569 
CLIMATE. 
Local climates are subject to special influences, greatly modifying the 
effect of altitude. For instance, the canton of Grisons, in the southeast, 
is exposed to cold winds, which contracts the range of vegetation. The 
canton of Valais, isolated by high mountains, enjoys a genial and equa- 
ble temperature. Some parts of the country are darkened by fogs. At 
Berne, tor example, the year averages 66 days of fog—16 in spring, 30 
in autumn, and 20 in winter.. Great St. Bernard averages 91 days of 
fog per annum—26 in spring, 19 in summer, 25 in autumn, and 21 in 
winter. At St. Gothard the foggy days number 278 per annum—71 in 
spring, 79 in summer, 70 in autumn, and 58 in winter. The same varia- 
tion is visible in the amount of rain-fall. At Geneva it is 31 inches per 
annum; at Zurich, 32; at Berne, 42; at the foot of the Alps, 42; at 
Great St. Bernard, 73. On the northern slope of the Alps the rainy 
days average 120 per annum; on the southern slope, 90 days. The gov- 
ernment has established 84 meteorological stations, which have made 
valuable contributions to meteorological science. 
POPULATION. 
The population is given at 2,669,147, or about 166 per square mile. 
Of these, 1,566,347 are Protestants, 1,084,369 Roman Catholics, 18,431 
Jews and other sects; 384,538 speak German, 133,575 French, 30,079 
Italian, 3,826 other languages. Soil-culture employs 44.4 per cent. ; 
manufactures, 34.5 per cent.; commerce, 5.2 per cent.; transportation, 
1.8 per cent.; public administration, science, arts, &c., 3.9 per cent. ; 
personal service, 6.3 per cent.; occupations not indicated, 3.9 per cent. 
The census of 1869 exhibits one birth to each 32, one death to each 40, 
and one marriage to each 141 of the population. 
COMMERCE. 
The total importations from foreign countries in 1871 amounted to 
153,855,664 franes, or 57.55 francs per capita. Of this aggregate 
63,480,295 represented cereals, being 23.78 francs per capita; wine, 
21,467,340 francs; coffee, 20,641,940 francs; sugar, 18,082,800 franes ; 
brandy and spirits of wine, 6,157,600 frances; butter, 6,103,130 francs ; 
flour, 4,435,950 francs, &c. The total export amounted to 42,187,692 
franes; of which over two-thirds (28,939,050 franes) represented cheese. 
The other items were mostly cereals, flour, butter, and coffee. 
AREA AND CEREAL PRODUCTION. 
The area of Switzerland is about 16,000 square miles, nearly equal to 
New Hampshire and Massachusetts combined. Not over 15 per cent. 
of the area of the republic is susceptible of cultivation. The larger pro- 
portion of this cultivable area is found in the Swiss plain, but the val- 
leys of Jura and the Alps afford very considerable scope for agricul- 
tural enterprise. In general, landed property is minutely sub-divided, 
large farms being found only in Berne and Lucerne; medium properties 
are foundin Argovie, Soleure, and Thurgovie. The cantons of Lucerne, 
Soleure, Fribourg, and Schaffhouse produce a surplus of grain; in Ar- 
govie and Valais production and consumption are nearly equal; in the 
rest of Switzerland there is a deficiency. The annual import of foreign 
grain amounts to nearly 4,000,000 quintals, while the export does not 
