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 300 BARBERRY historical importance early in the 17th century by the elevation of MAFFEO BARBERINI to the papacy under the name of Urban VIII. His brother ANTONIO became cardinal, and his brother CARLO general of the papal troops; and the three sons of the latter exercised a vast influence, especially TADDEO, who suc- ceeded his father as general of the papal troops, and married Anna Colonna. He acquired Palestrina and other fiefs, and became prefect of Rome in 1631 after the death of the duke of Urbino and the addition of the dukedom to the papal possessions. Other leading Italian houses, especially the Farnese, took umbrage at the in- creasing power of the Barberini, which led to the Castro war (1641-'4) for the possession of Castro and Ronciglione, Odoardo Farnese, duke of Parma, declaring that he was waging war against the Barberini, and not against the pope. Urban VIII. died in 1644, and though the election of his successor Innocent X. was due to the Barberini influence, one of the first measures of the new pope was to institute pro- ceedings against them, and especially against Taddeo for financial mismanagement. Taddeo fled to Paris, where he died in 1647. FRAN- CESCO, brother of the preceding, born in 1597, died in 1679. He became cardinal and vice chancellor, obtained great influence in the ad- ministration, and founded with the aid of Leo Allazzi, a Greek scholar, the Barberini library. He, too, had to leave Rome after the accession of Innocent X., but was permitted to return, and became dean of the sacred college. AN- TONIO, brother of the preceding, cardinal and high chamberlain under Urban VIII., born in 1608, died in 1671. He held high ecclesiastical offices in France through the favor of Maza- rin, but returned to Italy after his reconciliation with the new pope. Over 100,000,000 scudi passed into the hands of the Barberini family during their tenure of power. The Barberini palace, one of the largest in Rome, still attests their sumptuous and artistic tastes, and the libra- ry continues to be renowned for its valuable MSS. The present head of the Barberini-Co- lonna family is ENRICO, prince of Palestrina, born March 26, 1823, who married in 1853 the princess Teresa Orsini. BARBERRY (berberis), a genus of plants of the natural order berberidacea, whose char- acteristics are : 6 roundish sepals, with bract- lets outside ; 6 obovate petals, with 2 glandu- lar spots inside; 6 stamens; alternate, ovate, serrated, and pointed leaves ; a shrubby habit, with yellow wood and inner bark ; yellow flowers in drooping racemes ; and sour berries and leaves. The stamens have a remarkable irritability, so that when the filament is touched on the inside with the point of a needle, they throw themselves quickly forward upon the stigma; the petals also follow them in this movement. This phenomenon is best observed in mild and dry weather, and can rarely be Been after the stamens have been dashed against each other by a violent wind or rain. The genus comprises about 50 species, which are found in various regions from China to Mexico ; several of them are evergreens, and most of them are ornamental as well as useful. B. vulgaris, or common barberry, has thorns tipun the branches, obovate-oblong, bristly toothed leaves in rosettes or fascicles, drooping many- flowered racemes, and scarlet oblong berries. It is a native of the northern parts of Europe and Asia, but has become naturalized and thoroughly wild in the thickets and waste grounds of eastern New England. In the north of Europe it prefers the valleys, but in the south it grows on mountains, and is one of the most hardy of Alpine shrubs. In Italy it attains a height of from 4 to 6 ft., and fives for centuries. B. Canadensis, or American bar- berry, is a shrub from 1 to 3 ft. high, with leaves less sharply pointed and racemes with fewer flowers than the preceding, and is found on the Alleghanies of Virginia and southward. B. aquifolium, a native of western North America, has shining evergreen pinnated leaves, Barberry (Berberis vulgarls). and deep violet or red berries, and is often cul- tivated for its beauty. There are several other Asiatic and American species which are among the most hardy ornaments of gardens. Near- ly all the parts of this plant serve a useful pur- pose. The inner bark and the root, with the aid of alum, furnish an excellent yellow dye for coloring linen and leather. Its leaves are cropped by cows and sheep. It is probably by reason of its yellow color that it has been es- teemed good for the jaundice, the same having been fancied also of the dock and carrot ; but the bitterness and astringency of the bark have made it valued as a medicine. The berries are so acid that birds refuse to eat them ; but when prepared with sugar, they make delicious and healthful preserves, sirups, and comfits. It- has been a very general opinion that barberry bushes cause blight to wheat sown in their vi-