Trousset encyclopedia

IRIS N. Bot. Genus of iridaceae, which counts a hundred species of hardy plants with crawling rhizome, strong bulb, large flowers which are often richly coloured. they can be multiplied by dividing the rhizomes or by sowing, when one wants to grow new varieties. The german iris (iris Germanica), also called bearded iris, grows in France on walls and rocks; it is cultivated in gardens for its beautiful flowers of a purple blue, with a yellow beard and a pleasant scent. Its bitter and acrid rhizome, when dry, gives off a scent like that of violets. The florentina iris (iris Fiorentina), with faintly bluish white flowers and a bright yellow-bearded perianth, grows in Italy and Provence. Its dried rhizome is used, like that of the aforementioned species, to perfume the linen in wardrobes or in the washing; it is also used in medicine to make iris root peas for cauteries, because of its acridness, which maintains a suitable irritation. The yellow iris or yellow flag (iris pseudoacorus), common around Paris, bears large yellow and almost odourless flowers; its rhizome yields a black dyeing. The Beefsteak Iris …Read more »

GRANADA (Spa. Granada) I. Old kingdom of Spain, in Andalusia, which today includes the three provinces of Malaga, Granada and Almeria, and limited on the S. and on the E. by the Mediterranean sea; its utmost length is approximately 280 kil. and its utmost width approximately 110 kil.; 28.600 square kil. The Sierra-Nevada mountains run across from E. to W. and one of them, the Cerro de Mulhacen (3.750 m.), is the highest point of Spain. Main rivers: Genil, Almanzora and Guadalorze. Agriculture is the inhabitants’ main occupation; silk factories. Under the Moorish dynasty, founded in 1238, Granada formed a wealthy, civilized and powerful kingdom, which was overthrown by Ferdinand the Catholic in 1492.
- II. Modern province of southern Spain, between those of Malaga and Almeria; 12.787 square kil.; population 485.000. Mountainous territory.
- III. Capital city of this province and of the old kingdom of Granada, on two declivities of the Sierra-Nevada, 600 m. above sea level, 45 kil. away from the Mediterranean sea, 310 kil. S. from Madrid; population approximately 68.000. The Darro …Read more »

FRINGILLA: (lat. fringilla, finch). Ornith. Name given by Linné to a large genus of the order insessores, sub-order oscines, tribe conirostres, family fringillidae, which includes a large category of small birds with bright colors and a thick and more or less conical short bill. The waxbill, (estrilda, Linn.), is approximately 16 inches long; its bill is bright red, like its chest; its general color is brown on the back and a reddish gray on the belly, with dark wavy patterns. This charming bird lives in Africa, from Senegal to the Cape of Good Hope.
– The Java finch, commonly called Java sparrow, (amadina oryzivora, Linn.), padda, or Java rice bird, is approximately 4 inches long; its bill is strong and red, its eyelids are of the same color, its head and its throat are black, the sides of its head under the eyes are white, its back is ash-colored, its belly and its thighs are of a pale pink color; its behind is white, its tail black; it lives in Java, China and India.
– To the fringilla group belong the finches, weavers, indigo-birds and whydahs, linnets, goldfinches, canaries, siskins, hawfinches, buntings, bullfinches, crossbills, etc. These birds are …Read more »