Geology and Mineralogy.—The Waterford Mountains contain two varieties of slate. The first is the old tmnsition-slato, coloured gray, which is quarried at Glenpatrick, and is extensively used for roofing. The second or newer elate rests on the older; the lower portions of its strata consist of alternating beds of brownish-red quartzose con glomerate and coarse red slate. These strata are succeeded by alternations of red and gray quartz rock, rcd quartzoee.elate, and clay-slato, the grain becoming gradually finer as the beds aocumulate and recede farther from the conglomerate, till at length the upper beds produce varieties of purple, brownish-red, and reddish-gray clay-slate, which are quarried and used as roofing-slate, particularly in the valley of the river Blackwater near Lismore. The newer elate series contains abundance of marine and even vegetable organic remains. Tho limestone in the valleys contains all the fossils of the carboniferous limestone; and the gray-elato, which sometimes alter nates with the lower bode of the limestone, also contains fossils similar to those found in the limestone. Slate, iron, and load are found at various places in the clay-slate district. At Knockmahon and Bon mahon, two adjoining planes near the coast, about equidistant from Tramoro and Dungaree'', copper-mines have been successfully worked for some years. Good potters'-clay occurs about Dungarvan. A black marble is quarried at Kildrum, about 5 miles from Dungarvan, and marbles of various colours are likewise met with in the county. A good sandstone for buildings, as well as a kind resembling Portland• stone, is found in several places.
Climate, Soil, and Agriculture.—The climate is moist, but Is not considered unhealthy. Much of the soil is marshy, nud there is a considerable quantity of bog, but a large part of the cultivated districts is what is called good light turnip land. The pastures are excellent, and much butter is exported, the breed of cows yielding rich milk, but not fatting well for the butcher. Bacon is also made and exported largely. lu 1853 there were 117,800 acres under crop, of which 21,946 acres grew wheat ; 33,484 oats ; 11,186 barley, here, rye, beans, and peas ; 19,944 potatoes ; 11,233 turnips ; 3834 other green crops; 103 flax ; and 16,070 acres were in meadow and clover. The plantations in 1841 covered 26,536 acres. On 9220 holdings in 1852, there were 12,430 horses, 4520 mules and asses, 66,122 cattle, 31,934 sheep, 45,114 pigs, 5990 goats, and 151,150 poultry, of the total estimated value of 637,423/.
The fishery district of Waterford comprises 76 miles of maritime boundary, extending from the east bank of Barrow Bar to Ballyvoilo Head. In 1858 it had 401 registered fishing-vessels, employing 1656 men and boys.
The county is in the dioceses of Waterford and Lismore, and, including the city of Waterford, contains 82 parishes. It is divided into eight baronies—Coahmore and Coshbride, Decies within Drum, Decies without Drum, Gualtier, Glenaliiry, Middlethird, Upperthird, and Kilculliheen. The principal towns are WATERFORD, DUNGARVAN, LISMORE, Tallow, Carrickbeg, which is part of CARRICK-ON SUM, Cappoquin, and part of CLONMEL. The places printed in small capitals are noticed under their respective names. The following are the (mffler towns and more important villages, with the population of each in 1851 : Ardmore, population 836, a village and post-town, about 4 miles N.E. from Youghnl, is admirably adapted for a bathing-place. There is some fishing carried on. The remains of an old church are in the 'village. Ardmore Head and Ratnimad are rocky eminences rising to a height of above 200 feet. In the neighbourhood are the Slieve Cirrus or Drum Mountains, of which one of the heights exceeds 900 feet.
Bonmnhon, a sea bathing village, about 5 miles S.E. from Kilmac themes, at the mouth of the river Mahon, is the chief place of the district where copper is procured : population, 1142. Some lead is also found. At Bunmahou aro a dispensary and loan-fund office.
Cappequin, a small post-town, prettily situated at the southern foot of the Knockmeledown Mountains, on the left bank of the Blackwater, about 3 miles E. from LIsmore : population, 2145. There are a neat church, a large Roman Catholic chapel, a dispensary, and a loan-fund office. Five fairs are held in the course of the year. The Blackwater is hero navigable for barges. Near the town is the largo Trappist establishment of Mount McHenry. Dunmore, a seaport and post town at the entrance of Waterford Harbour, about 9 miles from the town : population, 313. it is in a sheltered bay, and great efforts have been made to render it effective as the mail-packet harbour, for which purpose a mole has been built SOO feet long, and a quay or pier 900 feet, and the packets ply regularly between it and Milford. It is also a coast-guard station and a bathing.place. Much of the improve ment in the place has been effected by the Itlarquis of Waterford. KnAtacenomas, the seat of a Poor-Law Union, is noticed in a separate article. Passage is a sea-port and post-town on the right bank of the Soir, or rather of Waterford Haven, about 5 or 6 miles below Water ford, and about the same distance from the mouth of the river : popu lation, 661. The town is irregularly built. There are a church, a Methodist and • Roman Catholic chapel, and a dispensary. A court of petty session is held weekly. A quay was built in 1836, which affords accommodation to steam-veseels, and there is a ferry to Cork. Some ship-building is carried on. Poraaw, a small manufacturing and post-town, on the road from Kilmarden to Carrickbeg, stands upon the Clodagh, a small mountain-stream : population, 4351. It is clean, respectable, and flourishing, chiefly in consequence of the establish ment of a cotton manufactory by the Mears. Malcolmson, the machinery of which Is worked by the Clodagh. There are a parish church, and chapels for Presbyterians and Roman Catholics. Three fairs are held yearly. Stradbally, a village and post-town, about 4 miles S.1V. from Bonmshon, on the road to Dungarvan : population, 665. There are a modern church, a Roman Catholic chapel, and a dispensary. Tallow, a post- and market-town, and a parliamentary borough prior to tho Union, stands near the right bank of the navi gable river Bride, an affluent of the Illackvrater, on the road from Waterford to Cork, about 5 miles S.W. from Lismore : population 1986, besides 687 in the workhouse. There are • well-built modern church, a large Unman Catholic chapel, a market-house, a sessions a convent, a fever hospital, • dispensary, reverel schools, and a jaiL There are five fairs yearly. Tallow Bridge, which hail a popu lation of 181, is the port of Tallow lying on the Bride, about half a mile from Tallow. In the neighbourhood are the ruiaa of Kilmacow Castle and Moygeely Abbey. Tremors, an irregularly-built but neat market- and post-town on the Bay of Tramore, is about 9 mile. S. from Waterford : population, 1882. It is much resorted to by the inhabitanta of Waterford as a bathing-place. The bay is dangerous for shipping. There are beacons on Newtown Head and Brownetowu Head, awl a lightship is stationed north of the Settees Islands. The town has a church, • chapel, • market-house, an sesetnbly-room, a dispensary, and • loan-fund office. Races are run in the summer.