STIRLINGSHIRE, a county of Scotland, forming the border between the Highlands and Lowlands of the country, is bounded on the n. by Pertshire, and by the river and tali of Forth. Area, 467 sq. m.; pop. in '71, 98,218. A considerable part of Sterling shire is occupied by the carses of Stirling and Falkirk, which were formerly covered for the most part with unproductive moss. On the removal of the moss-soil, part of which was floated off into the Forth by the agency of running water, a rich clay-soil, of vari ous depths, from a plow-furrow to 20, and even 30 ft , was reached, and is not'v cul- t tivated with the most marked success. The chief elevation is Ben-Lomond (q.v.), in the north-west. The chief rivers are the Forth (q.v.), the Carron—navigable for small vessels to Carron-shore—and the Endrick. Loch Lomond (q.v.) is the only important lake in the county. Stirlingshire is remarkable for its mineral stores, especially iron
stone, which is wrought on an extensive scale at Carron (q.v). Woolen goods, etc., are largely manufactured, especially at Alva, Bannockburn, and in the neighborhood of Stirling (q. v.). Of the area of 298,579 acres, there were in 110,788 acres under all kinds of crops, bare fallow, and grass. There were 30,655 under corn crops (2,833 being under wheat); under green crops, 9,503 (5,184 in turnips); 24,036 under clover and grasses under rotation; 45,009 under permanent pasture and meadow. In the same year there were in the county 4,801 horses, 30,225 cattle, 115.610 sheep, and 2.297 swine. The valued rent in 1674 was £9,042; in '78-79, £379,102 (exclusive of canals and railroads). The parliamentary constituency in the same year was 3,218.