60 EDUCATION IN DAIRY FARMING, AND 



cerning the amelioration of agriculture, principally dairying, by 

 the Confederation, June 27, 1884": — Art. 1. The Confederation 

 will adopt the following articles in favour of agriculture, and 

 will assist them with subsidies as they are warranted by the 

 activity of the cantons and the agricultural societies. The 

 articles then provide — that the federal council will grant purses 

 of 400 francs per year to scholars destined for agricultural 

 instruction, on condition that they have practised agriculture 

 for at least a year ; that the cantons to which they belong grant 

 them purses at least equivalent to those given by the Confedera- 

 tion ; that the holders of purses engage themselves to consecrate 

 six years of their lives to the active service of Swiss agriculture 

 when they have reached the end of their studies. The Federal 

 Council will also grant subsidies to enable scholars to travel, in 

 order that they may make researches and gain knowledge in 

 connection with agriculture. 



Art. 3 provides — that subventions may be granted to those 

 cantons which already j)ossess or which create schools of agricul- 

 ture, and summer or winter courses of instruction, providing that 

 their programme is submitted for the sanction of the council. 



Art. 4 provides— that the Confederation may grant subven- 

 tions for the creation and conduct of dairy stations, of model 

 dairies, and of stations for agricultural analyses. The 

 Federal Council is authorised to negotiate with the cantonal 

 authorities, who desire to found stations of this kind, and to 

 grant, by way of a budget, the sums of money by means of 

 which the Confederation would participate in the establishment 

 and conduct of these stations. 



The cattle of Switzerland are principally dairy cattle, and 

 they are bred and encouraged by the Government for their 

 milk production. The Government annually grants a credit 

 of at least 100,000 francs (£4000) for the development and 

 amelioration of cattle. This sum is required to assist, above all, 

 in the feeding and improvement of bulls. It may also be ex- 

 ceptionally employed to encourage Swiss breeders to participate 

 in cattle exhibitions in other countries. 



By Art. 7 the council is authorised to assist enterprises 

 intended for the improvement of the soil or for its exploitation 

 (cultivation). Requests for aid must be remitted by the cantonal 

 authorities, and accompanied with details as to the nature and 

 importance and cost of the work ; and such work must be sub- 

 sidised by the canton, commune, or corporation, to at least the 

 same extent. This subsidy must not exceed 40 per cent, of the 

 total expense. The pa}Tiient of the federal subsidy is only made 

 after the execution of work and its inspection by the authorities. 



Art. 11 provides for annual subventions to the Swiss 

 Alpine Society, for the maintenance and development of dairy 



