KERNER. 461 KERSEY. respect to the limits of vegetation of more than a thousand species of plants, and in 1874 sketched a model botanical garden. Die botanischen Gar- ten. One of his most important works is Das Pflanzoihhcn, which first appeared in 1887. KERNER, JUSTINUS (1780-1862). A Ger- man poet of the so-called Swabian School. He is best known for his Reiseschatten (1811), poems and dramatic scenes cliaracterized by a dreamy fancy and a peculiar fantastic humor, and for a morbid book on animal magnetism. Die Seherin von Preiorst (1829), which passed through several editions, and aroused much fleet- ing interest in America. Of his poems the Wan- derlied is a universal favorite. He began life as an apprentice in a cloth factory at his native Ludwigsburg. and went in 1804 to study medi- cine at Tubingen, where he became a friend of Uhland. After two years of travel (1809-11) he practiced medicine at Wildbad (1811), Welz- heim (1812), Gaildorf (1815), and Weinsberg (1819). Partial blindness compelled him to give up his profession in 18.51. A monument was erected to him at Stuttgart in 1895. Consult Kerner's autobiographical Bilderbuch aus meiner Knabenzeit (Brunswick, 1849; new ed. Frank- fort, 1897) ; Reinhard, Justinus Kerner und das Kernerhaus zu lVe!n«6cr7( Tubingen. 1886) ; Niet- hanimer, Justinus Kerners .Jugcndliebe (Stutt- gart, 1887 ) ; Strauss, ".Justinus Kerner," in kleine Hchriften (Berlin, 18061 ; Watts, Life and M'ork of Kerner (London, 1884). KERN LAKE. A lake in Kern County, Cali- fornia, flowing at high water into Kern River (Map: California, U 4). The region around it abounds in game. KEROSENE (from Gk. Krjpos. Acres, wax). The name of a mixture of certain fluid hydrocar- bons used for illumination. It has been prepared from bituminous coal and shales, aspbaltums. and wood, and from rosin, fish-oil, and candle-tar, but is now more economically obtained from pe- troleum. The density of the mi.xture called kero- sene should be about .810 or 43° Baunu', and should not vield inflammable vapors below a tem- perature of' 110° or 120° F. It is. therefore, not explosive under ordinary circimistances, and a lighted matcli may be plunged into it without igniting it. If, however, it be burned in a metal lamp, and this be heated to 115° or 120° F.. gases might be formed in the upper part of the lamp which, on taking off the cap or burner, might cause an explosion. Tlie temperature at which these gases are given off is known as the 'flashing- point.' But there are many lighter hydrocarbons in petroleum, and much of the kerosene in market contains them in greater or less proportion. The kerosene now used for illuminating purposes is obtained largely in the refining of petroleum (q.v.). KERR, Michael Crawford (1827-7C). An American legislator, .Speaker of the National House of Representatives. He was born at Titus- ville. Pa. : was educated at Erie Academy and at the law school of Louisville University. He re- moved to Xcw Albany. Ind., in 1856; was elected to the State Legislature, and in 1862 became reporter to the Supreme Court of Indiana, com- piling in tJiat capacity five volumes of valu- able Rr-pnrts. In 1864 he was elected to Con- gress as a 'war' Democrat, having vigorously op- posed the 'Copperhead' element in his district. In Congress he was looked upon as one of the lead- ers of the Democratic I'arty. He was reelected in 1860, 1808, and 1870, and he strongly opposed the Republican policy of reconstruction in the South- ern States. His views on financial questions, however, did not meet with favor in his constitu- ency, where he openly antagonized the inflation- ists and the 'greenback' element, and favored the resumption of specie payments. In 1874, how- ever, after a sharp contest he was reelected, and on his reentry into Congress was elected to the Speakership. He presided as Speaker at only the first session of the Forty-fourth Congress, and died of consumption shortly after its adjourn- ment. KERB, Orpheus C. The pseudonym of Robert Henry Newell (q.v.). KERR, Washington- Cabuthebs (1827-85). .
American geologist, bom in Almance Oiunty,
N. C. He graduated at the Universitj' of North Carolina, in 1850, and was appointed a computer in the office of the yautieal Almanac at Cam- bridge, Mass. In 1855 he was appointed professor of geology, mineralogy, and chemistry in David- son College (N. C.) ; and at the beginning of the Civil War enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private. He became State geologist of North Carolina in 1860, and from 1882 to 1883 was a member of the United States Geological Sur-ey. His publications include a Report of the Geologi- cal Survey of Xorth Carolina (2 vols., 1875-81). KER'RIL. The black-banded sea-snake {Dis- tira cyanocincta) , one of the most numerous and venomous of the sea-snakes (q.v.), prevalent from the Persian Gulf to Japan. It is about six feet long, greenish-olive in color, marked by a series of saddle-shaped bars or patches across tlie back at intervals about equal to their own width. A similar species is illustrated on the Plate of Foreign Vexomous Serpents with Snake. KERR'VILLE. A town and the county-seat of Kerr County. Texas, about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio; on the Guadalupe River, and at the terminus of a branch of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad (Map: Texas, E 4). It carries on a large trade in wool, being one of the leading wool markets of the State; also in cotton, various lumber ]iro<hicts, live stock, hides, etc.; and has flouring-mills. cotton-gins, and quarries. The town is situ.ited at an elevation of 1750 feet, and enjovs considerable popularitv as a henltlt resort. Population, in 1890, 1044;"in 1900, 1423. KERTIY. A maritime county in the south- west of Ireland, in the Province of Munster, bounded north by the estuary of the Shannon, and west by the Atlantic Ocean (Map: Ireland, B 4). Area, 1853 square miles. The surface is very rugged, wild, and mountainous, the highest peaks of Ireland being in this county. Kerrj- con- tains the Lakes of Killamey. Agriculture is backward; the manufactures are inconsiderable; oats and butter are the chief exports. The fish- eries on the coast are extensive and profitable. Chief towns, Tralee. the county town ; Killamey, Kenmare. and Dingle. Population, in 1841, 294,- 100: in 1901. 165,300. KER'SEY (from Kersey, a village near Had- leigh in Suffolk, England, formerly noted for its woolen trade). A light-weight woolen cloth, hav- ing a soft nap and smooth face. See the article Cassimebe.
