Columbia Encyclopedia

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American Landrace swine

(Encyclopedia)American Landrace swine, relatively new breed of swine developed from Danish Landrace hogs imported in 1934 by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. They are totally white. Noted for their smoothness, length...

Cretan bull

(Encyclopedia)Cretan bull, in Greek mythology, giant bull that Hercules captured as his seventh labor. Some versions of the legend state that this bull was the same one that carried Europa to Crete; others claim th...

truffle

(Encyclopedia)truffle trŭfˈəl [key] [Fr.], subterranean edible fungus that forms a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship with the roots of certain trees and plants. The part of the fungus used as food is ...

Roanoke Island

(Encyclopedia)Roanoke Island, 12 mi (19 km) long and 3 mi (4.8 km) wide, NE N.C., off the Atlantic coast between Croatan (W) and Roanoke (E) sounds in the Outer Banks. Manteo is the chief town, and tourism and fish...

Alcamo

(Encyclopedia)Alcamo älˈkämō [key], city, NW Sicily, Italy. It is an agricultural and industrial center and is noted for its white wine. The ruins of the ancient Greek settlement of...

Columbia sheep

(Encyclopedia)Columbia sheep, medium-wool breed developed in the United States using Lincoln and Rambouillet sheep crosses. The breed was developed primarily for the Western ranges but is also used successfully in ...

Belarusian language

(Encyclopedia)Belarusian language or White Russian: see Russian language; Slavic languages. ...

Chablis

(Encyclopedia)Chablis shäblēˈ [key], village, Yonne dept., central France, in Burgundy. It is famous for ...

bristlecone pine

(Encyclopedia)bristlecone pine, common name for the pine species Pinus longaeva, found in the White Mountains of California. Specimens have been known to live some 5,000 years. ...

Mau Mau

(Encyclopedia)Mau Mau mouˈ mouˌ [key], secret insurgent organization in Kenya, comprising mainly Kikuyu tribespeople. They were bound by oath to force the expulsion of white settlers from Kenya. In 1952 the Mau M...