Gironde

Gironde, a department in the S.W. of France, on the Biscay coast S. of the estuary of the same same. Its area is 3,760 square miles. Low sandhills or dunes, flanked by lagoons, lie along the coast. The chief rivers are the Dordogne and Garonne, and Bordeaux is the capital. There is mucli vine-cultivation and some corn-growing, "but there is also a good deal of waste land. Large quantities of salt are obtained from the lagoons. The trade in wine and fruits is facilitated by the Canal du Midi. The manufactures include wax candles, chemicals, sugar, porcelain, and tobacco. The climate is mild and damp.