GIRONDE, a department in the south-west of France,
reached out of the ancient principality of Guienne. It is
bounded on the north and north-east by the department of
the Lower Charente, on the east by those of Dordogne and
of Lot-Garonne, on the south by the Landes, and on the
west by the ocean. It comprehends 4406 square miles,
according to the Royal Almanac, 1,082,520 hectares.
The civil divisions are six arrondissements, forty-eight
cantons, and 580 communes, containing a population of
54,225 persons. The whole department is a fine level
plain, excepting that on the eastern side there are some
gentle elevations. That division consists of a soil composed
of broken tuffstein, fertile sand, and calcareous matter,
and is well cultivated and highly productive; on the west-
ern side, and especially towards the south of the depart-
ment, the land is either a morass or barren sands, where,
or leagues together, no human habitation is visible, and
nothing to be seen but a few wandering sheep, some cork-
trees, and numerous fir-trees. The latter seem to flourish,
and to yield large quantities of turpentine, pitch, and tar.
None of the departments of France is better watered
than the Gironde; most of the streams, which are nume-
rous, discharge their water into that river which gives its
name to this division of the country. Several of these
rivers are navigable, and by their means fuel is conveyed
from the woods, which cover one tenth of the surface, to
several cities whose consumption requires it. The
chief object of cultivation is the vine; the wine is chiefly
ed, known by the names of Medoc, Haut-Brion, St Emi-
lan, Latour, Lafitte, and Chateaux-Margaux, but by the
energetic names of Bordeaux and claret. The most valued
white wines are known as Carbonnieux, Serons, Graves,
arsac, Prignac, Sauterne, Baume, and Sainte-Croix-du-
Mont. The management of the grapes, as well as of the
vine, is well understood; and the produce of the vineyards,
besides wine, is very considerable in brandy, liqueurs,
spirits of wine, and vinegar.
The corn of the department is insufficient for the con-
sumption; and large quantities, chiefly of rye, are brought
from other districts for the maintenance of the poor.
There are few horses bred or kept, and the plough is for
the most part worked by oxen, which, as well as the cows,
are of an indifferent race. The sheep are not numerous,
and commonly afford meat and wool of an inferior quality.
Besides grapes, the other fruits are abundant, especially
chestnuts, almonds, and figs. The other products of the
soil are cork, stone coal, turf, hemp, and flax. There are
mines except those of iron, which yield but little. Table
salt is made on the coast, sufficient for the consumption in
the districts of St Vivian, which produce 1200 tons annually.
The manufacturing industry is extensive as to the num-
ber of articles fabricated, but confined chiefly to the city
of Bordeaux, the capital. The principal goods are linens
and cottons, snuff, glass, china and earthen ware, dyestuffs,
rath, ironmongery, cordage, and sailcloth. The com-
merce exclusively from Bordeaux is extensive, as well
as the French colonies as to other parts of the world, to
which native commodities are exported, and the produc-
tions of such countries returned.