Illeet Vilaine

Ille-et-Vilaine, a department in the N.W. of France, forming part of the ancient province of Brittany. It is bounded N. by the sea and the department of La Manche, E. by Mayenne, W. by Morbihan and Cotes du Nord, and S. by Loire-Inferieure. It has an area of 2,597 square miles, mostly level with occasional marshy patches. Ilesides the rivers from which it takes its name, /here are the Airon, Ranee, Meu and Seiche, all more or less navigable. St. Malo is an important seaport and Rennes is the capital. The soil is not very fertile, but wheat and other cereals, hemp and flax, potatoes, and apples and pears are grown with success, the cider of the country being highly esteemed. Cattle and horses thrive well, but sheep are not abundant. Iron, silver-lead, zinc, granite, slate, and flints are a source of considerable wealth. Leather, sail-cloth, salt, glass, paper, butter, and cheese constitute the principal industrial products.