Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/525

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RUTHENIANS RUTLAND 501 ological Library," vol. viii.) ; Wright, " Book of Ruth, in Hebrew and Chaldee" (1865); Oassel, Das Buck der Richter und Ruth (in Lange's Bibelwerk, 1865); and Wordsworth, "The Holy Bible with Notes" (1865). RITIIKMANS, or Rnsniaks (Pol. Rmini, Hung. Oroszofc), a branch of the Slavs, inhabiting E. Galicia and Bukowina, adjoining parts of Po- land and West Russia, and N. E. Hungary. In Galicia and Bukowina they number about 2,500,000, and in Poland and Hungary about 600,000 each ; in Russia they are generally classified with the Little Russians, to whom they are closely related. They are mostly agriculturists or graziers ; in the Carpathian regions many are engaged in salt mining. Their language, which occupies a middle ground be- tween Polish, and Russian, is softer and more melodious than either. The prevailing religion is the United Greek in the Austrian territories, and Orthodox Greek in the Russian. The no- bility is mostly Polonized. As a national ele- ment the Ruthenians are important only in Galicia, where they are antagonistic to the Poles, and where considerable efforts have been made to develop a Ruthenian literature, though as yet with insignificant results, and more recently to assimilate it to the Russian. The literary association Halicko-Russka Matica has been particularly active in the anti-Polish agitation. (See GALICIA, and SLAVIC RACE AND LANGUAGES.) RUTHENIUM, one of the platinum group of metals, closely allied to osmium in many of its chemical relations. It was first observed by Prof. Osann in ores from the Ural mountains, and was named by him from Ruthenia (for Russia). It was afterward fully described by Prof. Glaus, to whom the credit of the discov- ery is usually ascribed. The platinum ores of Russia, America, and Borneo contain it, and it has been detected by Wohler in combination with osmium and sulphur in the mineral laurite found in Oregon and Borneo. To prepare ru- thenium, Deville employs iridosmine, a refuse alloy from gold pen manufactories and assay offices. This alloy is fused with four or five times its weight of zinc in a carbon crucible ; the heat is then raised sufficiently to volatilize all of the zinc, and the resulting mass is again fused with three parts of barium binoxide and one part of saltpetre; the crucible is broken up, and its contents are treated with nitric and sulphuric acids. The oxide of ruthenium thus obtained is fused in a lime or magnesia cruci- ble by means of the oxyhydrogen blowpipe. After osmium it is the most infusible of all metals, and it is only possible to melt small quantities in the hottest portion of the oxyhy- drogen flame, at a temperature that would convert gold and platinum into vapor. The specific gravity of the fused metal is 11 '4. Its symbol is Ru, It can be alloyed with other metals, such as zinc and tin, but is of no par- ticular value as an alloy. Schonbein discov- ered that ruthenium in the form of sponge would decompose water in the presence of chlorine. If some of the sponge be projected into chlorine water, oxygen gas is at once lib- erated and hydrochloric acid formed ; the metal is not at all affected, and if chlorine were to be slowly conducted into the water, the liberation of the oxygen could be made continuous. RUTHERFORD. I. A S. W. county of North Carolina, bordering on South Carolina and drained by the head waters of Broad river, a branch of the Congaree; area, about 850 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 13,121, of whom 2,642 were colored. It has a hilly surface, and but a por- tion of the soil is fertile. The chief produc- tions in 1870 were 24,406 bushels of wheat, 272,485 of Indian corn, 39,678 of oats, 26,474 of sweet potatoes, 122 bales of cotton, 13,119 Ibs. of tobacco, 9,509 of wool, 77,609 of but- ter, 25,015 of honey, and 17,015 gallons of sor- ghum molasses. There were 1,142 horses, 747 mules and asses, 1,966 milch cows, 3,384 other cattle, 6,496 sheep, and 9,788 swine. Capital, Rutherfordton. II. A central county of Ten- nessee, intersected by Stone river, a branch of the Cumberland ; area, about 550 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 33,289, of whom 16,478 were col- ored. It has a diversified surface and a very fertile soil. It is intersected by the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 174,745 bushels of wheat, 867,443 of Indian corn, 63,514 of oats, 22,141 of Irish and 24,299 of sweet potatoes, 2,490 tons of hay, 23,285 Ibs. of wool, 291,844 of butter, 8,412 bales of cotton, and 14,969 gal- lons of sorghum molasses. There were 7,953 horses, 3,493 mules and asses, 5,862 milch cows, 8,184 other cattle, 17,183 sheep, and 33,376 swine; 4 flour mills, 3 saw mills, and 4 wool-carding and cloth-dressing establishments. Capital, Murfreesboro. RUTLAND, a W. county of Vermont, border- ing on New York, from which it is separated partly by Lake Champlain, and drained by Black, White, Quechee, and Paulet rivers, and Otter creek; area, about 1,000 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 40,651. It has an elevated surface, in some parts mountainous, and a fertile soil. Iron ore abounds, and a range of marble quar- ries extends along its whole length. The mar- ble as well as the iron is excellent. It is inter- sected by several railroads, centring in Rut- land. The chief productions in 1870 were 23,191 bushels of wheat, 180,780 of Indian corn, 246,092 of oats, 22,127 of buckwheat, 617,094 of potatoes, 110,624 tons of hay, 425,- 216 Ibs. of wool, 1,190,645 of butter, 1,369,- 844 of cheese, 522,177 of maple sugar, and 25,504 of honey. There were 5,623 horses, 19,594 milch cows, 1,227 working oxen, 12,208 other cattle, 83,870 sheep, and 4,566 swine ; 6 manufactories of agricultural implements, 2 of boats, 3 of boots and shoes, 19 of carriages and wagons, 8 of cheese, 11 of men's clothing, 13 of furniture, 2 of forged and rolled iron, 4 of castings, 14 of leather, 4 of machinery, 13 of marble and stone work, 6 of tombstones, 1 of