THE DANUBIAN DISTRICTS.—Between the Bohemian massif on the north and the Alpine countries on the south, there lies on the right bank of the Danube a fiat, or gently undulating, land which forms part of the provinces of Upper and Lower Austria. The soil, which is derived from Tertiary and Quaternary materials, is generally fertile, and agriculture is extensively carried on, especi ally in Upper Austria. The industrial life of the region is situated in and around Vienna, which is the natural meeting-place of lines of communication from all parts of the Monarchy, and is thus able to receive both the mineral products of the western regions and the agricultural products of the eastern. Among the industries which have consequently grown up in the city, and in the neighbouring towns lying chiefly to the south of it, where water-power is abundant, are the manufacture of different kinds of iron and steel goods, spinning and weaving, brewing and miffing, and a host of others. In Upper Austria the chief industrial town is Steyr, on the Enns ; it is principally engaged in metallurgical work, the raw material coming from the Erzberg.
THE KARST.—The southern folds of the Eastern Alps curve round towards the south-east, and form a region to which the title of Karst, originally applied to a more limited area, has been extended. This region includes parts of Carniola and Croatia, the most of Istria, Dalmatia, and Herzegovina, and the west of Bosnia. Its
distinguishing feature is the limestone of which it is almost entirely composed. This limestone has been much affected by water, and a great part of the drainage is now underground, so that, notwith standing its heavy precipitation—frequently over 60 inches—the country suffers severely from drought. In certain places, to which the name of polye is given, the water comes to the surface, and, the land being rendered fertile thereby, cereals can be grown. On the poorer uplands pastoral pursuits pi evail, and sheep and goats are raised in large numbers. The vine is cultivated on the richer soils near the coast, while the olive thrives on the poorer land in the interior. In some parts of Istria the mulberry is grown and the silkworm reared. Tobacco is one of the chief crops of Herzegovina.
Manufactures are, on the whole, unimportant, but Trieste, which owes its growth to the fact that it is the great Austrian port, has shipbuilding yards, oil, jute, and soap factories, and smelting works. Fiume, which belongs to Hungary and is the port of that country, has been vigorously developed by the government and is now an important centre, with manufactures similar to those of Trieste.