ANNUAL EXCURSION. 89 



dance and selections on the bag-pipes were contributed by 

 members of our party. 



A departure was made from Brienz on Wednesday morning 

 by train over the Briinig Pass to Lucerne. The scenery on 

 this part of the journey is typically Alpine, and represents one 

 of the most picturesque parts of Switzerland. Lucerne was 

 reached by midday and, after lunch, under the leadership of 

 Mr Biihler, a tour was made through the town. Lucerne 

 occupies a beautiful position at the end of the lake of the same 

 name, and is flanked by the two peaks Pilatus and the Rigi 

 Kulm. The journey to Ziirich was completed in the evening. 



SIHLWALD. 



The programme for the next day comprised a visit to the 

 famous town forest of Ziirich, the Sihlwald. This forest is 

 perhaps unique in having been under systematic management 

 for probably a longer period than any other forest in the world. 

 Forstmeister Dr Meister joined the party in Zurich and train 

 was taken to Sihlbrugg. The railway extends to the head of 

 the valley of the river Sihl and skirts the forest all the way. 

 During the journey Dr Meister described the general nature 

 of the forest area. 



The land is mountainous, being characterised by steep slopes 

 which alternate with more or less level terraces. The elevation 

 above sea-level varies from 16,007 feet in the valley to 3087 feet 

 on the top of the ridge. The hill-slopes are cut up by over 

 twenty mountain torrents, which rush down during the rains 

 with such violence as to necessitate the construction of costly 

 protection works to prevent erosion taking place on a large 

 scale. The climate is temperate with an annual rainfall of 

 59 inches. The snow-fall is heavy, and this forms the greatest 

 danger to the forest, since heavy falls occur in autumn before 

 the trees are stripped of leaves. Early and late frosts are 

 common although no great damage is done by them. The 

 forest because of its sheltered position does not suffer from 

 storms. The geological formation is a Tertiary fresh-water 

 sandstone giving rise to a soil of the nature of a sandy loam 

 which is deep and fertile. 



Grozving stock. — The forest is a mixed one with 85 "/„ broad- 

 leaved species and 15 °/,, coniferous species. Of the broad- 

 leaved trees beech constitutes 85 "/o of the crop, ash and maple 



