La Clede

La Clede, a S. county of Missouri, drained by Gasconade river; area, 710 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 9,380, of whom 162 were colored. It has a rolling surface, in some places well timbered, in others occupied by prairies. The Atlantic and Pacific railroad crosses the county. The chief productions in 1870 were 66,993 bushels of wheat, 317,154 of Indian corn, 57,-855 of oats, 27,872 of potatoes, 31,750 lbs. of tobacco, 16,773 of wool, 86,940 of butter, and 1,851 tons of hay. There were 2,854 horses, 2,065 milch cows, 4,005 other cattle, 7,980 sheep, and 12,362 swine; 5 flour mills, and 2 saw mills. Capital, Lebanon.

La Condamine

See Condamine.

La Fere

La Fere, a town of France, in the department of Aisne, at the confluence of the Serre and the Oise, 13 m. N. W. of Laon; pop. in 1866, 3,122. It is strongly fortified, and has a school and bureau of artillery, an arsenal, and fine barracks. It was bombarded for two days by the Germans in 1870, and capitulated on Nov. 27, after an unsuccessful sortie, with 2,000 soldiers and 70 pieces of artillery.

La Fleche

La Fleche, a town of France, in the department of Sarthe, on the left bank of the Loir, in a beautiful valley, 25 m. S. W. of Le Mans; pop. in 1866, 9,292. It has a tribunal of primary jurisdiction, a chamber of agriculture, a theatre, an aqueduct, and a statue of Henry IV. which was unveiled in 1857. The large castle built by Henry IV., which is surrounded by a magnificent park and contains a picture gallery and a library of about 20,000 volumes, now serves as a military school. The town has an active trade in grain, wine, leather, cattle, and fowls. In December, 1793, the royalists were defeated here by the republican troops under Westermann. The Jesuit college of La Fleche was long celebrated, and among its students were some very eminent men. The town suffered much during the war'of La Vend6e.

La Fourche

La Fourche, a S. E. parish of Louisiana, bordering on Barataria bay and intersected by Bayou La Fourche; area, 1,100 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 17,719, of whom 6,659 were colored. The surface is level, and the soil, except where too marshy for cultivation, is very fertile. Morgan's Louisiana and Texas railroad passes through the parish. The chief productions in 1870 were 181,095 bushels of Indian corn, 11,624 of sweet potatoes, 1,691,410 lbs. of rice, 7,128 hogsheads of sugar, and 366,685 gallons of molasses. There were 334 horses, 1,812 mules and asses, 1,241 cattle, and 521 swine; 1 iron foundery, 1 saw mill, and 69 manufactories of molasses and sugar. Capital, Thibodeaux.

La Fuente, Or Lafuente, Modesto

La Fuente, Or Lafuente, Modesto, a Spanish historian, born in 1806. He was for some time professor at Astorga, and became known at Leon and subsequently in Madrid as a satirical journalist. His periodical writings, chiefly published under the name of Fray Gerundio (1844-'50), acquired great popularity; his principal work is a Historia general de Espana (26 vols., Madrid, 1850-'62).