GERMANY. 



747 



Prussian (Proper) provinces ; and all those provinces of Austria before described as the Ge» 

 man provinces of that empire : — 



Kinsdoms. 



Crrand Duchies. 



Duchies. 



f IJavaria, 

 J Wurtemberg, 

 ) Hanover, 

 1^ Saxony. 



Baden, 

 Oldenburg, 



Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 



Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 



Hesse-Darmstadt. 



Brunswick, 



3 Anhalt States, 

 Nassau, 



4 Saxon States. 



Principalities. <j 



Landgraxiaic. 

 Lordship. 



Free Cities. 



f Hesse-Cassel, 



2 Holieiizcjllern States, 

 I Jjiechtensteiii, 



Lippe-Detmold, 



3 Heuss Slates, 

 2 Schvvartzburg Stales, 



I Schauenburg-Lippe, 

 1^ VValdeck. 



Hesse-Homburg. 



Knipbausen. 

 r Hamburg, 

 ! Frankfort, 

 I Lubec. 

 I ]5remen. 



2. Mountains. The Alps extend in several ranges through the south of Germany. The 

 Rluetian Mps proceed from the Orisons and the Tyrol. The JVoric Alps extend into the 

 plains of Hungary. The Carpathian JMouniains occupy a portion of the eastern parts. The 

 Sudetic chain is a branch of these, extending westerly, and receiving, in diflerent parts, the 

 names of the Riesengebirge, Krzgebirge., Fichtelgebirge, and Thuringerwuld. The Hartz 

 Mountains are the most northerly, and may be considered as a continuation of these last. Many 

 parts of the Alps rise to the height of perpetual snow. 



3. Forests. The great passion of the Germans for hunting the wild boar, is, perhaps, the 

 reason why this country abounds so much in forests. The Hercynian forest, which in Cesar's 

 time was nine days' journey in length, and six in breadth, is now divided into woods, which 

 bear particular names. The mountains are so generally clothed with wood, that the German 

 word loald signifies both mountain and forest. Most of the woods consist of pine, fir, oak, 

 and beech. 



4. Rivers. The most celebrated river of Germany is the Rhine. It rises in Switzerland, 

 and, falling over two large cataracts, flows westerly to Basle, where it forms the boundary be- 

 tween France and Germany, and begins its northerly course ; it then enters Germany, and 

 flows north and northwest to the Netherlands, through which it passes to the sea by several 

 mouths. It is in general a broad, deep, and rapid river, and its shores abound with the most 

 romantic scenery ; but as it approaches the sea, its waters become dispersed over a flat and 

 level country, and the grandeur of its appearance is totally lost. Its whole course is 685 miles, 

 for the greater part of which, it is navigable. Its chief branches are the Mayne and the 

 Moselle. 



The Elbe rises in the Sudetic mountains of Silesia, and flows northwesterly Into the German 

 Ocean. It is 575 miles in length, and is a good navigable stream ; its chief branches are the 

 Saale and Havel. The Oder rises in the mountains of Moravia, and flows westerly and north- 

 erly into the Baltic ; its length is 400 miles ; its chief branch Is the JVartha. The fVeser is 

 formed of several head streams in the northwest, and flows in that direction into the German 

 Ocean ; it is 270 miles in length. The Danube is a German river for the first half of its 

 course ; it flows easterly through the southern part of Germany Into the Hungarian States. 



5. Climate. The climate of Germany is modified by the elevation of the surface, and the 

 exposure of the different sections. For purposes of general description, it may be divided into 

 three regions. In the first, or that of the northern plains, the climate Is humid and variable, 

 though not cold ; it is exposed to every wind, which conveys fogs and storms from two seas. 

 The northwestern plain, from its vicinity to the North Sea, is subject to frequent rains and de- 

 solating tempests, while the influence of the Baltic Sea on the northeastern plain, is less power- 

 lul, and the climate, though colder, is less variable. The second region comprehends all the 

 central part of Germany, which is sheltered by the mountains from the variableness and humid- 

 ity of the maritime climate ; this zone, the most agreeable of Germany, extends from latitude 

 48° to 51°, but the general elevation of the surface renders it colder than other European 

 countries of the same latitude. The third general division is the Alpine section ; here the 

 lofty heights and sudden depressions bring very different climates into contact with each other. 

 The eternal glaciers of the Tyrol and Saltzburg are contiguous to the vine-covered valleys of 

 Stiria and Carinthia, and but little removed from the olive groves of Trieste, and the ever- 

 bloomlng gardens of Italy. Vines, rice, and maize thrive as far north as 54° ; beyond that 



