Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/375

* DISUSE. 321 DITTERS. ing horny plate might be developed from the oral epithelium, and might be substituted for the true teeth." See DriKUii.L. and illustration of teeth thereunder. A less satisfactory example is that of the re- placement of the horny teeth of the tadpole by the teeth of the frog or toad. I?ut Nature as a rule gets her new orgiins by a more economical and rapid method, i.e. by change of function of the same organ, which, owing to a change of habit, loses its original use, and becomes modi- fied to carry on entirely dilVcrent functions. See yLXCTlON-ClIAXGES. DISVELLOPED, or DEVELOPED (from OF. dcsicloitcr, to unfold). In lievaldry. a term applied to the colors of a regiment or noble house, when flying. DITCH I. ME. (liche, AS. die, dike, leel. dik. iIHG. thh, ditch. Ger. Teich, pool: connected ultimately with Gk. relxos ieichos, wall ) . ( 1 ) In agriculture, a trench made along the sides of fields, or following the contour of the land, to collect and remove the excess of water. A hedge is often planted, or a fence built, upon the bank formed by the earth thrown out of the trench, the two thus furnishing a barrier for stock. Some- times a double ditch is made and the hedge or fence is placed between. In oidinary farm opera- tions ditches are largely constructed by hand, but efficient ditching machines are found in the market. In modern practice open ditches have been largely supersede<l by underground tile drains, thus effecting a great saving of land and securing better drainage. In irrigated regions the open ditch is used to convey the water from the main canals to the 'laterals' which distribute it over the field. Sec Dr.ix.ge: Irrigation. (2) In military fortifications, part of the de- fense works of a fortified place. See Fortifi- c.^Tiox ; Kedoubt. DITHMARSCHEN, det'marsh-cn, Xorth akd SorTil I _Vo)(/< r and Siidcr Dithiiiarschcii) . The name given to the western portion of Holstein, Prussia, lying along the coast of the Xorth Sea between the Eider and Elbe rivers. It has an area of about 500 square miles, lies very low, and is for the most part marshy. Dithmarschen was originally inhabited by Saxons, wlio were subjugated and Christianized by Oiarlemagne in 804. Subsequently a considerable Frisian element was introduced into the population. In the latter part of the Middle Ages and at the time of the Reformation Dithmarschen constituted a kind of peasant republic, with a complex organization and a well-developed system of local autonomy. The inhabitants distinguished themselves by the bravery with which they defended their liberty against their neighbors. At last in 1.5.50 they succumbed to the arms of Holstein and Den- mark. In 186G Dithmarschen, along with the rest of Holstein, was incori)orated in Prussia. The people still retain many of their ancient customs and privileges. Population, in 18fl.5, 84,262: in 1900, 80,010. Consult: Volkmar, Gc- xrhicht'' drs Lnitdes nithminnrhen (Brunswick, 1851): Xitzsch, Dan alte Dilhmarnchen (Kiel, 1802) : Xehlsen, Dithmurscher Geschichte (Ham- burg, 1894). DITH'YRAM'BUS (Lat., from Gk. J(«i>///So!, dithiirnmh'is. of uncertain etyniologj- ) . A hymn sung in honor of the god Dionysus, accompanied by music on the flute and a dance around the altar. The subject was originally the birth and life of Dionysus, but later other themes were chosen. Its development into artistic form took place at Corinth — according to another tradition at Naxos — and was attributed by the ancients to the mythical Arion. The hymn was sung by a chorus of fifty, generally dressed as satyrs, the companions of Dionysus. At Athens there were annual contests at the Greater Dionysia, Lesser Dionysia. I'anathcna'a. Thargelia. and I,en;ea. (see Greek Festivals), between dithyrambic choruses enteicd by the ten tribes. The prize in the earliest period was an ox. in the fifth cen- tury and later a tripod. Of the hj-mns of the dithyrambic writers only fragments are pre- served. DITTANY (OF. ditain, dictamc. Lat. dic- iamniiiii. Gk. SUrajivov, diktomnon, dittany, from Gk. Mhtii, Diktc, a mountain in Crete, where the plant grew in abundance), Dictamiitts. A genus of plants of the order Kutaceie. The com- mon dittany, also called bastard dittany or fra.x- inella t Dictamniis albtis), a native of sunny mountains and rocks and dry mountain forests of the south of Europe, especially in calcareous soils, is cultivated as a garden flower. It is a perennial, with stem IVi to 3 feet high, perfectly imbranched, bearing a few pinnated leaves, which have three to five pairs of leallcts and an odd one, and terminating in a beautiful erect raceme of ten to twenty flowers of a fine rosp-color, with darker veins, more rarely white. When in flow- er, the plant diffuses a powerful fragrance from its numerous oil-glands, and during dry. hot weather exhales a quantity of volatile oil the sudden combustion of which makes a sliglit flash when ignited by a candle. The root is thick, white, and very bitter, and was formerly in high repute in medicine as a tonic stimulant. Dit- tany of Crete {Origanum dictamnus), used as a febrifuge, and the dittany of the United States {Cunila mariana), are very different plants be- longing to the natural order T.al)iat;e. The lat- ter is found upon dn' hillsides fniiu Xew York to Georgia, and westward to Arkansas. The plant is about a foot high, with smooth, heart- shaped leaves, and clusters of small white or ]iurplisli flowers. DITTENBERGER, dit'tcn-beiK-er. WiLHELil ( 1840 — ) . A German philologist, born at Heidel- berg. He studied at dena and Giittingen, and in 1874 was appointed professor of classical jihil- ology at the University of Halle. His publica- tions include: De Ephebis Atticis (1863): In- srriptionex Atticw J^tatis Jiomance (1878-82; vol. iii. of the (^orpiis Inscriptionum Attimrum, published by the Berlin Academy) : Si/Uorir In- scriptionum' Grararinn (1883;" 2d "ed. " 1898- 1000) : and Corptti htsoriptiomim Grwcarum Grnriw ffpptenlrionnlis (1892). DITTERS, dlt'ters (Ditters vox Ditters- Doitr), K.VKL (1739-09). An Austrian violinist and composer. He was born in Vienna and stud- ied under Ki'inig, Ziegler. Trani. and Bono. Much of his education was due to the interest in him of Prince Joseph of Hildhurghausen. whose or- chestra Ditters afterwards led. lie was a bril- liant violinist, and won wide success, the tour with Gluck (1761) establishing him firmly as a violin virtuoso. He was a prolific composer in almost every department of composition, but