TUSCANY (Toscana), a grand-duchy of central Italy, situated between the main ridge of the Apennines and the Mediterranean. It is bounded W. by the sea and tho Sardinian territories, N. by the duchies of Parma and Modena, and by the States of the Church, and E. and S. by the States of the Church and the Mediterranean sea.
Tuscany has a breadth of about 95 miles from west to east, from the sea-coast near Leghorn to Borgo San Sepolcro on the banks of the Upper Tiber, which part of the valley of the Tiber belongs to Tuscany. There is also a mountainous tract belonging to Tuscany ou tho northern slope of the Apennines, extending to within a few miles of Faenza and Fort!. This district, which is styled Romagna Gran Ducale, contains the sources and upper course of a number of streams which flow towards the Adriatic. With this exception, the waters of the grand-duchy of Tuscany flow southward to the Mediterranean. Tho principal rivers of Tuscany are, beginning from the north-1, the Magra, which flows through the Tuscan district of Lunigiann, and afterwards enters the Sardinian state; 2, the Serchio. which flows through Garfagnana and Lucca ; 3, the Arno, which, with its numerous atiluente, including the Chiana, drains more than one-third of Tuscany ; 4, the Cecina, which drains tho valley of the same name; 5, the Ombrone, the principal river of the province of Siena ; 6, the Albegna, which flows for about 36 miles through the southern part of the Maremme, and enters the sea north of Mount Argentaro; 7, the Fiora, which flows through the border district of Santa Fiera, Pitigliano, and Sovana, and then enters the States of the Church.
The territory of Lucca fell to Tuscany in 1847. (Lucca.] The Grand-Duchy is divided into compartimenti, or provinces, as in the following table :— The surface of Tuscany presents four different regions:-1, the highlands of the Apennines, which skirt the grand-duchy on the north and north-east : 2, the hilly tract, which forms the greater part of the province of Siena, between the valley of the Chiana on one side and that of the Arno on the other, and which slopes on the south west towards the lowlands of the Maremme. Tho Ombrono forms the principal drain of this extensive plateau, which is intersected by rather high ridges, some of which are ramifications of the great Apeunine Chain, whilst others, like Monte Amiata and the mountain of Radicofsni, are of volcanic formation. The lower hills are of the description called 'Subapennine :' 3, the great valley of the Arno, with the lateral valleys of the Chians, Elsa, Era, and other afflueuts.
This constitutes the finest, most productive, and most densely inhabited part of Tuscany : 4, the maritime plains, or Maremme. These four regions are noticed under Anso ; CIIIANA, VAL DI; FLORENCE; GARIPAONAICA ; LUCCA; Manr ix; PISA ; SIENA. &C.
About one-sixth part of the arcs of Tuscany is planted with vines and olive-trees; another sixth is cultivated as arable land ; nearly two-sixths are either forests or plantations of chestnut-trees, which afford food to the population of the mountains; and nearly as much again is pasture land, chiefly natural pasture. There is a class of tenants who hold their tenements by givello,' a kind of life-estato for four generations, paying a fixed yearly rent either in mouey or kind to the owner. When the fourth generation is about to expire, the contrast is often renewed by mutual agreement. But the most common way of letting land is on the ' ruetayer ' system, by which the farmer finds the seed and Implements, and gives the owner half the produce In kind. The landlord stocks the farm, and a valuation is given to the fanner, who is to make all good on leaving.
Tuscany Imports some corn yearly to supply its own consumption. The principal articles of produce are wino, oil, of which a quantity is exported; and silk, which is also an article of export both in its raw and in its manufactured state. The other articles of native produce exported are—fruit of various sorts, lambskins and kidekins, potash, timber, cork, juniper-berries, marble and alabaster, Iron from Elba, barax. sulphur, alum, and anchovies, which are fished off the coast. Nearly the whole trade of Tuscany with other countries is carried on throush the port of Leghorn, which is also a great mart or exchange for all Ueda of foreign produce. [Lavoaeo.) Horned cattle are not very numerous in Tuscany; the sheep are reckoned at C00,000; most of the flocks migrate In the autumn from the highlands to pass the winter in the Mareinnut Cheese is made of ewes' as well as goats' milk. The common horse is of an Inferior kind ; some studs how ever keep up a superior breed. The ?asoa are strong and fine. Pigs are reared in great number In the woods of the 31aremme, where they food upon acorns. A herd of about 200 camels is kept up on the grand-duoal farm of San Rosser° near Pisa, and is said to have been perpetuated there elver since the time of the Crusades. Game of most kinds Is abundant The mineral products are iron. from the island of Elba, copper, lead, marble, sulphur, rock-salt, alabaster, alum, and sea-salt.