The country which lies between the two elevations, west of the meridian of 19', is not distinguished by fertility, except in corns of the river bottoms. Berlin lies in a sandy desert, which coutaim only small Isolated tracts of fertile ground ; and this sterile country in some parts overgrown with fine forests, extends northward to tho boundary of Mecklenburg, and southward to the Fleming. To tho east and west of this waste, ou both aides of the Oder, and towards tho banks of the Elbo, the country is much better, but still not very fertile.
The country to the south of the southern elevation is more favourer by nature than the other parts of the Prussian monarchy. Corn pletely sterile tracts are rare, and of small extent, with the exception of one which forms the southern district of Silesia, and is contiguou to the boundary-lino of the Austrian dominions and of Poland. The remainder of Silesia is fertile, especially the plain, which extends or the left bank of the Oder from Oppcln to Liegnitz. The same °bums tiun applies to the province of Saxony, as far as it lies south of th southern elevation ; the country about the town of Magdeburg i noted for its fertility, and is considered the granary of Berlin.
Mosaic —The difference of temperature In the provinces is con siderable. The following approximations are given by Bergbaus :— Bergbaus observes, that the mean annual quantity of rain In the western divisiou amounts to 20 inches, and ouly to 15 inches in the eastern division, but it is nearly impossible to determine this point, as the latter division annually experiences very heavy falls of snow, which it is nearly impossible to estimate, un account of the drift storms, which accumulate the snow in some places to n great depth, whilst other places, which are exposed to their whole force, are quite bare. The prevailing winds in Prussia, as all over the west of Europe, blow from the west, and frequently with great force.
Rhenish Prussia is the Rhine, which traverses this division of the monarchy from south to north, and is navigable for large vessels and steamers as far as it flows through the Prussian dominious. Its course above Bonn is rapid, and in some places eddies occur, but they are not dangerous. Several rivers join the Rhine from the cast and west. From the east it receives the Slog. on which timber is floated, and which is also navigable for 4 or 5 miles from its mouth; the Wipper, farther north, which is only navigable for a short distance from its mouth ; and the Ruhr and the Lippe, both of which are navigable for 30 or 40 miles from their junction with the Rhine. On the left the Moselle falls into the Rhine at Cologne. and is navi gable in the whole of its course through the Prussian dominions, an extent of more tbau 150 miles. Steamers ply on this river between Cologne and Traver, and oven up to Metz; the stream is rapid, and the up-navigation tedious.
In the eastern parts of Prussia four large navigable rivers, the ELBE, ODER, VISTULA, and the NIEMEN traverse the elevations which run through them from east to west. Between the two elevations how ever the affluents of these rivers run east and west, and as many of them are navigable for barges, they facilitate the intercourse between the countries on their banks. The navigable of uents of the Elbe from the west are the Seale, which begins to be navigable where it enters Prussia, the Unstrut, and the lister; and from the east the Havel, which is joined by the Spree : the course of the Havel is nearly 250 miles, measured along the windings, and it is navigable for about two-thirds of that distance. The navigable effluents of the Oder from the east are the Klodnitz, ie southern Silesia; the Bartsch, which is navigable from Militch downwards; • the Warta, which is navigable before it leaves Poland and enters Prussia, with its navi gable tributary the Netze; and from the west the Bober, the Neisse, and the Firmer. The lake into which the Oder discharges its waters before it enters the Baltic, receives the two navigable rivers, the Ueker and the Peene ; by the latter sea-vessels of moderate size can ascend to the town of Demmin. The Vistula receives from the west the Brahe, which becomes navigable at the town of Bromberg. Between the Oder and the Vistula is the Persante, which runs more than 100 miles, and is navigable more than 20 miles from its mouth in the Baltic. The Elbing River rises iu the lake of Drnuseu, and though its course is not long, it is navigable, and of great importance to the town of Elbing : it falls into the Frisches Half. Farther east the same lake receives the Passarge, which is navigable for small sea vessels to the town of Braunsberg, four miles from its mouth. The Pregel, which also falls into the Frisches Haff, is navigable as far as Insterburg for large river vessels, and to the town of Konigsberg for vessels of 300 tons burden. The Deime, which is united with the I'regel by a canal, runs to the Kurisches Haff, and is navigable for large river boats. The Niemen or Memel is navigable in the whole of its course through Prussia; it receives from the north the Yura, which about 10 miles from its mouth is navigable for small river boats ; and from the south the Scheachuppe, which is navigable about 25 miles upwards. The last river which requires mention is the Dane, which comes from Russia, and enters the Kurisehes Half at its most northern extremity, where it forms a part of the harbour of the town of Memel. Vessels of more than 500 tons burden can enter the river and unload in the middle of the town.