the ocean, and about 2.50 feet above that of the Caspian. Its numerous islands gave rise to its •name of Aral-Denfiis (Kirgliiz. Turk, at-al. island + dengis, sea, lake). The bluish tinge of its water suggested to the Russians the name of Blue Sea. In ancient times it was called the Lake of Oxiana, and during the Middle Ages the Sea of Khovaresm, or Kliuarisiii. It is fed by the Syr-Darya (the ancient Jaxartes) on the east side and the .mu-Darya (or ancient Oxus) on the south. It is shallow, its average depth hardly reaching fifty feet. There are unmis- takable signs of its drying up, especially in its southern part. The Aral is a salt-water lake, but it contains less salt than the ocean. It freezes at a considerable distance from the shore. It is very rich in fish, which are caught here in great quantities. It is remarkable that, of all the varieties of fish in the Aral, there is not a single salt-water variety. In the affluents of the -Aral the Scapliirhynchus species of fish lias recently been discovered, a variety not found anywhere else in the world at present, but which was abundant in the Tertiary period. Owing to the shallowness of its waters, navigation is difficult ; but Russian steamers have been launched upon it, and took part in the operations against Khiva in June, 1873. The history of the Sea of Aral is very remarkable. Sir Henry Rawlinson and Colonel Yule collected refer- ences made to it in Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Persian writers, and tried to establish the fact that the area it now occupies has been dry land twice within historical times — the .Jaxartes and the Oxus then running south of the Sea of Aral to the Caspian. It is very remarkable that the Amu has changed its bed very considerably within one decade, as is proven by a comparison of the maps carefully prepared in 18.59 and 1870. See Proceedings of Royal Geographical Society, Vol. XL, Vol. XVI., and Vol. I. (new series, 1879) ; also The Shores of Lake Aral, by Major Wood (London, 1876).
ARA'LIA (derivation uncertain). A genus
of plants, the type of the natural order Aralia-
cecc. This order is dicotyledonous, and consists
of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, resem-
bling the Umbellifera both in their general
habit and in their botanical characters, but dif-
fering essentially in the fruit, which is not
formed of two separable carpels as in the L'm-
belliferae. The fruit of the AraliaceiE consists
of several one-seeded cells, and is often succulent.
The order contains about four hundred known
species, natives of tropical, temperate, and cold
climates, generally possessing stimulant and aro-
matic properties. The principal genera are Ara-
lia, Panax, Hcdera, and Fatsia. Poisonous
qualities are not developed as in the Umbelli-
fer;p. The herbage of many species affords good
food for cattle, and some are used for human
food. The genus Aralia contains a considerable
number of species — trees, shrubs, and herbaceous
plants. It has a succulent fruit, with five or
ten cells, crowned with the styles. Aralia nudi-
cauUs, commonly called wild sarsaparilla, is a
native of the L'nited States. It is a species
of low growth, having a solitary radical leaf
with a trifid stalk and ovate serrated segments;
the scape is shorter than the leaf. The root
is said to be equal in value to sarsaparilla
as an alterative and tonic. Aralia racemosa,
well known as spikenard, has large, spicy, aro-
matic roots. Aralia spiHosu, and Aralia hispida,
also natives of North America, produce an aro-
matic gum-resin. .Aralia spinosa is sometimes
called toothache-tree; it also bears the name of
angelica-tree. It is a native of nioist w^oods in
'irginia and Carolina, growing to a height of
ten or twelve feet, with a single stem, spreading
head, doubly and trebly pinnate leaves and ovate
liafiets, and is verj- ornamental in a lawn. Ara-
lia polaris, found in the southern island of New
Zealand, and in the greatest abundance and lux-
uriance in the .uekland Islands, is a herba-
ceous perennial, four to five feet high, with large
orbicular masses of green foliage and waxy
Dowers, which present a very striking appear-
ance. Aralia cdiilis, now called Aralia conlafa,
is employed in China as a sudorific. Its shoots
are very delicate and pleasant when boiled ; and
the roots, which have an agreeable aromatic
llavor, are used by the Japanese as carrots or
parsnips are by Europeans. Aralias abound in
the warm valleys of the Himalaya. The natives
collect the leaves of many as fodder for cattle,
for which purpose they are of great value in a
country where grass for pasture is scarce; but
the use of this food gives a peculiar taste to the
butter. Chinese rice-paper is cut from cylinders
of the pith of Aralia papyrifera. Ginseng, the
root of Panax quinquefolia, is one of the most
important products of the order Araliacea;.
Large quantities of ginseng are collected and
shipped to China, where wonderful medicinal
qualities are attributed to it. For fine speci-
mens almost fabulous prices are paid. Jlodern
pharmacy does not consider it of great value.
The astringent roots of Gunnera seabra, some-
times classed with the Aralias, are used in tan-
ning, and its fleshy leaf-stalks are eaten like
those of rhubarb. It has been seen on the sand-
stone clift's of Chile with leaves nearly eight feet
in diameter, each plant bearing four or five of
these enormous leaves. It has been introduced
into Great Britain, and is found to succeed well
in the climate of Edinburgli. The only repre-
sentative of this order in the British 'flora is
the iv)' (q.v.). Bedera helix. Fatsia horrida, a
member of this family, is common along the
Pacific coast, extending well into Alaska. It has
slender, rope - like stems, crowned with large
leaves. Stems and leaves are covered with
prickles that sometimes make severe sores upon
persons who come in violent contact with them.
The popular name for the plant is Devil's Club.
Fossil Form.s. The genus Aralia and an allied
genus, Aralia>phyllum, have been described from
many localities in the Cretaceous and Tertiary
rocks of North America and Europe, where they
are represented by about twenty-five species.
A'RAM, Eugene (1704-1759). An English schoolmaster and scholar, born at Ramsgill, Netherdale, in Yorkshire. His father was a gardener, and could aftord to keep Eugene at school for only a short time; but even while assisting his father the boy found time for study. He married early, and became a schoolmaster, first in Netherdale, and afterward at Knaresborough, where he continued to teach till 1745. At Knaresborough lived one Daniel Clarke, a shoemaker, and an intimate acquaintance of Aram. On one occasion Clarke happened to buy a quantity of valuable goods, which he easily obtained on credit; but, to the surprise of every-
