ORNE, a department of France, formed out of the southern part of the ancient province of Normandy and a portion of the division of Perche. It lies between north latitude 48. 12. and 48. 58., and in longitude between 1.1. and 0. 50. west. It is bounded on the north by the departments of Calvados and Eure, on the east by Eure and Loire, on the south by Sarthe and Mayenne, and on the west by La Manche and the sea. It is 2524 square miles in extent, or, according to the Almanac Royale, 645,254 hectares, of which 318,750 are under the plough, 63,750 are meadows and pasture, 61,500 are woods, and the remainder is uncultivated, or the sites of towns, and the courses of rivers, or roads. It is divided into four arrondissements, thirty-five cantons, and 627 communes, and contains a population of 443,688 persons, who almost all adhere to the Roman Catholic church. The face of the country is hilly, though few of the elevations exceed 600 feet. The valleys between these hills are most abundantly supplied with streams of water, and it is said that no less than 300 rivers, great and small, have their sources within the department. As a whole, it thus appears to be a lofty region. The Orne, the Mayenne, and the Sarthe, are the great rivers by which the water of the smaller streams runs to the ocean. There are many morasses, ponds, and small lakes between the hills, but no canals. On the hills the soil is of a very sterile character, yielding only some scanty pasturage for cattle. In the valleys it is better, but much of it is either sandy or very stony. The climate is cold, but dry and healthy. In the spring, from the height of the land, the northerly winds often prove injurious to the blossoms of the fruit-trees, and even to the corn. The wheat, as well as the rye, is peculiarly subject to blight. The agriculture is badly conducted, although of late somewhat improved. It does not produce sufficient corn for a half year’s consumption, and what is raised is of an indifferent quality. The country people are generally poor; they are clothed with coarse materials made by themselves, generally wear wooden shoes of their own fabrication, feed on buckwheat and rye, and for drink have bad cider or perry. No wine is produced within the department, nor is any beer brewed. The products of most value are hemp and flax, which grow of fine and long fibre, and the sale of them procures the requisite corn from the neighbourhood. The cattle also yield some of the means of subsistence. The breed of Norman horses is good, and the raceshave of late years been improved by crosses with some of greater power. Many young black cattle are bred, and many sheep, a few of which yield fine wool. The forests have been neglected, and fuel is scarce. There are mines of iron, from which about 150,000 quintals of wrought and of cast iron are yearly produced, and mostly converted into nails and other ironmongery goods. There are some fine linens made, and much pillow-lace is made by the females, with thread spun from their own flax. Those articles made from flax are the most valuable products of manufacturing industry. A few cotton goods are aíso made; and some leather, paper, wax, honey, and bacon, may be added to the list of products. The city of Alençon is the capital of the department, which elects four deputies to the legislative chamber.