a department of the north-west of France, formed out of the ancient district of Touraine. It extends over 2953 square miles, or, according to the Royal Almanac, 612,679 hectares. It is divided into three arrondissements, whose subdivisions are 24 cantons, and 311 communes, with 274,970 inhabitants. It is generally a level country, consisting of valleys, in which the rivers run, and of plains between, of moderate elevation, which, from their good cultivation and fertility, have been denominated the garden of France. There are, however, some parts of the department which are sandy heaths, and others where the chalk is so slightly covered with soil, as to render it unfit for profitable cultivation. It is well watered by the rivers Loire, Cher, Indre, Vienne, and the Creuse, and their respective tributary brooks, too numerous to be recounted. The climate is temperate like all the middle of France, with a pleasant spring and autumn, hot summer, and short but not severe winter. The forests cover one-ninth of the department, producing fuel and timber. The corn of this division is unequal to the consumption, one-fourth of which must be supplied from the neighbouring provinces. It yields, however, a surplus of each kind of domestic animals, and of their produce, and a most copious store of fruits of all kinds, some of which dried, as plums and apples, and others as almonds, filberts, walnuts, and chestnuts, with no preparation, form a considerable branch of commerce. It yields also good flax and hemp, and much honey and wax. The wine is chiefly white, and some of it, as well as of the red, is highly valued, but the greater part is made into brandy for distant markets. The rearing silk worms, which was once a considerable occupation, has been nearly abandoned. There are some mines of iron, whose ores are cleared and worked into the appropriate articles. The manufactures are inconsiderable, consisting of linen and woollen cloth, of some silk goods, paper, liquorice, and liqueurs. The capital of the department is the city of Tours.