ing and in the extreme south-west, where it forms part of the
Harz range, mountainous, the Ramberg peak attaining a height of 1900
ft. From the Harz the country gently shelves down to the Saale; and
between this river and the Elbe there lies a fine tract of fertile
country. The portion of the duchy lying east of the Elbe is mostly a
flat sandy plain, with extensive pine forests, though interspersed, at
intervals, by bog-land and rich pastures. The Elbe is the chief river,
and intersecting the eastern portion of the duchy, from east to west,
receives at Rosslau the waters of the Mulde. The navigable Saale takes
a northerly direction through the western portion of the eastern part
of the territory and receives, on the right, the Fuhne and, on the
left, the Wipper and the Bode. The climate is on the whole mild,
though somewhat inclement in the higher regions to the south-west. The
area of the duchy is 906 sq. m., and the population in 1905 amounted
to 328,007, a ratio of about 351 to the square mile. The country is
divided into the districts of Dessau, Coethen, Zerbst, Bernburg and
Ballenstedt, of which that of Bernburg is the most, and that of
Ballenstedt the least, populated. Of the towns, four, viz. Dessau,
Bernburg, Coethen and Zerbst, have populations exceeding 20,000. The
inhabitants of the duchy, who mainly belong to the upper Saxon race,
are, with the exception of about 12,000 Roman Catholics and 1700 Jews,
members of the Evangelical (Union) Church. The supreme ecclesiastical
authority is the consistory in Dessau; while a synod of 39 members,
elected for six years, assembles at periods to deliberate on internal
matters touching the organization of the church. The Roman Catholics
are under the bishop of Paderborn. There are within the duchy four
grammar schools (gymnasia), five semi-classical and modern schools,
a teachers' seminary and four high-grade girls' schools. Of the whole
surface, land under tillage amounts to about 60, meadowland to 7 and
forest to 25%. The chief crops are corn (especially wheat), fruit,
vegetables, potatoes, beet, tobacco, flax, linseed and hops. The land
is well cultivated, and the husbandry on the royal domains and the
large estates especially so. The pastures on the banks of the Elbe
yield cattle of excellent quality. The forests are well stocked
with game, such as deer and wild boar, and the open country is well
supplied with partridges. The rivers yield abundant fish, salmon (in
the E