SPAIN 205 and burned by the sun. Although high moun- tain ridges line and traverse this region, it has few rivers, not sufficient to fertilize it. The temperature is subject to extremes; the win- ters are cold and the summers burning, but the spring and autumn are pleasant. The southern zone, which comprises Andalusia, Murcia, and southern Valencia, is exposed to the influence of the burning winds from Af- rica, and to the reflection of the rays of the sun from the naked and rocky mountain walls. The valleys in this zone are deeper and the plateaus less extended and better supplied with water than in the middle zone ; the soil is more diversified and better adapted for agri- culture. The temperature, delicious in autumn and in spring, is tropical in summer, and more rainy than cold in winter. Two kinds of winds are very troublesome. The gallego, a N. and N. W. wind, blowing from Galicia, is cold and piercing, and causes painful affections of the eye. The southern provinces are visited by the solano, the sirocco of Italy. Spain is one of the most fruitful countries of Europe. Wheat, maize, barley, hemp, and flax are ex- tensively cultivated, especially in the eastern and northern provinces. Saffron and other dye plants are chiefly found in the interior. Mulberry trees are largely cultivated for rear- ing silkworms in Vcilencia, Murcia, and Gra- nada. In the south there is a great variety of the finer fruits, including the almond, date, fig, orange, citron, pomegranate, pineapple, and banana. Large forests, especially of evergreen oaks, including the cork tree, are still found in Asturias, the Pyrenees, the Sierra Morena, and the Sierra Nevada ; but on the whole Spain has less timber than any other of the large coun- tries of Europe, owing to the want of cultiva- tion. The culture of the vine is general ; but only the coast districts of Jerez, Rota, and Mal- aga, in Andalusia, and of Benicarlo and Ali- cante in Valencia, furnish considerable quanti- ties for exportation. The quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, and insects are mostly of the same kinds as those of S. France. Wolves, lynxes, foxes, and wild boars are still to be found on the high mountains ; but the bear, which two centuries ago was common, is only to be met with in the Pyrenees. The Barbary ape, the only monkey naturalized in Europe, inhabits the rock of Gibraltar. Descended from breeds which the Moors introduced, the Spanish horse has preserved the fire, docility, grace, and vig- or of the Arabian. Those of Seville, Granada, and Estremadura are most valued. The asses and mules are superior ; the former rival those of Egypt, but mules are preferred for trans- portation. The bulls used for bull fights are found wild in the Sierra Morena. Sheep are everywhere extensively raised, a considera- ble proportion belonging to the merino breed. Hogs are bred in large numbers; those of Estremadura, Galicia, and Asturias are cele- brated for the delicacy of their flesh. There are important fisheries on the coasts ; the fish of the Atlantic are preferred to those of the Mediterranean. The kingdom, inclusive of the less remote islands, is divided into 49 prov- inces, named after .their respective capitals except the last six in the table, viz. : Navarre, capital Pamplona,; Biscay, Bilbao ; Guipuzcoa, St. Sebastian ; Alava, Vitoria ; Balearic Isl- ands, Palma; Canary Islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The area and population of the provinces and of the ancient divisions, accord- ing to official estimates in 1870, are given in the Almanack de Cfotha for 18Y5 as follows : PROVINCES. Area, sq. m. Population. NEW CASTItE. 1. Madrid 2997 487 482 2. Toledo 8 Guadalajara 6,586 4,869 842,272 208638 6726 238 781 Total 20,178 1,277,123 LA MANCHA. 5 Ciudad Real . 7,840 264649 OLD CASTILE. 6. Burgos 5.651 853.560 7. Logrono 1.945 182,941 8 Santander 2 113 241,581 9 Soria 8836 158,699 10. Segovia. . . 2,714 150,812 11. Avila 2,982 175,219 12 Palencia 8126 184,668 13 Valladolid.. 8048 242,384 Total 25,409 1,689,864 LEON. 14 Leon 6167 350 092 4135 250 968 16. Salamanca 4940 280,870 Total 15242 681 930 ASTURIAS. 17. Oviedo 4,091 610,883 GALICIA. 3,079 630,504 19 Lugo 8,787 475.836 20. Orense 2,739 402,796 21. Pontevedra 1,739 480,145 Total 11,344 1,989,281 ESTREMADTTKA. 22 Badaioz. 8,688 431,922 23 Caceres 8014 302,455 Total 16702 734,377 ANDALUSIA. 24 Seville 5095 515 Oil 25 Cadiz 2809 426 499 26 Huelva 4122 196 469 27 Cordova 5,190 382,652 28. Jaen 5,184 892,100 29. Granada 4,937 485.846 8,302 861,553 31. Malaga , 2,824 505,010 Total 88,663 8264,640 MURCIA. 32. Murcia 4.478 439,067 38 Albacete 5972 220 973 Total 10450 660 040 VALENCIA. 84 Valencia 4,852 665,141 85. Alicante 2,098 440.470 86. Castellon ^447 296,222 Total . . . 8,897 1,401,833
