3. W. Germany.—Under this head, are classed a very large number of salt-mines and brine springs extending from Segeberg, in Holstein, in the north, to Sulz, on the Neckar, in Wurttemberg, on the south, and from Kreuznach on the Nahe, en the west, to Halle near Madgeberg, on the east. As they are by no means equally spread over the district, it will be well to group them as much as possible. The first group lies in the valley of the Neckar, and one of its chief tributaries, the Kocher. The Black Forest mountains form the west boundary, and the Suabian Jura the east. The chief towns are Sulz, Wilhelmsgltick, Hall, Wimpfen, Neckar-Sulm, and Sulzbach. In the valley of tbe Main and its tributaries, are a few brine-springs. A.t Hallatadt and Nidda, a large quantity of salt is made ; and at Kissingen, is a very strong brine-spring.
The district between the Elbe and Weser contains very large quantities of salt, and springs of brine are met with in great numbers, from the banks of the Werra and Saale, to those of the Aller. The most numerous springs, as also the rock-salt deposits, lie near the various small ranges of mountains that are scattered about the district, as the Thuringer Wald, Harz Mountains, Tentoberger Wald, &c. The most important towns are Salzungen, Allendorf, Halle, Stassfurt, Salza, Schonebeck, Harzburg, Neustadt, Salzgitter, Salzderhelden, Salzwedel, Hildesheim, Rodenberg, Sulze, Luneberg, &c. Closely connected with this district is the Ruhr Valley in Westphalia, in the neighbourhood of Unna, where are numerous brine-springs. Two localities of special importance are the district between Magdeburg and Halle, more especially in the neigh bourhood of Stassfurt ; and the Luneberg Heath in Hanover, to the south of Hamburg. In both localities, brine-springs have long been known, and SchOnebeck and Luneberg have been centres of salt manufacture for a considerable period. It is only of late that the extensive deposits of rock salt in both neighbourhoods have been discovered. There is one more small district lying quite outside the others, that of Oldesloe and Segeberg, in S. Holstein. At Oldesloe, a brine-spring has been worked for a very long period. It is but within the last few years that rock-salt has been found at Segeberg.
4. The Vosges.—This is a very important district. Its salt meets English salt very extensively in Belgium. Great portions of E., N., and Central France are supplied from it. Until the late Franco-German war, the district belonged wholly to France, but, lying in the ceded district of Alsace-Lorraine (principally in Lorraine), now belongs to Germany, thus rendering Germany the possessor of some of the most extensive salt deposits in Europe. The chief towns in the Vosges
district lie in the neighbourhood of Metz and Nancy, and are Chateau Salins, Dieuze, Moyen Vic, Sarrealbe, Salzbron, Rosiere. The salt is chiefly manufactured from brine-springs, though a considerable quantity of rock-salt is mined at Vic, and at Varengeville, near Nancy. • 5. The Jura.—Since France has lost the salt district of the Vosges, the long-noted one of the Jura will become of more importance. It is separated from that just mentioned by the Plateau of Langres, and lies in the basin of the Saone and Doubs. The salt-springs of Salins have been noted from remote antiquity. The chief centres of manufacture are Salins, Arc, Lolls le Saulnier, Montmorot, Saulnot.
6. The Swiss Alps.—This small district lies on the right bank of the Rhone, just before the river enters the Lake of Geneva, in t'he Canton de Vaud. It has rock-salt mines and hrine-sptings. The chief centres are Aigle, Bex, and Roche. Rock-salt was mined here 300 years ago.
7. The Pyrenees.—Like the Carpathians, the Pyrenees are rich in rock-salt deposits and brine springs. In the W. district of the Pyrenees, in both France and Spain, salt appears to be most plentiful. In France, the basin of the Adour is the most important district, and contains the towns of Salies de Nam, Briscoua, Villefranche, which last forms almost a suburb of Bayonne. Dax was discovered accidentally by Ward a few years ago. At Salies d'Arbas, on the Garonne, near tho Pyrenees, a brine-spring exists, and salt is manufactured. In Spain, the whole basin of the Ebro is rich in salt, especially towards the source of the river, as is indicated by the number of villages named either sal or salinas. In one small district, are Salinas, Salinas d'Amana, Salinillas, Poza de la Sal. On the banks of the Ebro, are Mendavia, Valtierra, Remolinos, and Sastag. Both rock-salt and brine-springs are plentiful. One of the most peculiar deposits of rock salt known to exist is in this district, about 45 miles N.-W. of Barcelona, on the banks of the Cardona river ; this is the famous rock-salt mountain of Cardona, a hill composed entirely of rock-salt, which is worked in open quarries like stone.