AGRICULTURAL INVESTIGATION IN SWITZERLAND. 



Dr. A. Grete, 



Director of the Swiss AgriculturalCliemical Experiment Statioii of Zurich. 



Agricultural investigation in Switzerland was until very recently 

 comparatively undeveloped, if we exclude exi)eriments conducted on 

 private estates, wliicli could scarcely claim to be of scientific value. 

 The first attempts at a scientific treatment of imj^ortant agricultural 

 questions were made at tbe experiment station established in connec- 

 tion with the agricultural school of the Canton of Bern at Eiiti, near 

 the city of Bern, but for a long time this vStation did not do more than 

 make analyses of various kinds, the real experimental feature being 

 allowed to fall into the background. 



At this period Schatzmann, director of the Dairy Experiment Station 

 at Lausanne, materially advanced the cause of the dairy industry by 

 lectures, consultations, etc., at various places, and also by maintaining 

 a depot for dairy utensils for demonstration and for sale. For a long 

 time after the death of Schatzmann ^ there was no conspicuous advocate 

 of the dairy industry of Switzerland, and little was done in exiaeri- 

 mental inquiry at the Riiti Station, although that station had been 

 extended to embrace dairy investigations. In 1887, however, there was 

 a revival of this subject when Schaflfer, Boudzynski, and Freudenreich 

 commenced the publication in LandwirtschaftUches Jahrhuch der iSchweiz 

 of accounts of the following investigations : 



By Schaffer: Concerning casein and the effect of rennet on cows' 

 milk (1887); Contributions to the knowledge of the effect of rennet, 

 and of the process of ripening of cheese (1888) ; Udder inflammation of 

 cattle and its importance in agriculture (1888); Concerning the effect 

 on milk of the internal use of bitter and aromatic medicines (1888). By 

 Bondzynski andRufl: Concerning the method of Werner-Schmid for 

 the determination of fat in milk (1889). By Bondzynski: Concerning 

 the nature of butter fat (1889). By Schaffer and Bondzynski : Concern- 

 ing the physical and chemical changes of milk due to milk defects and 

 udder inflammation in cattle and goats (1890). By Freudenreich : Con- 

 cerning a new bacillus found in swelled cheese (1890). 



At various times, and especially in the year 1882, steps were taken 

 by the Swiss Agricultural Society to induce the general government to 

 establish a federal dairy station for theoretical and practical work, but 

 the carrying out of this plan has been deferred from time to time. Later 



' The more important of Schatzmami's articles were published in the Alpwirtschaft- 

 liohe Monats-hliiUern. 



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