STYRIA, a Crownland of Austria, formerly styled the Duchy of Styria, is situated between 45° 54' and 47° 50' N. lat., l3' 30' and 16' 25' E. long. It is bounded N. by the archduchy of Austria, W. by Illyria, S. by Illyria and Croatia, and E. by Croatia and Hungary. The northern and western part of the country is covered with high mountains, which are called by the general name of the Styrian Alps. One branch of these mountains separates the valley of the Ens from that of the Mur, runs south-east, as far as the Wild Alps, to the west of Semmering, where it joins the Noric Alps, and then proceeding iu a eouth-easterly direotion forms the boundary towards Austria below the Eus, extends into Hungary, and gradually declines to the plain of Oedenburg. The other branch divides the valley of the Mur from that of the Drava, and forms the frontier between Styria and Carin thia. To the south of the Mur the Becher chain is the continuation of this branch. A third mountain chain runs from Loihl to tho Save, and forms on that Bide the boundary towards Carinthia. None of the mountains rise to the line of perpetual snow ; on the north western frontier there are some glaciers, but still below the absolute snow-line. The highest mountains are the Grossenberg, 8381 feet; the Eiscobut, 7676 feet; the trimming, 7540 feet; the Stangalpe, 7140 feet ; the Hochschwab, 7154 feet ; and the Baohsteio, 7008 feet above the level of the sea. The southern and eastern part of the crownand contains few lofty mountains, but there are many of moderate elevation, and numerous gentle eminences, some of which are separated by extensive valleys. In conformity with the physical character of the country, it is popularly divided into Upper Styria, which comprises the smaller north-western portion, which is entirely mountainous, and Lower Styria, which is the south-eastern, and larger, lower, and level portion. The mountains of Styria are in many parts covered with valuable forests; and the whole country is well-wooded and celebrated for its romantic or beautiful scenery. The country has numerous rivers, all of which flow into the Danube, and for the most part by an cast course. The principal rivers are the Mur, which rises in a lake, traverses the centre of the country for about 180 miles, and enters 'binary before its junction with the Drava ; the Dravo, the Ens, the Raab, and the Save, which touches the southern frontier, and receives the Sdn and the Seth. The Mar, Drove, Ens, and Save
are navigable by boats. There are no large lakes, but many small ones. The conntry abounds in cold, warm, and hot minembspringa. Like all countries that abound in limestone mountains, Styria has numerous caverns and grottoes.
The air in the mountains is cold ; in the valleys the temperature is much milder. A great part of Upper Styria consists of limestone rocks and sterile mountains, but Lower Styria has many very fertile tracts. Among the animals are the common domestic animals, game, poultry, fish, and bees. The breeding of cattle is very general. Tho animals are small, they are driven iu summer to the highest parts of the mountains, and brought back to the plains in autumn. Sheep are not numerous, and the horses are more fit for draught than for the saddle. The vegetable products are very diversified : wheat, rye, barley, and oats, though not abundant iu Upper Styria, aro of remark ably fine quality. In Lower Styria there are likewise maize, millet, and buckwheat, pulse, potatoes, and culinary vegetables, the poppy, sunflower, and rape-seed are grown for oil. A little hemp and some flax are raised ; hops aro cultivated with success. Wine and fruit are among the chief productions. Timber is a very important article. Tho principal kinds of timber are oak, beech, larch, pine, and fir ; chestnut, walnut-tree, red yew, stone-pine, lime, white poplar, and willow are scattered over the whole country, but for the most part they grow in forests. Many of the inhabitants derive their entire means of subsistence from the forests. The timber is felled and ex ported in rafts down the rivers. Where there are no streams to float it the timber is conveyed down the sides of the mountains by means of semicircular troughs, which are composed of fir-trees with the bark off, and extend in some instances for many miles. Down these inclined planes the heavy logs descend with incredible velocity to the lake or stream which first receives them; they aro then floated down to the lower country. Only the finest trunks aro formed into rafts and transported to the Danube or into the Adriatic for ship-building.