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134 LANCASHIRE LANCASTER the upper or south ward, the middle, and the lower or north ward, the last containing the city of Glasgow; the upper is mountainous, the middle hilly, and the lower level. The Lowther hills, along the south, are from 2,000 to 3,000 ft. high, but afford extensive ranges of pasturage. In these hills are valuable lead mines, consisting of four principal veins 4 to 10 ft. thick, one of which has been wrought to a depth of 140 fathoms, the pure ore in one place having been found 14 ft. wide. Coal is however the most important of the mineral treasures of the county, the fields comprising 55,000 acres. There are also important iron mines and immense fields of fire clay. Dairy husbandry is carried on with great success. Oats are the principal grain crop, but wheat and barley are extensively grown. Clydesdale is noted for its orchards, as well as for its breed of draught horses. It is the seat of vast manufacturing industry in collieries, iron works, and cotton, flax, silk, and woollen. In the time of James III. of Scotland gold was found in Lanarkshire, from which coins were struck called unicorns. Capital, Lanark. LANCASHIRE, or Lancaster, a N. W. county of England, bordering on Cumberland, West- moreland, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and the Irish sea; area, 1,905 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 2,819,- 495. The surface is nearly level, except in the north and east. The long ridge known as the " backbone of England " separates the county from Yorkshire on the east, and the N. district is broken by Coniston Fells (2,577 ft. high) and other considerable eminences. The Duddon, Lime, Wyre, Ribble, Mersey, and Ir- well are the principal rivers. The coast is deeply indented by bays and arms of the sea, of which Morecambe bay and the estuary of the Ribble are the most important. Morecambe bay and a part of Westmoreland detach the most northern part from the rest of the county. The prevailing geological formations are lime- stone and carboniferous and new red sand- stone. The Lancashire coal field covers 400 sq. m. of the south and southwest of the county, thus underlying the whole of the manufac- turing districts, and extending into Cheshire and North Wales on the one side, while on the other it is separated by but a brief interval from the coal fields of Yorkshire. Copper, iron, and lead are also found. Peat mosses form a remarkable feature of the surface. The principal of these swamps was formerly Chat- moss, about 5 m. long, once considered irre- claimable, but now mostly under cultivation. The climate is humid, but temperate, and the soil moderately fertile. Dairy and hay farms are numerous, and potatoes are more exten- sively grown than in any other English county. Lancashire owes its importance chiefly to its manufactures and commerce. The most im- portant manufactures are cotton, woollens, worsted, flax, and silk goods, hats, paper, and soap. The manufacturing districts are trav- ersed by a large number of canals and rail- ways, and include the towns of Manchester, Bolton, Preston, Blackburn, Oldham, Ashton, Stockport, Bury, Chorley, Wigan, and Roch- dale. Capital, Lancaster; chief commercial city, Liverpool. Lancashire was made a coun- ty palatine by Edward III. Riots took place in many parts of the county in 1826 for the de- struction of power looms. It suffered greatly from the cotton famine during the American civil war; in January, 1863, there were 228,- 992 operatives unemployed, and 1,864,121 was contributed for their relief. The duchy of Lancaster is annexed to the crown, and its net revenue is paid into the sovereign's privy purse. The receipts in 1870 were 53,868, and the expenditures 15,136. LANCASTER. I. A S. E. county of Pennsyl- vania, bounded S. W. by the Susquehanna river and S. E. by Octorara creek ; area, 928 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 121,340. The surface is uneven, South mountain extending along the N. W. frontier, and Mine ridge passing through the S. E. part. The surface between these mountains is undulating and traversed by many small streams. Blue limestone, roofing slate, marble, chrome, and magnesia are found in the county. The soil is a rich calcareous loam. The Reading and Columbia and the Pennsyl- vania Central railroads pass through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 2,077,413 bush- els of wheat, 88,245 of rye, 2,820,825 of Indian corn, 1,943,577 of oats, 419,755 of Irish and 33,821 of sweet potatoes, 2,692,584 Ibs. of tobacco, 20,092 of wool, 2,462,376 of butter, 82,614 of cheese, and 124,185 tons of hay. There were 21,409 horses, 2,504 mules and asses, 31,368 milch cows, 1,142 working oxen, 32,249 other cattle, 11,821 sheep, and 50,070 swine; 1,616 manufacturing establishments, having an aggregate capital of $9,504,162, and an annual product of $14,034,180. The most important were 24 manufactories of agricul- tural implements, 31 of brick, 90 of carriages, 9 of cotton goods, 13 of woollens, 32 of iron in various forms, 45 of lime, 13 of machinery, 2 of printing paper, 6 of patent medicines, 47 of saddlery and harness, 44 of tin, copper, and sheet-iron ware, 143 flour mills, 26 tanneries, 18 currying establishments, 12 breweries, 5 planing mills, and 11 saw mills. Capital, Lancaster. II. An E. county of Virginia, on Chesapeake bay and on the N. side of Rap- pahannock river; area, 161 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 5,355, of whom 3,157 were colored. The surface is nearly level, and the soil is fertile. The chief productions in 1870 were 12,978 bushels of wheat, 108,940 of Indian corn, and 22,544 of oats. There were 560 horses, 716 milch cows, 1,473 other cattle, 700 sheep, and 2,913 swine. Capital, Lancaster Court House. III. A N. county of South Carolina, bordering on North Carolina, and bounded E. by Lynche's creek and W. by Catawba river ; area, 690 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 12,087, of whom 5,924 were colored. The surface is diversified. The chief productions in 1870 were 15,872 bushels of