ALN'WICK (t. upon the Alne), the co. t. of Northumberland, is situated in lat. 55° 25' n., long. 1° 42' w., and is distant about 34 in. from Newcastle. The streets are broad, well paved, and well lighted, the houses modern, built of stone, and in some instances handsome. A large market-place occupies the center of the town. The town-hall is a spacious building crowned with a tower. A. was at an early period a fortified t., and sonic fragments of the ancient walls even yet remain. An ancient gate, built by Hotspur, still forms one of the entrances to the city. A. castle, the residence of the dukes of Nor thumberland, stands at the u. entrance of the town. It was repaired some years ago, and is considered one of the most magnificent baronial structures in England. During the middle ages it was a bulwark against the invasions of the Scots, who thrice besieged it. A. is the election t. for the n. division of the county. It has various charity schools, a mechanics' institute, a theatre, a town-hall, and a corn exchange. Pop. '71, 6218.
ALOE (aloe), a genus of plants to the natural order liliacei (q.v.) sub-order aloinere, distinguished by a regular cylindrical perianth in six pieces, expanded at the mouth, and nectariferous at the base, the stamens hypogynous, or springing from beneath the germen, the ovules indefinite in number, the fruit a membranous three-celled cap sule. The species are numerous, natives of warm countries, especially of the southern parts of Africa. About 50 m. from Cape Town is a mountainous tract completely cov ered with aloes, and the hills on the w. side of Socotra exhibit them in similar profusion. The species all have stems, but vary in height from a few inches to 30 ft. They have permanent succulent leaves. The negroes of the w. coast of Africa make cords and nets
of the fibers of their leaves, and stockings are woven from the fibers of a species found in Jamaica. But aloes are chiefly valuable for their medicinal properties. The well-known drug called ALOES (q.v.) is the inspissated juice of the leaves of several almost tree-like species, and particularly of A. socotrina, a native of the island of Socotra; A. purpuras etas; A. spicata, and A. fruticosa, which principally yield the cape aloes; A. Indica; A. rubescens; A. Arabiea; A. lingualornds; A. Conmelini; and A. rulgaris, which is found in the East and West Indies, in Italy, and in some of the islands of the Nediteranean, being the only species which can be reckoned European, although it also is probably an introduced plant. The extract prepared from its leaves is known as hepatic aloes, or as Barbadoes aloes. The bitter principle of aloes has been called aloesin. It forms several compounds with oxygen, which possess the properties of acids. The juice of aloes was anciently used in embalming, to preserve dead bodies from putrefaction. In the East Indies it is employed as a varnish to prevent the attacks of insects; and has even been applied to bottoms of ships to protect them from marine worms. A beautiful violet color is obtained from the leaves of the Socotrine A., which does not require any mor dant to fix it. It also affords a fine transparent color for miniature painting.—Moham medan pilgrims suspend an A. over their doors on their return from Mecca, to signify that they have performed the pilgrimage.
The AMERICAN A. is a totally different plant, See AGAVE.