HIBER'NICISM. A term used to denote an Irish bull. i.e. a sentence expressing ideas that a moment's thought would show to be incompatible and absurd. A famous bull was made. it is said. by Sir Richard Steele when inviting a certain lord to visit him: "It sir. you ever conic within a mile of my house, I trust you will stop." Cur ran also use] to relate a fine specimen: He started one day to attend a levee at the castle in Dublin. There was a long line of carriages, and he was suddenly startled by the pole of the carriage behind crashing into the back of his own carriage. lie hastily called to hi, coach man to stop. saying. "'. he pole of the carriage in the rear is driven into ours.'' "And. sure, it's all right again. thin, your honor." cried l'at. "for I've just drove nee pole into the carriage in front." Rieharc and Edge wrote a learned treatise entitle. _ta Essay on Irish Buns (1R(121 : and Maria 1:;cleworth's (rustle learkrent (IS00) is foil of the most de lightful in speed'.
HrBISTUS (Lat.. from Gk. 43(0•Kos, hibis kos. mallow). A genus of plants of the natural order Alal•neea% the numerous specie of which are shrub= or trees, but mostly large herbaceous an nuals and natives 44 warm The flowers of many are very beautiful. Hibiscus svriocus. a native of Syria and Carniola. has long been in cultivation as an ornamental scrub and has proved hardy in Great Britain and parts of the Vnited State,. Some are favorite hot house plants. The characteristic mucilaginous and fibrous properties of the Mal•ace:c are very strongly developed in this genus. Hibiscus OA abounds in mucilage that it is much used in the northwest of India for clarifying sugar. The unripe fruit of Hibiscus esculentus, an annual plant with a soft herbaceous stem three to five feet high, crenate leaves, axillary sulp)ur-colored flowers, and pyramidal. some what pod-like capsules, is in general use both in the East and \Vest Indies for thickening and otherwise as an article of food. It is called okra. gumbo, gombo, gobbo. and oar.) in the West Indies and Southern t'nited States: bandikai. ram-turai, and denroos ill different parts of India; and bammia in the west of Africa. The bark of Hibiscus tifiacens, a tree
twenty feet high with a very thick bole. abounds in mucilage and is chewed by of the South Sea 1=lands when food is scarce. This tree, the bola of Bengal. and the mono. majagua. or mohaunt of the West Indies. is one of the most abundant trees of the South Sea Islands; and the wood. which is light. tough. and durable. is unielt used for many purposes. The very porous bark is made into cordage and matting in various tropi cal countries. Many other species yield fibres. some of them coarse. others fine and beautiful. which are used in different countries: but the most important in this respect is Ilibixrus can ?mbintts. the Ambaree hemp. and Deccan hemp of Western India., called paltingoo at Madras. and mesta pat in Bengal; a plant very generally cultivated in all parts of India. although no where to a great extent. It is an annual herb with a straight. unbranched stein. three to seven feet high. The fibre is not so strong as hemp. and is useful only for ropes and coarse fabric-. It has been suggested that many species of Hibis cus might he found valuable for the manufacture of paper. II ihise-uR suhdariffn. ,Jamaica sorrel or roselle. is very generally cultivated in warm eountries. on account of it= calyx. whieh. as the fruit becomes fleshy. and a very pleasant acidity. it is much used for making tarts and jelly. and a decoction of it, sweetened and fermented. affords a refreshing beverage. Hibiscus abehnoschus, sometimes called musk mallow. another plant common in widely scat tered tropical countries. is cultivated for its seeds. called ambrette. or prairies d'ambrette, which have a. fragrance intermediate between musk and amber, and which :tee non h used by perfumers. In Egypt and Arabia, these seeds are mixed with conee, and stimulant •ind stunt uchic qualities are ascribed to them. The petals of ili.sbicits rosa•sounsis are and are used by tae Chinese (ii blacken their and their shoes. A number of specie, of II are cultivated as ornamental plant: in the United States. There ate also several indigenous species.