396 



FRANCE 



iVom Sardinia. The main land of Italy is within 50 miles of the northern part. In the Bay 

 if Biscay, are the isles of Moirnioutier, Olcron, Re, and Belleisle., which are productive in 

 '.vine. Ushanl, or Ouessant, li( s off the northwestern extremity of France, and is the most 

 western spot in Europe occupied by the French. 



7. Bays and Gulfs. The Bay of Biscay is an open gulf on the west, formed by the 

 coasts of France and Spain. On the coast of the Mediterranean is the Gulf of Lions,* so 

 styled in the middle ages from the frequent tempests which occurred there. The Gulf of St. 

 Malo, in the English Channel, contains the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, and Sark. 



8. Shores and Capes. Two large promontories lie on the northwestern coast. That of 

 La Hague projects into the English Channel, and that of Raz forms the westernmost point of 

 France. The coasts rise gently from the sea, and in some places exhibit high cliffs. In the 

 southern part of the Bay of Biscay, the coast is flat and sandy. 



9. Climate. The air of the northern part is moist, and there are considerable snows and 

 sharp frost in winter. At Paris, the Seine is frequently frozen so as to admit of skating. In 

 the central parts, no snow falls, sometimes for many years ; frosts seldom occur, and the air 

 IS pure, light, and elastic. The harvests begin from the latter part of June to the middle of 

 July. The south of France, from the Loire to the Mediterranean, is subject to violent storms 

 of hail and rain, which destroy the crops. One tenth of the produce, upon an average, is 

 yearly damaged by these storms. Thunder-storms are frequent and violent ; they produce cat- 

 aracts, which rush down the mountains, burying the meadows under heaps of stone and masses 

 of mud, and cutting the sides of the mountains into deep ravines. In most parts of France, 

 frosts are common late in the spring and early in autumn, which do great injury to vegetation. 

 The high country of Auvergne is bleak and cold, and all the districts of the Vosges are affected 

 by the snow, which sometimes continues to fall upon these mountains as late as the end of June. 



In the southern provinces, the summer is exceedingly hot. The vintage is in September. 

 At the end of autumn, violent rains fall ; but October and November are the pleasantest 

 months in the year. In December, January, and February, the weather is fine ; but after Feb- 

 ruary, a strong northeasterly wind, called the Mistral, blows, sometimes with snow, but gener- 

 ally with a clear sky. It is sometimes so violent upon the mountains as to blow a man off his 

 horse. At Avignon, the olive-trees are frequently killed by it. The south of France may 

 be characterized as possessing a mild and salubrious climate. Montpellier, on the shore of the 

 Mediterranean, is celebrated for the purity of its air. 



10. Soil. France is generally a fertile country, but the soil varies much in different prov- 

 inces. The northeast is the richest part ; there are admirable corn districts along the Seine, 

 Rhine, and Moselle. The hills of Champagne and Burgundy produce the most excellent 

 vines. The valley of the Garonne has a warmer soil, but it is less productive than that of the 

 northern districts. 



11. Geology. The Cevennes are composed of granitic rocks, supporting basalt. Granite 

 also constitutes the foundation of most of the other mountains. Some parts of the Alps are 

 calcareous. Chalk formations are common in the north. Gypsum is abundant in the country 

 around Paris, and from this city it has received its popular name. 



12. Jfatural Productions. The common forest trees are oak, birch, elm, ash, and beech. 

 Forests of pine and fir extend along the Atlantic coast, and upon the Vosges and Jura moun- 

 tains. The only fruit-trees indigenous to the country are, the fig, apple, pear, and plum. 

 The cherry-tree and vine were brought from the East by the Romans. The Greek colonies 

 on the shores of the Mediterranean transported thither the olive, a native of Mount Taurus, in 

 Asia. The orange, lemon, and white mulberry were brought from China, the black mulberry 

 from Asia Minor, the apricot from Armenia, the peach from Persia, the almond, walnut, and 

 melon from different parts of Asia, and the pomegranate from Africa. 



13. Minerals. Coal is abundant, but the beds lie at a distance from the sea, and are little 

 worked. There were formerly many copper mines, but they are now chiefly abandoned. 

 There is a gold mine, unwrought, in the eastern part. Lead is found in Brittany, and manganese 

 abounds in sufficient quantities to supply the whole of Europe. Silver, iron, cobalt, nickel, 

 cinnabar, and arsenic are sometimes found. Among the stones and earths are the hyacinth, 

 emerald, beryl, tourmaline, amethyst, chalcedony, and turquois, porcelain earth, chalk, marble, 

 and gypsum. 



• This name is incorrectly written Lyons, which has led to the general belief, that it was called after the city of 

 thnt name, which is 150 miles inland. 



