Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/574

BARBERRY. seeds. It is generally too acid to be eaten, but is sometimes used to make jelly and preserves. Free malic acid is extensively prepared from the fruit in France. The fruit of the sweet bar- berry (Berberis dulcis), a native of Chile, re- sembles in size and color that of the black cur- rant. Berberis aristata and Berberis asiatica also produce wholesome and pleasant fruits, which are dried like raisins. The yellow root of the barberry, especially the inner bark, is used for dyeing, as is also that of the stem and branches. Berberis glauca, Berberis ilieipolia, Berberis tomentosa, and Berberis lutea are made use of in this way in Chile and Peru; Berberis tinctoria and Berberis aristata in India. The bark has also been used tor tanning. Berberis lycium. a native of Northern India, is particular- ly astringent, and an extract prepared from it is used in ophthalmia. Bevlieris vulgaris is the most common species used for ornament, but new species and varieties are frequently introduced, and form important additions to our ornamental shrubbery. For illustration see Plate Balsam, ETC.

BARBERRY RUST. See Rusts.

BAR'BER'S ITCH (Tinea sycosis; sycosis parositica : ringworm of the beard). A parasitic disease of the bearded parts of the face, caused by the entrance into hair follicles of a fungus, the trichophyton. An eruiition appears in the form of a ring, red and scaly, and increasing by the enlarging of the outer limits of the ring. Later the red area swells, and has a 'boggy' feeling to the touch, exudes a little thick muci- laginous fluid on pressure, and is tender. In many cases itching and burning are also among the symptoms. The disease is readily curable. It is sometimes caused by infection from lather- brush, towels, or the barber's hands. It is seldom seen except in cases of individuals who are shaved, and about one-half of the cases occur in men between 20 and 30 years of age.

BAR'BERTON. A mining town of the Vaal River Colony, South Africa, in the District of Lydenburg, about 70 miles west of Lourengo Mar- ques, with which it is connected by rail (Map: Transvaal Colony, H 4). It lies in a mountain- ous region, at an elevation of 2800 feet above the sea, in the vicinity of the De Kaap gold-fields. Barberton was founded in 1885. Population, about 4000. In the early part of the Boer War of 1809- 11102 tlic British prisoners were confined here by tlic Boers.

BARBES, bar'bes', Armand (1800-70). A French revolutionist. He was a leader of secret political societies, was at various times im- prisoned, and in 1830 was sentenced to death as the main instigator of an attempted insurrection against Louis Philippe. While in prison he wrote Tiro Days Under Condemnation of Death. He was pardoned, and in 1848 was chosen to the Constituent Assembly, but in the same year, with Raspail and others! he was sentenced to life- imprisonment for stirring >ip an insurrection against the Assembly. When set free he refused to receive pardon, asking to he allowed to return to jail ; but this was denied him, and he left the country. Consult La BrugSre, Le Proee» Armand Barhcs.

BAR'BET (Fr., from Lat. harbatws, bearded). Any bird of the tropical families Capitonid:e or BuceonidjE, so called in reference to the promi- nence of bristles about the mouth. Tho.se of the former family are scansorial barbets, barbicans, or thickheads; those of the latter, fissirostral barbets, barbacous, or puff-birds. See Thick- head Fly; Puff-Bird; and Plate of Trogon, Hoopoe, etc.

BARBETTE, biir-bet' (Fr. dim. of harbe, Lat. harha, beard). In military fortification, a term applied to the platform on the inner side of a parapet or rampart on which a heavy gun is mounted. It is built at such an elevation that the gun may be fired over the crest of the para- pet instead of through an embrasure. In this way the gun may be moved in different directions. In the LTnited States and British navies, the term is commonly used to designate the armored struc- ture surrounding and protecting the bases of guns or turrets, but which is more properly called a barbette tower. These towers are al- mo.st invariably of circular form, the armor ex- tending down to the protective deck, except when it is protected by the armor on the ship's side, while the supporting framework, somewhat changed in form as it goes down, extends to the inner keel. Inside the tower is the machinery for operating guns and supplying them with ammunition. See Fortification.

BARBETTE GUN. A gun mounted for firing over a breastwork or parapet, and not through a porthole or embrasure. On board ship guns are mounted en barbette in barbette towers. See Coast Artillery; Gu^js. Nav.l; and Ordnance.

BARBETTE TUR'RET. A revolving tower or turret mounted above a fixed barbette tower. Turrets are now generally oval or ovoidal in plan, and the side in rear of the guns projects beyond the walls of the barbette tower to form the 'overhang.' See Turret.

BARBEY B'AUREVILLY, biir'ba' do're-ve'ye', Jules (1808-80). A French writer, born at Saint Sauveur-le-Vicomte (Manche). He was one of the founders (IS.'iS) and editors of the H('veil, and for a number of years contributed literary articles to the Pays. His works, in both fiction and criticism, are original — sometimes grotesque in flavor. They include Du dandi/sme et de George Brummel (3d ed., 1880) ; Les prophites du passe (1851) ; L'ensorcelce (1854); Portraits critiques (1803); Le chevalier Des Touches (1804) ; and Goethe et Diderot (1880).

BAR'BICAN (Low Lat. barbacana, barbi- cana; perhaps akin to Ar. barbakh, aqueduct, sewer). A fortified advanced work protecting a passage, gate, or postern of a city or fortress, usually at the head of a drawbridge. The barbi- can was used in all well-fortified places to facili- tate sallies or protect a retreat. It was built of wood or earth, or stone, provided with a ditch and often with a flying bridge. Usually it was semicircular. Even temporary camps had large barbicans to mask and protect manojuvres. The permanent examples in stone at Carcassonne (q.v.) are of unusual importance. Sometimes they were closed across their end so as to make it diHicult for the enemy to enter the city, even after it had been captured. The famous English castles of Alnwick and Warwick still retain their barbicans. In an assault, the bar- bican was usually captured before the outer bailey. Sometimes the barbican took the form of a" double tower on each side of a gate or liridge, and served as a watch-tower. From the