Merced

Merced, a central county of California, intersected by the San Joaquin river, and watered by the Merced and Mariposa, its tributaries; area, 1,975 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 2,807, of whom 180 were Chinese. It is bounded W. by the Coast range. The soil is very fertile. It is traversed by the Yisalia division of the Central Pacific railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 218,102 bushels of wheat, 14,450 of Indian corn, 142,430 of barley, 13,830 of Irish and 11,330 of sweet potatoes, 231,072 lbs. of wool, 232,530 of butter, 229,298 of cheese, and 8,195 tons of hay. There were 2,302 horses, 49,531 cattle, 40,525 sheep, and 9,054 swine. Capital, Snelling.

Mercersburg

Mercersburg, a borough of Franklin co, Pennsylvania, at the terminus of a branch of the Cumberland Valley railroad, 15 m. S. W. of Chambersburg and 62 in. S. W. of Ilarris-burg; pop. in 1S70, 971. It is the seat of Mercersburg college (Reformed), organized in 1865, and having in 1873-'4 6 professors, 3 tutors, 50 preparatory, 45 collegiate, and 6 theological students, and a library of 2,000 volumes. The theological department was organized in 1872. Marshall college and the theological seminary of the Reformed church, formerly situated here, have been removed to Lancaster, the former in 1853 and the latter in 1871. The college was merged with Franklin college, and is now known as Franklin and Marshall college.

Mercia

Mercia, the largest kingdom of the Saxon heptarchy in the island of Britain. The name is derived from mark, meaning frontier, as this was the most western of the three kingdoms of the Angles. It was situated inland, being bounded N. by Cambria and Northumbria, E. by East Anglia and Essex, S. by Wessex, and W. by Wales, and included the modern counties of Chester, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Salop, Stafford, Leicester, Rutland, Northampton, Huntingdon, Hereford, Worcester, Warwick, Gloucester, Oxford, and Buckingham, and parts of Hertford and Bedford. It was founded by Crida, an Angle, about 585, was subject for a time to the Northumbrians, and afterward subdued East Anglia and Kent. Its more important kings were Penda, Ethelred, Kenred, and Wiglef, who was finally conquered by Egbert, king of Wessex, in 827.

Meridian

See Longitude.

Merino Sheep

See Sheep.

Merinthus

See Cerintiius.

Merionethshire

Merionethshire, a maritime county of North Wales, bordering on Cardigan bay; area, 602 sq. m.; pop. in 1871,46,508. The surface is almost entirely rocky and mountainous, several of its summits attaining a height of nearly 3,000 ft. above the sea. The most celebrated elevation is Cader Idris, whose summit is crowned with immense columns of crystalline basalt, similar to those forming the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. The principal rivers are the Deo, Maw, and Dovy. The largest lake is Bala, 12 m. in circumference. The principal minerals are copper, limestone, and slate. At the slate quarries of Festiniog several thousand persons obtain constant employment. Limestone is also quarried. Oats, barley, and potatoes are the chief crops. Capital, Dolgelly.