which are grafted. The bark, smooth and often shining, is tough, and is used for matting, cordage, fishing nets, and similar uses in northern countries; and in times of scarcity in Norway and Sweden it is kiln-dried and ground to mix with oatmeal. The bark in all is bitter, from the principle salicine, which is more abundant in some species than in others; this is a white crystallizable neutral substance, with the tonic properties of the bark; it has been used as a substitute for quinine, and also to adulterate that product. The bark is also astringent, and contains so large an amount of tannin that in northern Europe it is deemed nearly as valuable as oak bark in preparing leather. The wood of the willows is light but firm, and where it is abundant is employed for many of the purposes for which pine is used; it serves for house timber, and small sailing vessels are built of it; it is very durable when kept constantly under water and when quite dry, but soon decays if exposed to the weather; common casks, farm implements, lasts, ladders, and turned wares are among the articles made from it. It makes a quick clear fire, and burns readily when green; its charcoal is much esteemed for gunpowder, and also serves to make sketching crayons. In some countries cattle are fed upon the leaves, which are collected and stored for winter forage. The character of the twigs or slender branches of several species especially adapts them to basket making. (See OSIER.) The most important species is the white willow (salix alba), common throughout Europe and western Asia, and extensively naturalized in this country. It forms a handsome tree 50 to 80 ft. high; the young shoots are green; the narrowly lanceolate, pointed, serrate leaves, when young, are silky on both sides, smooth above when old, but always dull green; the flowers are borne at the ends of lateral leafy shoots, appearing in May and June, the stamens always two to each scale. This is a most valuable tree for prairie countries, either for itself, or as rapidly furnishing protection for other trees, and immense numbers are planted annually. When the trees are set thickly, they rapidly produce long straight poles for fences and furnish a supply of fuel. It is sometimes planted very closely to form a live fence or tall hedge, but there is much doubt as to its permanence when thus treated. In Maryland and Delaware it is planted to furnish charcoal to the powder mills. The golden willow or yellow osier, formerly regarded as a distinct species, is a variety of the white (var. vitellina), with its young shoots bright yellow, rather shorter and broader leaves, and a more spreading habit; this, in the older states, is very generally introduced and much more common than the type; in Europe it is often cultivated as an osier. Another variety of the white is the blue willow (var. cærulea), which has its leaves less downy beneath and of a more bluish green; this is considered a much more rapid grower Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica). readily break away from the branches, is much less common in this country than the preceding, though considerably planted in the older states; it grows larger and more rapidly than the white, from which it differs principally in having greener and smooth leaves, the teeth upon which are inflexed, and in its larger and looser catkins. In England this is regarded as the most valuable willow for timber, its wood being harder than that of any other, the heart wood of a deep reddish color. The varnished Glossy Willow (Salix lucida). willow (var. decipiens), the Bedford willow (var. Russelliana), and the green willow (var. viridis), formerly classed as species under the of this, and are sometimes cultivated as osiers. names here given for the varieties, are forms -The weeping willow (S. Babylonica), a native of Asia and northern Africa, is supposed to have been introduced into Europe by Tournefort from the Levant in 1702. Being so frequently planted, its long, slender, pendu Herb-like Willow (Salix herbacea). lous branches and linear-lanceolate leaves are very familiar; only the pistillate sex has been introduced into this country. It grows to a large size, is one of the first trees to leaf out in spring, and holds its foliage until the killing frosts. A curious variety (var. annularis) has its leaves coiled into a ring, and is called the ring-leaved or hoop willow. The American weeping willow of the nurseries is a partly pendulous form of the European purple willow (S. purpurea), and needs much training to keep it in shape. The Kilmarnock weeping willow is a remarkable variety of the European sallow willow (S. caprea), the branches of which are sharply reflexed; when grafted 7 or 8 ft. high on other species, it makes an interesting lawn tree.The most beautiful of the genus is the native shining willow (8. lucida), which grows from Pennsylvania north ward, and in British America from ocean to ocean; in cultivation it grows to 15 or 20 ft. high, but in the wild state it flowers when only 3 ft., forming a handsome head with dark green branches; the leaves, 3 to 5 in. long, have a long tapering point and are smooth and shining on both sides; the, flowers appear on short leafy branches. This is becoming deservedly popular as an ornamental tree, and is so much like the bay willow (S. pentandra) of Europe, that some botanists consider them the same. There are several prostrate alpine species, some of which are found on our higher mountains; among them is the interesting herb-like willow (S. herbacea), which, in marked contrast with the lofty white and weeping species, rarely reaches 2 in. in height, and bears disproportionately large catkins. WILLUGHBY, Francis, an English naturalist, born at Wollaton, Nottinghamshire, in 1635, died there, July 3, 1672. He graduated at Cambridge in 1656, and while there was the pupil of John Ray, with whom he afterward travelled through France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries, Ray examining the plants and Willughby the animals of each country. Ray published Willughby's "Ornithology" (fol., 1676) and "Ichthyology" (1686). They are of great value even yet for their accurate descriptions of species. WILMINGTON, a city and port of entry of New Castle co., Delaware, the chief city of the state, at the confluence of Christiana and Brandywine creeks, 28 m. S. W. of Philadelphia; pop. in 1850, 13,979; in 1860, 21,258; in 1870, 30,841, of whom 5,152 were foreigners and 3,211 colored; in 1875, 39,750, or, including suburbs, about 42,500. The city is built principally upon the hilly ground between the creeks, which rises gradually from them on three sides to a height near the N. W. boundary of 243 ft. above tide water. The junction of the Christiana and Brandywine is about one mile above their united entrance into the Delaware, and half a mile below the built portion of the city, but within its boundaries, which now extend to the shore of the Delaware as well as beyond the other streams. The city is regularly laid out, with streets at right angles, the principal ones paved with stone, and all lined with brick sidewalks. The buildings are uniformly of brick, made of ex- | Reading, and the Wilmington and Western cellent clay underlying and surrounding the lines. Steamers run to Philadelphia and New city. The public buildings are the city hall, York. The Christiana admits vessels drawing the county almshouse, the custom house and 18 ft. and the Brandywine those drawing 7 ft. post office, the Wilmington institute and pub- to the head of tide. There is considerable trade lic library, and the opera house. There are by sailing vessels between the city and ports several handsome church edifices, including on the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. the Central and West Presbyterian and Grace There are four national banks and one state (Methodist) churches, and the church of the bank, with an aggregate capital of $1,250,000; Sacred Heart (German Catholic). The old two savings banks, deposits $750,000; three Swedes church, a stone edifice erected in 1698, fire insurance companies; and 23 building and is still in a fair state of preservation. The loan associations, which have greatly aided the city is supplied with excellent water from the growth of the city. The total assessed value Brandywine. The streets are lighted with gas of real estate in 1873 was $23,000,000, and the and traversed by horse cars. In a distance of estimated value of personal property $18,500,4 m. terminating within the limits of the city 000. The city has a police force, and a fire the Brandywine falls 120 ft., affording great department provided with seven steam engines water power. On its banks are extensive and improved apparatus. There are five charflouring mills, celebrated powder mills, and itable institutions. The city contains 17 pubnumerous and large cotton, bleaching and dye-lic schools, including a high school, with nearly ing, paper, and other mills. But the city is 6,000 pupils, and 16 private schools and acadeespecially noted for the extent and variety of mies. The Delaware historical society, the meits manufactures by steam power, including chanics' institute, and the Wilmington institute carriages, morocco, cars, cotton goods, iron have libraries, the last containing 11,500 volcastings, iron steamships, plate, bar, and sheet umes. Five daily and eight weekly newspairon, engines and boilers, a great variety of pers are published. There are 45 churches, other articles of iron and steel, phosphates viz.: 5 Baptist, 8 Episcopal, 2 Friends', 1 Luand sulphuric acid, wooden vessels, boots and theran, 15 Methodist (7 African), 7 Presbyshoes, leather, &c., and vulcanized fibre, the terian, 5 Roman Catholic, 1 Swedenborgian, result of a chemical process for utilizing paper and 1 Unitarian.-Wilmington was founded in for various purposes in which leather, wood, 1732, when the site was partially laid out and and iron have heretofore been employed. Wil- the first house was erected. It was incorpomington was the first place in the country where rated as a borough in 1740, and as a city in iron ship building was carried on, and it is still 1832. On Christiana creek, about half a mile a leading seat of that industry. In the manu- from the original town, but within the present facture of passenger cars Wilmington ranks city limits, is a small rocky promontory upon first in the country, while it is among the first which the first Swedish colony in America in its annual production of morocco and car- landed in April, 1638, and around which was riages. The total amount of capital invested planted the first permanent European settlein manufactures in 1873 was $12,725,000; value ment in the valley of the Delaware. of annual products, $21,150,000; number of hands employed, 7,000 to 8,000. The statistics of the principal branches were as follows: Value of products. 2,000,000 1,200,000 1,750,000 Carriages.. 800,000 1.400,000 Flour, corn meal, &c.. 400,000 1,200,000 250,000 300,000 750,000 1,300,000 400,000 2,000,000 * 475,000 150,000 Morocco 150,000 WILMINGTON, the principal seaport and largest city of North Carolina, county seat of New Hanover co., on the E. bank of the N. E. branch of Cape Fear river, at its junction with the estuary of that river, 20 m. from the sea and 110 m. S. S. E. of Raleigh; lat, 34° 11' N., lon. 78° 10' W.; pop. in 1850, 7,264; in 1860, $1,200,000 1,200,000 9,552; in 1870, 13,446, of whom 7,920 were 1,100,000 colored; in 1876, locally estimated at from 17,000 to 18,000. It has a court house, city 2,200.000 hall, and theatre. Street cars run through the principal streets to the railroad depots and to Oakdale cemetery. The Sound, a place of summer residence, is 7 m. distant. The city is the terminus of three railroads, viz.: the 700,000 Wilmington and Weldon, the Wilmington, Columbia, and Augusta, and the Carolina Cen150,000 tral. The last runs through the S. portion of the state to its W. border; the others connect with other lines running N. and S. Wilmington has an extensive commerce both coastwise and foreign; the latter has largely increased within the last three years. There are regular lines of steamers to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Vessels drawing 16 ft. can load at the wharves; when the improvements 250,000 500,000 Wilmington lies directly in the great thoroughfare of travel and traffic between the north and south, of which the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad forms so important a part. Railroad facilities are also afforded by the Delaware, the Wilmington and on the bar now in progress are completed, the depth of water will be materially increased. The principal articles of shipment are lumber, turpentine, rosin, tar, pitch, spirits of turpentine, shingles, and cotton. Wilmington has long been the leading market for naval stores in the world. The value of imports from foreign countries for the year ending June 30, 1875, was $151,925; of exports to foreign ports, $3,015,069. The chief items of export were 3,553,606 gallons of spirits of turpentine, valued at $1,201,888; 14,623 bales of cotton, $938,501; 289,340 barrels of rosin and turpentine and 14,142 of tar and pitch, $710,108; and 6,809,000 ft. of boards, &c., and 2,960,000 shingles, $149,107. The number of entrances was 171, tonnage 46,074; clearances, 235, tonnage 61,958; entrances in the coast wise trade, 277, tonnage 149,475; clearances, 210, tonnage. 129,249; belonging to the port, 66 vessels, tonnage 5,597. The shipments to domestic and foreign ports in 1875 amounted to about $10,000,000. There are three banks, marine railways, a cotton compress company, a cotton factory, five saw and planing mills, a rice mill, four flour and grist mills, nine turpentine distillers (running 29 stills), an iron foundery, and a sash and blind factory. The principal charitable institutions are a seamen's home and a marine hospital. There are 12 academies and schools, a library, five newspapers (three daily), and 22 churches.-Wilmington was laid out in 1733, under the name of Newton. The name was changed in 1739. It was incorporated as a borough in 1760 and as a city in 1866. During the civil war, and especially in 1864, it was the principal confederate port accessible to blockade runners. Although 50 blockading vessels were cruising off the adjacent coast, 203 vessels succeeded in entering the port, and 194 in leaving it, during the 15 montlis ending Dec. 31, 1864, while about 60 were captured or run ashore. New inlet, the principal entrance to Cape Fear river, was protected by Fort Fisher, an earthwork of great strength, and beyond it the narrow and intricate channel was filled with torpedoes and commanded by forts and batteries. In December, 1864, a combined naval and military expedition under Admiral Porter and Gen. Butler was sent against Fort Fisher. After an unsuccessful attempt to injure the fort by the explosion of several hundred tons of powder from a vessel, followed by a severe bombardment, the troops returned to Hampton roads. The fleet remained behind to cooperate with a new and stronger military expedition. This, numbering about 8,000 men, was committed to Gen. Terry. It reached its destination Jan. 12, 1865, and on the next day began to debark under cover of a heavy fire from the fleet. The bombardment was kept up until the afternoon of the 15th, when the fort was assaulted and taken. Of the garrison, 2,300 strong, 2,083 surrendered, the remainder being killed or wounded. The Union loss was nearly 1,000; besides which, on the next day, the magazine of the fort was accidentally blown up and more than 200 men were killed or wounded. Wilmington was now useless as a port for blockade runners, but was still held by a confederate force. Gen. Schofield had in the mean time been sent to North Carolina with 23,000 men. Moving up the bank of the river, he turned the fortifications commanding the city, which was abandoned Feb. 21. The Union loss in this operation was about 200, that of the confederates about 1,000, including prisoners. WILMOT, John. See ROCHESTER, earl of. WILNA, or Vilna (Pol. Wilno). I. A W. .government of Russia, in Lithuania, bordering on Kovno, Courland, Vitebsk, Minsk, Grodno, and Suwalki; area, 16,411 sq. m.; pop. in 1876, 1,087,705, comprising chiefly Lithuanians, who form the bulk of the peasantry, Jews, Poles, (greatly reduced in numbers since the insurrec-, tion of 1863), and Russians. The surface is generally flat. The most important rivers are the Niemen and its tributary the Viliya or Wilia. Iron ore is the most valuable mineral production. The climate is severe in winter, but in summer it is warm and damp. Forests, moors, and morasses abound. The exports include grain, hemp, flax, timber, honey, wax, and spirits. II. A city, capital of the government, beautifully situated in a hilly region on the Viliya, 400 m. S. W. of St. Petersburg; pop. in 1867, 79,265, comprising over 25,000 Jews. It has two suburbs, and is the seat of a Greek and a Catholic bishop. The Catholic cathedral has a marble chapel and the silver coffin of St. Casimir; there are about 22 other Catholic churches, including the immense St. John's and the magnificent St. Peter's, about a dozen Greek churches, places of worship for Reformed and Lutherans, several synagogues, a mosque, and many convents. There are two gymnasiums, religious seminaries, a museum with a public library, and a theatre. It carries on a considerable trade, mainly with the Russian and Prussian ports on the Baltic, with which it is connected by rail, but its manufactures are insignificant. The university, founded in 1570, was closed in 1832. Wilna dates from the 13th century, and was the capital of Lithuania. In the 16th century it had a population estimated at 1,000,000, but in 1835 it had declined to 35,000; lately it has rapidly increased, and railway traffic has produced additional commercial activity. WILSON, the name of four counties in the United States. I. A N. E. county of North Carolina, drained by the Mackason river; area, about 550 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 12,258, of whom 5,073 were colored. The surface is undulating or hilly, and the soil fertile. It is intersected by the Wilmington and Weldon railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 8,690 bushels of wheat, 212,770 of Indian corn, 10,588 of oats, 12,288 of peas and beans, 36,352 of sweet potatoes, 5,225 bales of cotton, and 1,854 tons of hay. There were 481 horses, 1,141 milch cows, 2,561 other cattle, | collection of the finest American birds. His 2,176 sheep, and 9,403 swine; 2 manufactories of agricultural implements, 9 of carriages and wagons, 1 of pumps, 1 flour mill, and 2 saw mills. Capital, Wilson. II. A S. county of Texas, drained by San Antonio river and Cibolo creek; area, 670 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 2,556, of whom 463 were colored. The surface is hilly and the soil productive. There is little timber except along the streams. The chief productions in 1870 were 52,712 bushels of Indian corn, 12,116 of sweet potatoes, 34,410 lbs. of butter, and 358 bales of cotton. There were 5,481 horses, 2,619 milch cows, 17,829 other cattle, and 7,771 swine. Capital, Floresville. III. A N. central county of Tennessee, bounded N. by the Cumberland river; area, about 500 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 25,881, of whom 7,331 were colored. The surface is moderately hilly and the soil extremely fertile. The Tennessee and Pacific railroad terminates at the county seat. The chief productions in 1870 were 241,715 bushels of wheat, 1,173,201 of Indian corn, 151,067 of oats, 25,945 of Irish and 33,362 of sweet potatoes, 399,249 lbs. of butter, 36,854 of wool, 332,901 of tobacco, 1,205 bales of cotton, and 5,850 tons of hay. There were 9,682 horses, 4,150 mules and asses, 5,185 milch cows, 7,983 other cattle, 24,023 sheep, and 48,708 swine; 20 manufactories of carriages and wagons, 6 of furniture, 8 woolcarding and cloth-dressing establishments, 4 flour mills, 1 woollen mill, and 10 saw mills. Capital, Lebanon. IV. A S. E. county of Kansas, intersected by Verdigris and Fall rivers; area, 576 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 6,694; in 1875, 9,750. The river bottoms are fertile, and the uplands afford good pasturage. It is well wooded, and contains beds of coal and salt springs. The chief productions in 1870 were 24,584 bushels of wheat, 126,795 of Indian corn, 24,578 of oats, 12,112 of potatoes, 52,720 lbs. of butter, and 5,583 tons of hay. There were 1,210 horses, 1,597 milch cows, 3,299 other cattle, 2,368 sheep, and 1,865 swine, and 9 saw mills. Capital, Fredonia. WILSON, Alexander, an American ornithologist, born in Paisley, Scotland, July 6, 1766, died in Philadelphia, Aug. 23, 1813. He was the son of a distiller, and was himself a weaver and peddler. In 1790 he published a volume of poems. Having been prosecuted and punished for a lampoon at Paisley, ho resolved to emigrate, and arrived at New Castle, Del., July 14, 1794, with only a few borrowed shillings, without an acquaintance, and with no decided purpose. After working at various trades, he went through New Jersey as a peddler, and during this journey seems to have first paid minute attention to the habits and appearance of birds. He afterward taught school at various places in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, finally settling in 1802 at Kingsessing on the Schuylkill. His home was near the botanical garden of William Bartram, who encouraged his taste for ornithology, and Wilson resolved to form a first excursion (October, 1804) was to Niagara fails, through the then unopened wilderness of western New York. He published a metrical account of this journey in the "Port Folio," under the title of "The Foresters, a Poem." He learned drawing, coloring, and etching from Alexander Lawson, and persuaded Bradford, a Philadelphia publisher, who had employed him in editing the American edition of "Rees's Cyclopædia," to furnish funds for an American ornithology on an adequate scale. The first volume of the work appeared in September, 1808, but it was too expensive to be very successful. In January, 1810, the second volume appeared. Sailing down the Ohio in a small boat as far as Louisville, he set out on horseback from Nashville for New Orleans in May, 1811, and arrived June 6. Sailing again, he reached Philadelphia in August, and began the third volume. In September, 1812, he started on another tour to the eastern states. On his return he employed himself so unceasingly in the preparation of his work, that he impaired his already weakened constitution and hastened his death. He completed the publication of seven volumes, and the eighth and ninth were edited after his death, with a biography, by George Ord, who had been his companion in some of his journeys. The work was afterward continued by Charles Lucien Bonaparte (4 vols. 4to, Philadelphia, 1825-'33). An edition of Wilson's poems was published at Paisley in 1816, and another at Belfast in 1857. A statue of him was erected in Paisley in October, 1874.-See "Difficulties Overcome: Scenes in the Life of Alexander Wilson, the Ornithologist," by C. Lucy Brightwell (8vo, London, 1860); "Alexander Wilson, the Ornithologist: a New Chapter in his Life, embodying many Letters hitherto unpublished," by Allan Park Patton (8vo, 1863); and a volume of verse and miscellaneous prose works, with a memorial, introduction, notes, &c., by the Rev. A. B. Grosart (Paisley, 1874). WILSON, Augusta (EVANS), an American novelist, born in Columbus, Ga., May 8, 1835. Her earlier novels were published under the name of Augusta J. Evans. In 1868 she married L. M. Wilson of Mobile, where she has since resided. She has published "Inez” (New York, 1856), written at the age of 17; "Beulah " (1859); "Macaria" (1864); "St. Elmo" (1866); "Vashti" (1869); and "Infelice” (1875). WILSON, Daniel, an English prelate, born in London, July 2, 1778, died in Calcutta, Jan. 2, 1858. He was educated at Oxford, was ordained deacon in 1801, and in 1802 became a curate of Mr. Cecil. He became assistant tutor of St. Edmund's hall in 1804, and from 1807 to 1812 was sole tutor and vice principal, and also curate of Worton. In 1812 he left Oxford for St. John's chapel, Bedford row, London, and in 1824 received the vicarage of Islington. In 1832 he was appointed bishop of Calcutta and metropolitan of India. His principal works |