Sohl

See Zolyom.

Soil

See Agriculture.

Soissons

Soissons (anc. Noviodunum, and afterward Augusta Suessionum), a fortified town of Prance, in the department of Aisne, on the left bank of the river Aisne, 56 m. N. E. of Paris; pop. in 1872, 10,404. It has a cathedral built in the 12th and 13th centuries, the ruined abbey of St. Jean des Vignes, a castle, and a college. In the environs is the abbey of St. Medard, founded by Clotaire I. in 557, now occupied as an institute for deaf mutes. There are manufactures of fine tapestry, linen, hosiery, cordage, earthenware, and leather. - Soissons was the chief place of the Suessiones in the time of Caesar, and at the beginning of the 6th century the capital of Clovis, who had there defeated the Roman general Syagrius (486), and it gave name to the kingdom of his fourth son. It has sustained many sieges. On Oct. 16, 1870, it surrendered to the Germans, after three weeks' investment and four days' bombardment. The council which condemned Abelard's doctrines met here in 1122.

Sokoto

See Sackatoo.

Solan Goose

See Gannet.

Solano

Solano, a N. W. county of California, bounded S. E. by the Sacramento river and S. by Suisun bay: area, 800 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 16,871, of whom 920 were Chinese. The surface consists mostly of valleys, marsh lands, undulating prairies, and high rounded hills. It is one of the best agricultural counties in the state. There is very little timber. Marble is found, and limestone from which a superior hydraulic cement is obtained. It is traversed by the California Pacific railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 1,949,418 bushels of wheat, 443,400 of barley, 54,780 gallons of wine, 306,817 lbs. of wool, 119,969 of butter, and 37,469 tons of hay. There were 6,852 horses, 1,046 mules and asses, 4,123 milch cows, 8,815 other cattle, 41,890 sheep, and 17,-133 swine; 1 manufactory of cars, 1 of cement, 1 of machinery, 7 of saddlery and harness, 8 of wine, 1 flour mill, 3 tanneries, and 3 breweries. Capital, Fairfield.

Solar System

See Planet,, and Sun.

Solar Time

See Day.

Soleire

See Solothurn.

Solferlno

Solferlno, a village of Lombardy, in the province and 20 m. S. E. of Brescia. It has a ruined castle, formerly the residence of a prince of Solferino; but it is chietly remarkable for the great victory won here by the allied French and Sardinian forces over the Austrians on June 24, 1859. The battle lasted 16 hours, and four French corps under Marshals Bara-guay d'Hilliers, MacMahon, Canrobert, and Niel, and led by the emperor Napoleon III., and four divisions of the Sardinian army, commanded by Victor Emanuel in person, were opposed to an immense Austrian force, under the command of the emperor Francis Joseph. The allies lost about 18,000 killed and wounded; the Austrians, 20,000, besides 6,000 prisoners and 30 cannon. The battle closed the war, and the peace of Villafranca followed. On June 24, 1870, the bones of the slain on this field were collected in three ossuaries, which were consecrated in the presence of representatives of France, Italy, and Austria.