BLACK FOREST (Ger. Schwarzwald), a wooded mountain-chain in Baden and WOrtemberg, running from s. to n. along the western side of Swabia, parallel with the course of the Rhine after its great bend near Basel, and often only is few miles distant front it. The Rhine also bounds it on the s., and the level country between the Enz and the confluence of the Neckar with the Rhine borders'it on the n.; lat. 47' 30' to 49° 30' n., long. 7° 40' to 9° east. The chief rivers rising in the B. F. are the Danube, Neckar, Murg, Kinzig, Elz, Enz, and Wiessen. The 13. F. attains its greatest elevation In the bare and round-topped Feldberg (about 4850 ft. high), which rises near the source of the Wiessen and the celebrated 11ffile (Hell) pass, a narrow valley shut in by moun tains in the vicinity of Neustadt. The great mass called the Kaiserstiffil (emperor's chair), situated near Breisaele is quite isolated. As to the geological character of the 13. F., primitive granite and gneiss form its core, porphyry is found on its sides, and sandstone along its highest rides, as well as at its base. Silver, copper, cobalt, lead, and iron are found in greater or less quantity in its principal chain, which is luxuriantly wooded, its name Schwarzwald being derived from the dark-tinted foliage and immense number of its fir-trees. The B. F. also rich in mineral waters, as, e
the baths of Baden-Baden and Wildbad (q.v.). On the Rhine side, the descent is pre cipitous, but towards the Danube and the Neckar it is gradual. Among its numerous valleys. the Murgthal is the most famous for its natural beauties. The western slopes are studded with vineyards. Summer rye, oats, and potatoes are cultivated in some parts of the B. F.; but it is with difficulty, and the rearing of cattle is prosecuted with much greater success. This, and the manufacture of articles of wood. forms the chief industry of the inhabitants. The making of wooden clocks and other kinds of time pieces employs about 40,000 persons; and not less than 600,000 articles of this kind, including music boxes, are exported annually to all parts of the world, 1000 dealers being engaged in the traffic.
Two of the passes of the B. F., the Kniebis and the 11011e, acquired considerable celebrity during the wars of the French revolution. The first, situated on the bor ders between Baden and Wiirtemberg, at the source of the Murg, was taken by the French in 1706 and in 1707; the 110110 is known in connection with Moreau's retreat in 1796.