SEINE, Lower, a department of the north-west of France, formed out of those northern parts of Upper Normandy which were in ancient times distinguished as the Roumois, Bezin-Normandy, Caux, and Bray. It is bounded on the north by the sea, on the east by the departments of the Somme and of the Oise, on the south by Eure and Calvados, and on the west by the Channel. It is 2144 square miles in extent, and comprehends five arrondissements, fifty cantons, and 757 communes. The population amounted in 1836 to 720,525 persons, who mostly adhere to the Roman Catholic church; but among them are 55,000 Protestants, having two consistorial and 118 other churches.
The surface is generally level, but intersected by some hills of moderate height, mostly composed of chalk. To-
wards the east the valleys are widest, and run from east to west. Along the whole coast are chalky cliffs from 150 to 700 feet in height, but interrupted in places by the bays and harbours. The soil is on the whole the most fertile in France, though there are portions of it very unproductive of corn, and generally covered with wood, which woods comprehend one seventh of the whole department. The agriculture is tolerably conducted, but the greater part of it is on the ancient system of a fallow succeeded by two crops of grain. About 340,000 acres are sown with wheat, and about 250,000 with oats, which is a large portion out of the 1,372,302 acres; yet it appears that the corn produced is scarcely equal to the consumption. The best lands are the meadows in the valleys through which the Seine and the other rivers run, and these afford nourishment for numerous herds of cows, which supply both meat and the products of the dairy. It is, however, in the interior of the department that the best breed of cows are to be seen, which are a mixture of the Flanders race, whereas on the coast they are commonly of a much smaller size.
The breed of the ancient Norman horses is now nearly extinct. Those now bred are of a mixed race, and more remarkable for their strength than for their beauty, and are well adapted for the plough, for which they are almost exclusively used. The sheep are numerous, and those of the fine woolled kind have of late years been rapidly on the increase. In the valleys of Arques and of Pouville the mutton is highly valued. In the more woody portions of the department are kept very great numbers of swine, in which the acorns are found of great benefit. Most kinds of fruit are abundant, with the exception of vines; but the deficiency of them is counterbalanced by the great quantity of apples, which are converted into cider, and form a good substitute for wine. The fishery on the sea-coast affords considerable occupation, and a great additional supply of food. The herring-fishery is extensively practised from Dieppe and Fecamp; and from other places on the shore enormous quantities of mackerel are taken, whilst the oyster-fishery employs many hands. The manufacturing industry is very active, especially in the arrondissement of Rouen. Woollen and cotton goods of every kind are made, and the best kinds of machinery are in full exercise. Large establishments exist which provide paper, glass, pottery, and china ware; and on the coast much linen is spun and woven. There are many ship and boat builders; and the cordage and equipments contribute their share to furnish occupation to labourers. There is much internal trade, especially with Paris, by the river Seine. The principal places within the department are Rouen, Havre de Grace, Dieppe, Fecamp, and Yvetot.