NOTES ON A VISIT TO SWITZERLAND AND GERMANY. 303 
XXVIII. Wotes on a Visit to Switzerland and Germany, 1905. 
By Joun J. R. MEIKLEJOHN, Novar, Evanton, Ross-shire. 
I left England at 10.30 p.m. on the 6th of June, and travelled 
by rail on the following day from the Hook of Holland to 
Basel. Next day I went to Zurich, and thence to Sihlwald. 
When I arrived at Sihlwald, I found that Herr Ulrich Meister, 
Stadforstmeister, to whom I had an introduction from Dr 
Schlich, was attending a sitting of the Federal Assembly, of 
which he is a member, but I was kindly received by his 
assistant, Herr Conrad Tuchschmid, and three English students 
from Coopers Hill. These four gentlemen took much trouble 
to inform me about the forest, and I would take this opportunity 
of recording my thanks to them for their goodness. 
I learned that the forest I had come to see is the property 
of the municipality of Zurich. It extends to 1153 hectares 
(2848 acres), and is chiefly situated in the valley of the Sihl. 
The Sihl is a small mountain stream, and the forest, which 
occupies the steep slopes on either side of it, extends for a 
length of 13 kilometres along its course. 
The forest is a very ancient one, there being written records 
of its produce and management since the eighth century. The 
first known survey of the forest is dated 1680, and a copy of a 
survey dated 1743 is in the hands of the managers; both of 
these testify to the long time this forest has been under 
systematic, enlightened management. A good State road and 
a railway now run through the valley, and these give to the 
forest facilities of transport:both by road and rail. 
The produce of the forest is all manufactured on the spot, 
and in the afternoon I was taken over the works, which were 
near our hotel, in order to see the manufacturing processes 
carried on in the valley of the Sihl. The machinery is driven 
by water from the river, which is got in large volume, and 
one turbine of about a hundred horse-power drives the plant. 
There are several sawing machines, several dressing and planing 
machines, and three or four machines which make the material 
known as “ wood-wool.” This consists of narrow, thin shavings 
of wood made from thoroughly seasoned spruce, and it is 
used for packing fruit, etc. It fetches from 14s. to 35s. per 
