MIDLOTHIAN or EDINBURGHSHIRE, eastern county, Scotland, bounded north by the Firth of Forth, east by the shires of Haddington, or East Lothian, and Berwick, south-east by Rox burghshire, south by Selkirkshire, Peeblesshire and Lanarkshire, south-west by Lanarkshire, and west by Linlithgowshire or West Lothian. Its area (excluding water) is 234,325 acres. The island of Cramond belongs to the county. The Pentland Hills rise boldly in the south-west to heights of nearly 1,90o ft., and extend to within 5 m. of the sea. They are generally of rounded form, and covered with heath or grass. In them the Silurian strata characteristic of the south of the county, and of the southern up lands of Scotland generally, are covered unconformably by lower Old Red Sandstone rocks. The Carboniferous beds are thrown off to the north-west and south-east from the palaeozoic ridge. The Moorfoot Hills, in the south-east, belong to the Silurian area and are a continuation of the Lammermuirs, and attain in Blackhope Scar a height of 2,136 ft. A volcanic series extends from West Kip in the Pentlands to the Braid Hills and isolated heights, prominent in the scenery, are due to this intrusion of igneous rocks, mostly of the age of the calciferous sandstones, which cover a fairly wide area and in their upper portion include valuable oil shales. Of the rivers the Gala flows south to join the Tweed, and the Tyne after a course of 7 m. passes into Haddingtonshire. The others flow into the Firth of Forth. The Esk, which is the longest, drains the district between the Pentlands and the Moorfoot Hills, and reaches the sea at Musselburgh. The Water of Leith flows past Edinburgh to Leith. The Almond forms the boundary be tween Midlothian and Linlithgowshire. Several of these streams, especially the Esk and the Water of Leith, furnish water power. The only loch is that at Duddingston, hut there are several large reservoirs supplying Edinburgh. Cobbinshaw reservoir supplies the Union Canal connecting the Forth with the Clyde.
Agriculture.—High farming is the rule in the three Lothians. All the area on which wheat can be profitably grown is so occu pied; oats, however, is the predominant grain crop, though barley is also raised. Turnips and potatoes are the chief roots. Near Edinburgh sewage farming has been largely developed. The pro duce consists principally of natural grasses. Sheep and cattle raising and horse breeding are important pursuits. In the neigh bourhood of the capital dairy farming is conducted on an extensive scale. Pig-keeping has grown considerably and poultry-farming is carried on near Edinburgh. The nursery gardens are extensive, and there are many orchards.
Other Industries.—Coal is extensively mined on the North Esk. Some iron-stone is obtained and fire-clay occurs at various points. Paraffin is made near West Calder, where valuable oil bearing shale is worked. Limestone is quarried at Mid Calder,
Balerno, Loanhead, Craigmillar, Ratho, etc., and cement is made near Cranston. Freestone is quarried at Penicuik, near Edinburgh, and elsewhere. It is used for pavements and stairs, and for the great docks at Leith, and a number of smaller quarries for the supply of road-material are scattered throughout the county. Owing no doubt to the growth of printing and publishing in the metropolis, the chief manufacturing industry in Midlothian is paper-making. The most important mills, some of them dating from the beginning of the 18th century, are situated on the North Esk at Penicuik and Lasswade. At Balerno, Currie and elsewhere on the Water of Leith there are several mills, as well as near Mid Calder and in Edinburgh. There are carpet factories at Roslin, Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith. The manufacture of gunpowder is also carried on at Roslin and Calder. Iron foundries exist at Dalkeith and around Edinburgh. Dalkeith is famous for oatmeal. The shipping trade is concentrated at Leith and Granton, and there are fishing fleets at Fisherrow and Granton.