Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/297

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CONVOLVULUS CONWAY 293 There were formerly convocations of Scotland and Ireland, but they ceased in the former country soon after the revolution, and in the latter after the union. CONVOLVULUS (Lat. convolve, to entwine), or Bindweed, an extensive genus of twining Convolvulus Japonicus. plants, annual and perennial. Most of its species have large and bright flowers, opening early in the morning, but entirely closed later in the day. The distinguishing characteristic-'* are the funnel-shaped corolla, naked and bract- less calyx, and two lin- ear stigmas of its flow- ers; and its two-celled seed capsules, each cell of which contains two seeds. The more im- portant species are the C. Japonicus, or Japa- nese convolvulus, one of the brightest and most ornamental of the kinds seen in our gardens ; the 0. scammonia, from the root of which the drug scammony is extracted ; the C. batatas, which has an edible root, and in the reign of Queen Eliz- abeth was exported from the West Indies to Eng- land, and sold as an ar- ticle of food, filling somewhat the place of the potato, then scarcely known ; and the C. Mau- ritanicus, a beautiful dwarf trailing species. CONWAY, a central county of Arkansas, hav- ing Arkansas river on its S. W. border ; area, 1,200 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 8,112, of whom 630 were colored. The surface is agreeably di- versified by mountains and valleys, and the soil well- suited for the growth of corn and cot- ton. There is an abundance of good pasture land ; the streams furnish valuable water pow- er, and the country along the Arkansas river is rich in stone coal. The Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad is running to the coun- ty seat. The chief productions in 1870 were 9,439 bushels of wheat, 269,945 of Indian corn, 3,955 bales of cotton, and 7,127 Ibs. of tobacco. There were 2,282 horses, 580 mules and ass- es, 3,195 milch cows, 4,630 other cattle, 4,402 sheep, and 27,172 swine. Capital, Lewisburg. CONWAY, a town of Carroll co., New Hamp- shire, on the Saco, about 55 m. N. N. E. of Concord; pop. in 1870, 1,607. The village of North Conway, a favorite resort of summer visitors and artists, is situated on the uplands overlooking the valley of the Saco. On the east is a range of hills, the largest of which is called Middle mountain, with Mt. Kearsarge (3,367 ft. high) a little to the north. West of the river is Moat mountain, with the peaks of Mt. Chocorua in the distance. Looking up the valley of the Saco, there is a very fine view of Mt. Washington. The view of Mt. Wash- ington from the summit of Mt. Kearsarge, and down the valley of the Saco, is very beautiful. In the vicinity are Artist's falls, and Echo lake at the foot of Moat mountain. CONWAY, Conwy, or Abereonwy, a market town of Carnarvonshire, N. Wales, on the left bank of the river Conway near its mouth in Beau- maris bay, 13 m. N. E. of Bangor, and 233 m. by the Northwestern and the Chester and Holyhead railways N. W. of London ; pop. in Castlo and Tubular Bridge. 1871, 4,050. It has some ship-building yards, and exports timber, lead, and slates, but pos- sesses little commercial importance. The har- bor is nearly dry at low water. A suspension bridge 327ft. long, begun in 1822 and finished by Telford in 1826, at a cost of about 40,000, connects the town with a rock in the stream, whence an embankment 2,015 ft. long and 30 ft. wide at the top, formed of mountain clay faced with stone, extends to the opposite bank. A tubular railway bridge of wrought iron was