OLONETZ, an extensive government of Russia comprised between 60' 30' and 66' 30' N. lat., 29° 40' and 40' 20' E. long.; is bounded N. and N.E. by Archangel, S E. by Wologda, S. by Novogo rod, S.W. by St. Petersburg, and W. by Lake Ladoga and Finland. Tho area, including the great lakes, amounts to 58,906 square miles. The population in 1846 was only 263,100. The total area of the lakes in this government amounts to 7797 square miles : including Lake Onega 4S51 square miles (exclusive of the island of Klinezkoj, 44 square mile+) ; a portion of the Lake of Ladoga 1175 square miles; Sseg 09ero Lake 453 square miles ; Wyg-Osero 353 square miles ; Latscha 205 square miles ; Wodla 198 square miles; Ssjam-Osero 114 square miles, and many others.
As this government extends to the polar circle, its northern half has entirely the character of the high northern latitudes, while the south ern part has more of the character of the temperate zone. The Scandinavian Mountains enter the country from the north-west, surround the two great lakes Ladoga and Onega, and run to the borders of St. Petersburg end Novogorod. This range is low and rocky, the highest summits scarcely rising more than from 300 to 420 feet above the general level, yet they are covered during a great part of the year with snow. The country at their base is in general low, wet, and swampy. The summits are clothed with thick forests of Br and other timber : the declivities are in some places open and susceptible of cultivation. Ifiocks of granite, some of them of enormous size, are scattered all over the mountains. The dry, open, and wooded parts contain under the greensward pure or clayey mould over clay mixed with boulders of the rocks of the country : in the morasses bog-iron ore abounds, with deep sand and clay. The surface may be said to be equally divided between mountains and forests, open tracts, morasses, and water.
This government contains 1998 lakes, and 858 rivers and rivulets. The two greatest lakes are Ladoga and Onega : of the former a large portion is in this government, the remainder is in St. Petersburg and Archangel Lake Onega is nearly In the centre of the government : its moan length is 130 miles, and the breadth from 70 to 80 miles.
Like Lake Ladoga, it contains numerous islands, most of which are covered with furcate. The principal rivers are the Svir, which runs from Lake Onega into Lake Ladoga, and though full of boulders is navigable ; the Olonka, the Ruekola, and the Janes, all of which run into Lake Ladoga. The following rivers run into Lake Onega :—the NVytegra, the Wode, the Lisch, and the Suma, all flowing from lakes of the same =DIOR, and the Loeocha. The most considerable river however is the Onega, which issues from Lake Loma, near Lake Onega, and running through the government of Archangel, fella Into the White Sea. In many of these rivers there are waterfalls, the most remarkable of which is that called Kiwatscha, in the river Suns.. The climate Is pretty uniform : the spring is long and damp, with frequent night frosts ; the summer short, with many foggy days, the vegetation being however very vigorous, on account of the length of the days: the autumn is bleak ; the winter long and severe. Cora, chiefly barley and rye, ripens well ; but unforeseen accidents sometimes destroy the entire harvest. The health of the inhabitants does not suffer by the cold.
Notwithstanding tha cold and severe winter and the abort summer, agrimilture is carried on in all the circles. The inhabitants cannot however raise sufficient corn for their own consumption. Flax and hemp thrive, and are extensively cultivated. There is no fruit except cranberries, bilberries, sto., and these and other wild berries abound.
Turnips, carrots, radishes, onions and aouse potatoes are cultivated. Timber, which is the principal source of wealth, abounds. Except the oak and beech, almost all tho forest trees common in Russia flourish here, the finest larches in the world perhaps, and pines fit for masts 100 feet in length. The forests supply fuel, timber for building houses and boats, resin, turpentine, pitch, tar, charcoal, tanners'-bark, balks, planks, and laths for exportation.