Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/281

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
227
RIGHT

JAIPUR 227 JAMAICA code, or "great duties," are: (1) Re- fraining from injury to life; (2) truth; (3) honesty; (4) chastity; (5) freedom from worldly desires. Their four "merits" are — liberality, gentleness, piety, and penances. They number about 1,000,000, chiefly foimd throughout Hin- dustan. JAIPUR (ji-p6r') , a native State of Rajputana, India; area (including feuda- tories), 15,579 square miles; pop. about 2,700,000; passed under British protec- tion in 1818. Capital, Jaipur, the chief city of Rajputana, an important trade center and noted for its fine buildings; dates from 1728; pop. about 137,000. JAISALMIR, JAYSALMIR (jl-sal- mer'), or JESSELMERE, a State in Western Rajputana, India; bounded on the N. by the Punjab, on the E. by Bekanir and Marwar, on the S. by Mar- war, on the W. by the Bombay Presidency and the Punjab; area, 16,447 square miles; pop. 75,000. It is mostly a sandy desert, though containing a few oases, and the climate presents great extremes of heat and cold. Main industry, cattle- raising; barley and mullet are also culti- vated. Most of the inhabitants are Jats iq. v.). Capital, Jaisalmir; pop. about 10,000. JALAP (so called from Jalapa, in Mexico, whence it is imported), the name given to the tuberous roots of sev- eral plants of the order Convolvulacex, that of Ipomsea purga being the most im- portant. This is a twining herbaceous plant, with deep pink flowers, growing naturally on the E. declivities of the Mexican Andes, at an elevation of from 5,000 to 8,000 feet. The jalap of com- merce consists of irregnlar ovoid dark- brown roots. The drug jalap is one of the most common purgatives. J AL APA (Ha-la'pa), capital of the Mexican State of Vera Cruz; 60 miles N. W. of Vera Cruz City; in a charming and fertile district, in a healthful and temperate climate, 4,330 feet above the sea. The principal buildings are the old Franciscan monastery (1556), the church of St. Joseph, and the government ofiices. Pop. about 25,000. JALISCO (Ha-lesTco), a State of Mex- ico, on the Pacific, with an area of 38,840 square miles. It is traversed by the Sierra Madre, and in great part forms a plateau. The climate is healthful away from the coast. The principal river is the Rio Grande de Santiago; in the S. E. is the lake of Chapala. Silver and cop- per mining and agriculture have been the chief industries; but within recenit years a number of cotton, woolen, paper, and tobacco factories have been estab- lished. Pop. about 1,220,000. The capi- tal is Guadalajara. JAMAICA, a former town and county- seat of Queen's co., N. Y.; since Jan. 1, 1898, a portion of the borough of Queens in Greater New York; on the Long Island railroad, 10 miles E. of the former city of Brooklyn. The town was settled in 1656, and contains many houses dating from before the Revolutionary War, some of which are occupied by direct descend- ants uf the original Dutch settlers. This portion of the borough has large market garden interests, and several carriage factories. JAMAICA; one of the West India Is- lands, 80 or 90 miles S. of Cuba, the third in extent, and the most valuable of those belonging to Great Britain; 146 miles in length E. to W., and 49 miles broad at the widest part; area, 4,200 square miles; pop. (1917) 904,681. The capital is Kingston; pop. about 60,000. The coast is indented with a number of good harbors, of which Port Royal or the harbor of Kingston is the most consider- able. The interior is traversed by lofty mountains in all directions; the prin- cipal chain, called the Blue Mountains, reaching ^ the height of 7,270 feet. Jamaica is well watered, having numer- ous rivers and springs. Earthquakes of a violent character have been frequent. The climate in the districts along the coast is, in most places, exceedingly hot, but is not on the whole unhealthful. There are two rainy and two dry seasons. Among the indigenous forest trees are mahogany, lignum vitae, ironwood, log- wood, braziletto, etc. The native fruits are numerous, and many of them deli- cious; they include the plantain, guava, custard apple, pineapple, sour sop, sweet sop, papaw, cashew apple, etc. The orange, lime, lemon, mango, grape, bread fruit tree, and cinnamon tree have all been naturalized in the island. The chief cultivated vegetable products are sugar, coffee, maize, pimento, bananas, and other fruits, ginger, arrow root. Sweet potatoes, plantains, and bananas form the chief food of the blacks. The cinchona tree has been introduced, and is spreading. Of wild animals only the agouti and monkey are numerous. Cat- tle-raising has become profitable. Fish abound in the sea and rivers. The exports are sugar, rum, coffee, dyewoods, fruit, and pimento. The gov- ernment is vested in the governor, as- sisted by a privy council, and a legisla- tive council composed of 29 members, 14 elected, the others nominated or ex officiot