Seine

Seine, the metropolitan dept. of France, completely enclosed by the dept. of Seine-et-Oise, is a portion of the former province of Ile-de-France, and derives its name from its principal river, the Seine. One-sixth of its area is covered by the city of Paris (q.v.), and the rest is thickly studded with the suburban villages of the capital—Boulogne, Puteaux, Clichy, Montrenil, &c. It is at once the smallest and the most populous dept. in the republic: its area is 185 sq. m.; its pop. in 1876 was 2,410,849, and in 1891, 3,141,595. From south-east to north-west it is traversed for 37 miles by the windings of the Seine, which receives the navigable Marne at Charenton and the Bièvre at Paris. The surface is marked by undulations and low hills, the highest, Mont Valérien and Mont Bicêtre, reaching 650 feet. The scenery—of which the woods of Verrières, Meudon, and Saint-Cloud, together with those of Vincennes and Boulogne, transformed into parks, and watered by artificial rivers and lakes, are perhaps the most striking features—is wonderfully charming. A network of canals and railways, the latter converging in the capital, afford easy means of transit in any direction. The soil is not naturally fertile, but, owing to the skill of the farmers and gardeners, who obtain abundant supplies of manures from the metropolis, the country around Paris and its suburbs has been rendered remarkably productive. The culture of vegetables and fruits for the markets of Paris is one of the most important branches of husbandry. Enormous quantities of mushrooms are cultivated in the ancient quarries of Paris near Montrouge, and in the catacombs beneath the city. Quarries of gypsum and freestone abound, and are productive. Manufacturing industry is very active and extensive, but is principally concentrated in Paris and its suburbs. The arrondissements are Paris, St Denis, and Sceaux.