many irregular branches, rising eight or ten feet; the bark is hairy, of an herbaceous brown color; the leaves are winged, composed of seven or eight pairs of lobes, terminated by an odd one, bluntly sawed on their edges, hairy on their under side, of a yellowish green color, and placed alternately on the branches: the flowers grow in loose panicles on the end of the branches, which are of a whitish herbaceous color, each panicle being composed of several spikes of flowers sitting close to the foot-stalks. The leaves and seeds are used in medicine, and esteemed very astringent and styptic.

5. R. typhinum, Virginian sumach, or vinegar plant, grows naturally in almost every part of North America. It has a woody stem, with many irregular branches, which are generally crooked and deformed. The young branches are covered with a soft velvet-like down, resembling greatly that of a young stag's horn, both in color and texture, whence it has the appellation of stag's horn; the leaves are winged, composed of six or seven pairs of oblong heart-shaped lobes, terminated by an odd one, ending in acute

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