BOHEMIA (Aled. Lat., from Lat. Holiday mum, from Boil, a Celtic tribe -I- luring, Old Sax. hem, home; called by its Slavic inhabitants. the Czechs, Cechy). A former kingdom of En rope, and now a crownland of the Cisleithan (Austrian) half of the Austro-Hungarian mon• amity (Map: Austria, D 2). It occupies the northwestern end of Austria, and is bounded by Saxony on the northwest., Prussian Silesia on the northeast, Moravia and Lower Austria on the southeast, Upper Austria on the south, and Bavaria on the southwest. Extending from lati tude 4S° :34' to 51° 3' N., and from longitude. 12° 7' to 16° 50' E., it comprises an area of 20. 060 square miles.
Bohemid is separated from Germany by moun tain barriers, which cover all the three sides on which it. touches that empire. The Bohemian Forest forms the boundary line on the southwest. the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, on the north west. and the Riesengebirge, or Giant Mountains. on the northeast. These mountain. ranges, to gether with the Bohemian-Alorarian highlands. in the southeast, form a great basin, in the shape of a lozenge. In the interior there are sonic Mi•elevations. The rivers of Bohemia, with a few exceptions, flow from south to north. The Ellie, which rises on the northeastern fron tier, with its numerous tributaries, drains the !maw part of the area. After the Elbe. the chief rivers of Bohemia are the Moldan and the Eger, both tributaries of the Elbe. In the northwest ern part of the country are faunae-. mineral springs. those of Karlsbad, Marienbad, Franzensbad, and Teplitz.
The climate of Bohemia is continental in its. elmracter. The average annual temperature of Prague, in the centre of the region, is 48.6°. The maximum reached at Prague, for a period of 30 years, is 97.5° F.. and the minimum is 10.24° E. The climate is healthy throughout. mild in the valleys and cold in the mountains, the higher peaks being covered with snow during a consbl erable Ini•t of the year.
Bohemia is still an agricultural country, al though some of its manufactures have attained a very high degree of development. The soil is generally fertile, esiweially in the distrivt s along time upper Elbe. in the vicinity of K:iniggriitz, in the valley of the Eger, in the lands called the 'Paradise,' near Teplitz, and in a tract in the midland mountains. The chief agricultural prod acts are cereals. to which about 64 per cent. of the arable land is devoted. Potatoes. sugar beets. hops, flax, and fruits are grown. The grain of 1:01w/ilia is of excellent quality, while its hops are famous throughout. Europe.
It is estimated that of the total area of about 12,840.000 99 per cent, is productive. Of this, about 50.50 per cent. is arable land, 29 per cent. forest land. covered mainly with conif era% 10 per cent. meadows, and 5 per cent. pas ture-land. A great part of the land is divided into small holdings. In 00 per cent. of it there are about 00.000 holdings. half of iv h ieh em brace le-• than 1.5 acres each. The remainder. about 5.000.000 acre-. is divided into about 1800 Cattle-raising forms a very important adjunct to agriculture. floated cattle, sheep. goats. and swine are reared extensively in some district,. and in the south geese form an impor tant item in the resources of the country. Silk culture and bee-keeping receive considerable at tention.
The forests of Bohemia, in which various kinds of game are found, are very extensive, and the lumber industry gives occupation to a con siderable part of the population. Next to agri culture. mining occupies the first rank. In re gard to its mineral deposits, Bohemia stands first among the erownlands of Austria-Hungary, the annual value of its mineral products exceed ing i;20.000.000. About nine-tenths of this sum represents the value of the lignite and coal mined. Clue bulk of the remainder represents the product of silver, iron, and lead. Anion!! other metal- obtained in considerable quantities are gold and tin. Copper, nickel, cobalt, antimony, arsenic, uranium, and tungsten are also found. other mineral products are alum. kaolin, and garnets. Bohemia is famous for its manufac tures of glass, and its textile industries are on a vast scale. The manufacturing of beet-sugar i- also very important. as well as the distilling of spirits. There are large iron and steel works. and the manufacture of chemicals is extensively carried on. Among other important industries are the manufacture of agricultural implements, paper-making. and milling. The beer of Pilsen and the china of Karlsbad are celebrated. The tobacco-fnetories employ about 10,000 bands. mainly women. In general, 'Bohemia is not only the most important manufacturing province of Austria-Hungary, but also one of the most ad vanced among the manufacturing countries of Europe. Most of the manufacturing is carried on on a large scale. and the tendency toward con centration is 'cry prom.unced. There are still. hov ever. a number of industries carried on al most exclusively in the houses of the workmen. :Ott -h as lace-knitting, the manufacture of musi cal instruments, toys, etc.