Le Perche

Le Perche, an ancient division of France, in the old province of Maine, bounded N. by Normandy, and now included in the departments of Orne, Eure-et-Loir, and Eure. In the middle ages it formed a county, which was permanently united to the crown in the 16th century. The capital was Mortagne. The district is noted for its draught horses, called percherons.

Le Puy

Le Puy, a town of France, capital of the department of Haute-Loire, 270 m. S. S. E. of Paris; pop. in 1872, 19,532. It is at the junction of the valleys of the Loire, Borne, and Dolaison, and is one of the most picturesque towns of France. It is on the steep southern acclivity of Mont Anis, which is crowned by a mass of volcanic rock with a flat top, called Rocher de Corneille. On this was erected in 1860 a colossal statue of the Virgin, made from 213 iron cannon captured at Sebastopol. The principal part of the town occupies a series of terraces. The cathedral, a fine Romanesque building of the 10th century, is reached by a stairway of 118 steps. Le Puy has also two ecclesiastical seminaries, a lyceum, normal school, public library, museum, theatre, and institutions for the deaf and dumb and the blind. It manufactures lace, bells, and clocks.

Le Sueur

Le Sueur, a S. E. county of Minnesota, bounded W. by the Minnesota river, and drained by numerous streams; area, about 450 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 11,607. It has an undulating surface and fertile soil, and contains a number of small lakes. The St. Paul and Sioux City railroad passes through the W. part. The chief productions in 1870 were 248,609 bushels of wheat, 264,288 of Indian corn, 152,682 of oats, 61,520 of potatoes, 18,652 lbs. of wool, 320,985 of butter, and 18,510 tons of hay. There were 2,088 horses, 3,695 milch cows, 1,678 working oxen, 5,223 other cattle, 5,233 sheep, and 9,337 swine; 5 carriage factories, 6 flour mills, and 14 saw mills. Capital, Le Sueur.

League

League (Sp. legua ; Fr. lieue), a measure of length used for estimating distances at sea, and by European nations upon land also. The nautical league is fa of a degree, or 3 equatorial miles, or 3.457875 statute miles. The land league in England is 3 statute miles. In France it has been used for different distances, as the legal post league, 2.42 English miles, and the league of 25 to the degree, or 2.77 English miles. The Spanish league is still more variable, sometimes 17 and again 17 1/2 being reckoned to the geographical degree. Upon the modern roads 8,000 Spanish varas, or 7,418 English yards, are estimated one league. The term is supposed by some to have come from the Celtic leach, a stone ; and by others the Gallic leuca, league, is traced to the Greek white, white stones being used by the Gauls to mark distances upon the roads.

Leake

Leake, a central county of Mississippi, traversed by Pearl river; area, 576 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 8,496, of whom 3,005 were colored. It has a rolling surface and a light sandy soil.

The chief productions in 1870 were 157,648 bushels of Indian corn, 21,259 of sweet potatoes, 39,855 lbs. of butter, and 4,181 bales of cotton. There were 1,017 horses, 702 mules and asses, 2,317 milch cows, 1,062 working oxen, 3,483 other cattle, 3,473 sheep, and 11,535 swine. Capital, Carthage.