The principal bogs are in the eastern and central part of the county; one continuous line of bog extends from near the border of the coal field, near Killenaule, to the south-eastern foot of the central range of hills at Roscrea, a distance of nearly 30 miles; and there are smaller detached bogs westward of this, and some in the northern part of the county, between the Lower Brosna and the Shannon.
In the centre of the county is another Iniportant group of moun tains. It commences in the county of Limerick, and .a there known as the Doom lb:tantalise ; but as It extends north-eastward into Tippe , Use most Important summits are known as the Bilboa and Keeper X tains (the latter 2100 feet highs, and the Drell's-Bit :Mountain : It cremes the county of Tipperary in a north-eastern direction by Twoplederry and Rower.; and enter. Queen's County and King County, which it separates from each other, and where it is known under the designation of Slieve Bloom. Keeper and 'Mhos and the adjacent parts of the range consist of clay-slate, generally flanked by sandstone. To the north-east of Templederry the range Is entirely composed of sandstone. Copper was formerly dug in these mountains, at lAckaraors, five miles east of Newport. Copper is now Found at Hollyford, and lead mixed with silver le obtamed at Shallec and Silvermines.
Near the lower part of Lough Derg, one of the lakes through which the Shannon flows, are the Arra Mountains, a group occupying a small part of this county on the western side, and extending across the Shannon into the county of Clare. There are quarries in these moun tains which yield slate not inferior to that of North Wales.
The rest of the county is occupied by the stratified limestone, except a portion of the district between the southern groups of moun tains (Slieve-na-ltan and the Oakes%) and the central range, which is occupied by the coal-field of Killenaule; and one or two small tracts on the western aide of the county, where trsp-rocks appear icter stratified with the limestone.
The coal-field of Killenaule extends about 18 miles in length from north-east to aonth-west, from near the river Nore to the neighbour hood of Cashel, and about 6 miles in breadth. It is partly in this county and partly in that of Kilkenny. There are two very small outlying portions near Cashel. This coal-field varies in its elevation, being highest and most abrupt on the north-western side, where the hills rise from 300 to 600 feet above the limestone plain. Towards
the south-east the surface declines gradually, and the streams which water the tract mostly flow In that direction. Immediately above the limestone, shale and gritstono alternate, there being two beds of each : the upper gritstone, when not covered by the superior beds, consti tutes the main body of the elevated part of the coal-hills : it is marked by repeated undulations, forming unequal ridges, with intervening hollows or troughs, having their greatest extension or length generally from north-east to south-west In these troughs the coal-beds are found resting upon fire-clay, which intervenes between them and the gritatone, and forms the floor of the coal, and covered by shale, grit, and then shale again. The coal is of the nature of blind coal, or anthracite.
CYienate, Soil, and A9riaultura—The climate of Tipperary, though drier than that of the maritime counties, is sufficiently moist, and the hilly districts are cold, but it is reckoned very healthy on the whole. The soil, a rich calcareous loam, is of extraordinary fertility, especially In the lower grounds of the districts called the Golden Vale, and of which Tipperary town forms the centre, extending from Limerick to the borders of the county of Kilkenny ; and another district, occupying the level tracta of the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond. The number of acres under crop in 1853 was 310,264 ; of which 42,125 acres were wheat; 89,833 acres, oats; 17,756 acres, barley, bere, rye, peas, and beans; 46,006 acres, potatoes; 30,687 acres, turnips; 5301 acres, other green crops ; 336 acres, flax; and 78,170 acres, meadow and clover. In 1811 the total extent of plantation, including detached trees and orchards, amounted to 29,602 acres. In 1852 there were 21,786 holdings, on which were 25,386 horses, 12,326 mules and asses, 160,496 177,866 sheep, 81,789 pigs. 14,806 goats, and 437,948 head of poultry. Agriculture forms nearly the entire occupation of the county ; wheat of excellent quality is largely grown and exported, as Is also flour and meal; and dairies are numerous, butter being the next largest product for exportation. There are establishments at Nenagh and /toscrea fur the preparation of flax.