Saxony, PRUSSIAN

Saxony, PRUSSIAN, a province of Prussia, formed in 1815 out of districts taken from the kingdom of Saxony, part of the duchy of Magdeburg, the Altmark, the principalities of Halberstadt and Erfurt, and some smaller territories. It lies between Brandenburg, Hanover, Brunswick, Hesse-Cassel, the minor Saxon duchies, and the kingdom of Saxony. The duchy of Anhalt almost divides it into two portions. Area, 9746 sq. m.; pop. (1890) 2,579,852. The greater part of the surface belongs to the North German plain, being watered by the Elbe and its subsidiary streams, the Saale, Mulde, two Elsters, Ilm, &c. The soil, except in the north and on the mountains (Harz and Thüringer Wald) in the south, is extremely fertile, the valley of the Golden Meadow (Goldene Aue) being particularly famous. Lignite and salt are extracted to the annual value of 1½ million pounds sterling. Copper is mined. Wheat, beet-root, flowers, vegetables, hops, &c. are extensively grown. There are important manufactures of cloth, cottons, machinery, oil, small-arms, beer, chemicals, and other articles. Halle is the seat of one of the first universities of Germany. The province sends 20 members to the imperial parliament, and 38 to the Prussian House of Representatives. The capital is Magdeburg; other large towns are Halle, Erfurt, Halberstadt, Aschersleben, Mühlhausen, and Nordhausen.