HAUTE-GARONNE, a frontier department of south-west ern France, formed in 1790 from portions of the provinces of Languedoc (Toulousain and Lauraguais) and Gascony (Com minges and Nebouzan) . Pop. Area, 2,458 sq.m. It is bounded north by the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, east by Tarn, south-east by Aude and Ariege, south by Spain and west by Gers and Hautes-Pyrenees. Quaternary and Tertiary deposits occupy the centre of the department. Towards the south the land rises gradually to the Pyrenees, which on the Spanish border ex ceed 1 o,000 ft. Two passes, the Port d'Oo and the Port de Ve nasque, exceed 9,80o and 7,90o ft. respectively. The Garonne flows in a northerly direction and receives the Pique, the Salat, the Louge, the Ariege, the Touch and the Save. Except in the moun tains the climate is mild, the mean annual temperature being rather higher than at Paris. The rainfall, which averages 24 in. at Toulouse, exceeds 4o in. in the mountains; and sudden inunda tions of the Garonne cause much damage. Thick forests of oak, fir and pine furnish timber for shipbuilding. Wheat, maize and other grains are the principal crops, and there is generally a surplus for export. Market-gardening flourishes around Toulouse. Vine yards are extensive, though the wine is of medium quality; and chestnuts, apples and peaches are grown. Cattle and sheep are reared and co-operative dairies are numerous in the mountains; but deforestation has tended to reduce the area of pastureland, the soil, unretained by tree roots, having been gradually washed away. Haute-Garonne has deposits of zinc and lead, and salt workings; there is an ancient marble-working industry at St. Beat. The mineral springs of Bagneres-de-Luchon Encausse, Bar bazan and Salies-du-Salat are well known. Manufactures include iron and copper goods, woollen, cotton and linen goods, leather, paper, boots and shoes and tobacco. The main line of the South ern railway from Bordeaux to Cette passes through Toulouse. The Canal du Midi traverses the department for 32 m. and the lateral canal of the Garonne for 15 m. The Garonne is navigable below its confluence with the Salat. There are two arrondissements— Toulouse and St. Gaudens—subdivided into 39 cantons and 589 communes. Toulouse is the seat of a court of appeal and of an archbishop, the headquarters of the XVII. army corps and the centre of an academy; and St. Gaudens, Bagneres-de-Luchon and St. Bertrand-de-Comminges are important. St. Aventin, Mont saunes and Venerque possess old churches in the Romanesque style. The choir of St. Just at Valcabrere dates from the 8th or 9th century and part of the nave from the 11 th century. There are ruins of a Cistercian abbey at Bonnefont near St. Martory. Gallo-Roman remains have been discovered at Martres. Near Revel is the reservoir of St. Ferreol, constructed for the canal du Midi in the 17th century.