SARTRE, a department in France, taking its name from one of the streams by which it is watered, the Sarthe, an affluent of the Mayenne, is bounded N. by Orne ; E. by the departments of Eure-et-Loir and Loir-et-Cher ; S. by Indre-et-Loire and Maine-et-Loire ; and W. by Mayenne. Its length from north to south is about 62 miles ; from east to west about 58 miles. The area is 2396 square miles. The population in 1841 was 470,535; in 1851 it amounted to 473,071, which gives inhabitants to a square mile, being 22.86 above the average per square mile for the whole of Franco. The department is formed out of a portion of Anjou.
The surface is generally level. The highest hills are on the north western border, about Silldle-Guillaume. The south-east side of the department is occupied by the formations of the cretaceous group. From beneath the cretaceous group, the formations between the chalk and the new red-sandstone crop out, and occupy the remainder of the department, except along the north-western boundary, where the granite rocks of the great primitive district of Bretagne make their appearance. Anthracite coal-mines are worked in the west of the department. Iron-minas also are worked ; and there are several furnaces, and forges for manufacturing the metal. Freestone for building, black marble, sandstone, slates, millstones, granite, fullers earth, ochre, and potters' clay are found. There is a salt-spring at La-Suze.
The department belongs wholly to the basin of the Loire. The principal river is the Sarthe, which touches the border of the depart ment on the north side near Alencon, and flowing south-west separates it from the department of Orne, except near Alencon, where its course is beyond the boundary, to which however it soon returns. Several miles above Frenay it quit Oho border and flows in a winding channel south-east to Le-Mans, just below which it receives the Huisne on the left bank from the north-east. From this point the navigation commences, and the river flows south-west into the department of Maine-et-Loire. Its whole course on or within the border of this department is about 110 miles, for about 50 miles of which it is navigable. The Loir, a tributary of the Sarthe, crosses the depart ment just within the south-eastern border: it joins the Sarthe in the department of Maine-et-Loire. Its course in this department is about 55 miles, for 35 or 40 miles of which, namely, from Chateau-du Loir, it is navigable. Besides the Huisne and the Loir, the Sarthe
receives the Bienno and the Orne on the left bank ; and the Geay, the Vbgre, the Erve, and the Yelp on the right. Tito Loir receives the Braye, the Elangsort, and the One on the right bank ; the linisne receives several small streams. The rivers abound in fish ; the Huisne and its afflaernte yield excellent trout By the Sarthe and the Loir the department has about /00 miles of internal navigation.
Roadway communication is afforded by 7 imperial, 12 departmental. and 26 communal roads. The railway from Paris to Brest through Chartres is open to Le-Mans in the centre of the department, whence the line is in course of construction nearly due west to Rennes: lines are authorised to be laid down—one northward through Alencon, Argentan, and Falaise to the Paris-Cherbourg line between Lisieux and Caen; the other southward through Chitteau-clu•Loir to Tours, where the lines from Nantes and Bordeaux converge for Paris.
The climate is mild and healthy. The soil varies much. The part occupied by the formations of the cretaceous group presents little else than a succession of sands. Part of this tract is made to yield good crops of grain, and other parte are planted with pines (Pinta maritinsa). The rest of the department has a tolerably productive soiL About two-thirds of the area of the department are under the plough. The principal grain crop is of wheat : but oats, buckwheat, and maize are also grown, and rye in the sandy districts. A considerable quantity of hemp and flax is raised, and a great quantity of trefoil seed for exportation. The meadows and grasslands occupy nearly 150,000 acres, and there are above 110,000 acres of heath or open pasture. The number of horned cattle is considerable. Sheep are numerous. Poultry and game abound ; the former are sent in great numbers to the Paris markets. Bees are generally kept. The vineyards occupy about 25,000 am-ea : the wine is bad. The orchards and gardens occupy as great an extent as the vineyards. Cider is the common drink of the people; about 5,000,000 of gallons are made annually. Considerable quantities of fruit, chestnuts, And walnute are grown. There are several druidical remains near Connerre, a small place near the Iluisne.